GreenTech North America conference to address AI, vertical farming
GreenTech North America has expanded its 2026 conference program, with sessions on artificial intelligence (AI), vertical farming, operational costs and other controlled environment agriculture (CEA) issues planned for Sept. 23-24 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.
The two-day conference will cover soft fruit, vegetables, ornamentals and medicinal plants. Programming will focus on energy, human capital, digital growing, AI and strategies for managing rising operational costs, along with discussions involving industry and government representatives.
The conference will open from 9 to 10 a.m. Sept. 23 with a ceremony led by Mariska Dreschler, director horticulture at GreenTech Global. Additional keynote speakers, including political and government representatives, are expected to be announced.
First-day sessions include a discussion of profitable growth in hydroponic leafy greens and a session on expanding North America’s CEA greenhouse ecosystem through technology, scaled operations and workforce development.
Programming Sept. 24 includes sessions on vertical farming and the cost and return on investment of AI in CEA. Another session will examine how policy, capital and operations can be aligned in the CEA sector.
A separate Plant Empowerment Workshop is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 22. The workshop will cover Plant Empowerment principles, water management, crop optimization and climate control strategies.
GreenTech North America is organized by RAI Amsterdam and focuses on the U.S. and Canadian horticulture industries.