The agriculture and horticulture industries don't move too quickly. As a result, according to Ian Justus, SVP of cultivation and operations at Connected Cannabis Co., gaps in cultivation persist. For example, Justus says HVAC technology is the heartbeat of indoor farming. While cultivators have focused a lot of time and resources on HVAC systems, water removal and finding the right balance, the industry could use more intelligent packaged HVAC units for facilities that can't deploy chiller systems.
Justus spent more than 10 years producing berries for Driscoll's, but he wanted to come to the cannabis industry to learn more about the grower side of indoor farming. "Cannabis is the only crop that is truly economically viable in the current state of indoor farming," Justus says.
Justus has the ability to see and read plants, unlike many others. During his Driscoll tenure, he spent a decade breeding and touring the globe. He found that successful cultivation is about being able to see plants for who they are, and he continues to teach and train that same skill.
Justus says reading plants all boils down to one simple trait: empathy, understanding something else's needs. He admits that plants are harder to understand because they communicate nonverbally, but says you can still pick up on cues.
The Cannabis Equipment News (CEN) team recently traveled to MJBizCon 2024 in Las Vegas from December 4 through December 6. At the show, we interviewed leaders from nearly every aspect of the industry. We didn't have time to interview everybody, so if we missed you, please reach out to [email protected]. MJBizCon 2025 is scheduled to be held from December 2, 2025, through December 5, 2025, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
