North Dakota State University Extension will host the third annual North Dakota Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Conference on Sept. 17-18 at NDSU’s Peltier Complex and Memorial Union in Fargo, North Dakota.

The two-day conference will bring together growers, researchers, Extension professionals, industry representatives, students, technology developers and policymakers to explore the latest innovations under the theme "Precision Agriculture for Controlled Environment Agriculture."

Controlled environment agriculture uses technologies such as greenhouses, high tunnels, indoor farms, vertical farming systems and hydroponics to optimize growing conditions and enable efficient, year-round crop production. As North Dakota continues to diversify its agricultural systems, CEA offers opportunities to improve food security, resource efficiency and production resilience.

The conference will feature presentations from national and regional experts covering artificial intelligence, sensors and smart monitoring systems, water and nutrient management, energy efficiency, and greenhouse and vertical farming technologies. Participants will also have opportunities to tour NDSU's CEA facilities and data center and interact with exhibitors showcasing emerging technologies.

This conference provides an opportunity to connect researchers, growers, industry professionals and educators to share innovative solutions that will help advance controlled environment agriculture in North Dakota and beyond.

“By bringing together expertise from multiple disciplines, we can accelerate the adoption of technologies that improve productivity, sustainability and year-round food production,” says Laxmi Prasad, NDSU Extension water engineer.

Registration will close on July 31. The conference planning committee is also accepting exhibitors, sponsors and presentations from researchers and industry professionals.

Additional conference information, registration and the preliminary agenda are available at ndsu.ag/CEA-con-26.

For questions about the conference, contact Prasad at laxmi.prasad@ndsu.edu and Xinhua Jia at xinhua.jia@ndsu.edu. For registration or accommodation questions, contact Julie Bietz at 701-231-7273 or julie.bietz@ndsu.edu.

NDSU Agriculture Communication – July 23, 2026

Source: Laxmi Prasad, 701-231-4190, laxmi.prasad@ndsu.edu

Editor: Dominic Erickson, 701-231-5546, dominic.erickson@ndsu.edu