{"id":5239,"date":"2023-06-16T15:28:24","date_gmt":"2023-06-16T13:28:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jiffygroup.com\/news\/jiffy-groups-ceo-outlines-future-of-horticulture-in-newsweek-magazine\/"},"modified":"2023-11-28T09:37:34","modified_gmt":"2023-11-28T07:37:34","slug":"jiffy-groups-ceo-outlines-future-of-horticulture-in-newsweek-magazine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jiffygroup.com\/pt\/noticias\/jiffy-groups-ceo-outlines-future-of-horticulture-in-newsweek-magazine\/","title":{"rendered":"Jiffy Group`s CEO Outlines Future of Horticulture in Newsweek Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jiffy Group is delighted to share that the company was featured in the recent Newsweek report, \u201cThe New Era of Food and Agriculture.\u201d An interview with our CEO Thorleif Hals <\/a>captures Jiffy\u2019s vision for the future of the global horticulture industry.<\/p>\n

In the interview, Thorleif highlighted Jiffy's efforts to overcome supply chain challenges and lessen climate change impacts. Jiffy is steadily moving toward a \u201clocal-for-local\u201d production strategy, he said, aiming to develop sustainable fibers from local sources to reduce import dependencies.<\/p>\n

Thorleif shared with Newsweek benefits of indoor farming, such as increased yields and reduced resource consumption. He cited a 2019 experiment at the Trial and Demo centers in Qatar that Jiffy conducted in coordination with Wageningen University & Research and Dutch horticultural suppliers. The pilot study looked at yields and water savings between local, high-tech greenhouse tomato production and outdoor tomato production.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe results were 5 kg per square meter outdoors and 100 kg per square meter indoors; moreover, the water and mineral consumption indoors was 99% less than that outdoors,\u201d Thorleif said. \u201cIn other words, thanks to indoor farming they can now have local tomato produce in Qatar. That signifies a new era.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Jiffy expands in North America, we seek to become a trusted partner for growers in the complex Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) <\/a>sector. Our dedication to this market goes beyond providing quality products; we offer our invaluable expertise derived from our rich heritage in the horticulture industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are still some challenges in the sector, notably regarding better energy efficiency, but, overall, I think that CEA is the solution for the future,\u201d Thorlief told Newsweek.<\/p>\n

Reducing our carbon footprint<\/strong><\/h2>\n

With an unwavering dedication to sustainability, Jiffy is committed to reducing CO2 emissions by 25% by 2025, an ambitious goal to be achieved by focusing on indoor farming and high-tech solutions. To date, we have reduced our greenhouse gas emissions through multiple efforts across production sites. These changes have included, among many others, installing solar panels on the roofs of our facilities in Kobeigane and Mirigama, Sri Lanka, and switching from oil to lower-CO2 gas to power drying ovens at our Jiffy Pot production location in Denmark.<\/p>\n

Additionally, Jiffy is working toward Responsibly Produced Peat certification<\/a> of all our European peat fields and Veriflora Responsibly Managed Peatlands certification of our Canadian fields. In New Brunswick, where Jiffy\u2019s peatlands are located, we follow the government\u2019s Crown Peat Policy that requires peat extraction sites to be restored to their pre-disturbance states or reclaimed to an alternative land use after harvesting.<\/p>\n

Making growing media more sustainable<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Jiffy\u2019s passion for innovation is manifesting in new developments in the growing media segments. We have added two new sustainable and renewable wood fibers to our range of substrate raw materials at our largest substrate production facility in Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands. Professional growers are already seeing the value in these new fibers.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, our products like Flexistart<\/a> and Pellets with PLA netting signal major developments in reducing plastic use in the growing media market.<\/p>\n

Flexistart is an enriched growing media offering that minimizes soil loss and maintains plug integrity. Formulated with all natural materials, Flexistart changes from a loose fill mix into a solid plug when water is added and keeps dibble structures intact. Flexistart\u2019s compatibility with all loose fill and transplanting machines, cell trays, and cell configurations, allows growers to incorporate the substrate into existing processes without needing to build an advanced filled tray inventory.<\/p>\n

Jiffy is also working toward using polylactic acid, or PLA, netting for all our Pellets. Made from corn starch, our PLA netting is a lightweight fine-fiber web that is fossil plastic-free and GMO-free. Biodegradable and industrially compostable, PLA nets will only break down once planted in the ground. The netting has a 65% lower production carbon footprint than propylene plastic.<\/p>\n

As Thorleif told Newsweek, Jiffy is also developing a Pellet that does not require a net. \u201cEven without a net, that pellet keeps its firmness and stays together,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Contributing to the circular economy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In our raw materials and products, we are increasing our contributions to the circular economy. More than 80% of the plastics Jiffy uses in our products and packaging are already recyclable, and we are working to make the rest of the plastics recyclable. Meanwhile, the Jiffy Innovation Team is participating in two Dutch government-led circular economy projects \u2014 one focused on growing media and the other on plastics.<\/p>\n

"We see a bright future for the global horticulture industry," Thorleif said, "with the potential to contribute to the local availability of fruits, vegetables, and herbs while reducing environmental footprint."<\/p>\n

Jiffy Group is proud to be at the forefront of the evolving horticulture industry. We encourage everyone to read the full Newsweek interview here<\/a> and the comprehensive "The New Era of Food and Agriculture" report here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s work together<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Jiffy is a leading global supplier of growing media. We aim to serve you, our customers in plant propagation and cultivation, to achieve better results.<\/p>\n

Jiffy and the horticulture industry can do this together by continually improving, innovating, and working toward our common goals based on facts, teamwork, and involvement.<\/p>\n