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Demand for high-quality substrates is strong worldwide

Published

5 months ago

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Ziegler Erden has opened a new production site in Latvia






© Ziegler Erden

German soil and substrate producer Ziegler Erden has officially opened a new production facility for professional horticultural substrates in Talsi, Latvia. The family company invested around 5 million euros in its subsidiary ZIBU Ventspils SIA. The installation was completed in just under five months and is now fully operational.

“The demand for high-quality substrates is high worldwide, as more and more countries plan to grow healthy food inland. A good peat-based substrate is the foundation of this and remains an essential raw material for global food security,” says Managing Director Matthias Ziegler.

Gregor Ziegler GmbH, headquartered in Stein near Plößberg (Upper Palatinate, Germany) is an internationally active second generation family business. The decision to invest in Latvia was due to the increase in demand for professional gardening substrates and the decrease in demand for peat in the hobby sector as a raw material. “With this step, we have set the path to continue marketing our Latvian peat resources in the best possible way,” added Matthias.

© Ziegler Erden

Weak peat crop
Although this year’s peat harvest has been historically weak due to poor weather conditions, the company remains positive about the overall evolution of the market. As one of Germany’s largest independent soil manufacturers, Ziegler is considered a pioneer in peat-free substrates, a valuable strength in difficult years. “We have decades of experience in developing and producing low-peat substrates at our German site. Especially this year, this expertise allows us to incorporate peat alternatives to compensate for limited peat availability,” says Matthias.

© Ziegler Erden

© Ziegler Erden

Ziegler Erden has been active in Latvia for more than 20 years and currently employs around 60 people, managing around 1,000 hectares of peatland and substrate production areas. Ninety-nine percent of products manufactured in Latvia are exported worldwide.

Sales are mainly handled through distributors, either under their own label or under Ziegler’s PLANTOP brand. “We want to focus completely on production and invest all our know-how to achieve the highest quality and productivity,” explains Matthias.

© Ziegler Erden

The company produces substrates with a wide range of formulations tailored to the needs of the client. Peat is screened into various fractions (eg 0-5mm, 0-10mm, 10-30mm or 20-40mm) and compressed into large bales for export to customers around the world. The company has also invested in a hood extension system to provide weatherproof protection to its substrates. Container sizes from 20 to 250 liters are filled on two fully automated packaging lines. Label-specific printing is standard.










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From photobiology to dynamic lighting strategies in greenhouse production

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18 hours ago

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April 9, 2026

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Greenhouse growers are working in conditions where crop yield and energy use must be managed simultaneously. According to Timo Spruijt, Chief Customer Officer at RED Horticulture, this requires a shift from fixed lighting schedules to approaches based on plant light responses.

“Lighting is moving from static control to measured and predictable strategies,” says Timo. “That starts with understanding how plants react to light and translating that into everyday decisions.”

© RED Horticulture

This approach is based on photobiology, which links plant development to light conditions. Two parameters are central: intensity and spectrum. Light intensity affects photosynthesis, biomass accumulation and yield, while spectrum affects morphology, flowering, rooting and nutritional composition. Paul Vailhen, photobiologist at RED, points out that these factors must be managed together. “Focusing on one parameter without the other limits how plants use light. The interaction between intensity and spectrum determines photon efficiency.”

He explained that growers can use this knowledge to target harvests more precisely. “When photobiology is applied in practice, lighting becomes a management tool rather than a fixed input.”

Three areas
To support this, RED Horticulture organizes its offer around three areas: luminaires, control platform and agronomic orientation. These components are intended to respond to changes during the day and during the cultivation phases. “The needs of the plants are not constant,” says Timo. “Lighting strategies must follow these variations.”

The MyRED platform is used to translate greenhouse data into lighting decisions. Growers can monitor performance and adjust lighting strategies through a dashboard. “The platform allows producers to define and modify their light recipes and evaluate the results,” explains Timo. “It links crop data with energy use.”

He added that implementation goes beyond software. “Support continues after installation. We work with growers to set goals, apply strategies and adjust over time.”

Energy use
Energy use is a major factor in greenhouse operations. Timo connects lighting strategies directly with consumption. “Understanding how intensity and spectrum affect power use helps growers manage their energy input,” he says. “This could lead to changes in the way lighting is applied during the day.”

Automation is also part of today’s greenhouse practices. The system can adjust the lighting throughout the day according to predefined strategies. “Automation reduces manual adjustments and keeps light levels consistent,” says Timo. “It also allows control over the entire light output.”

He noted that automated control can contribute to additional energy savings beyond the performance of the luminaires. “When strategies are applied dynamically, further reductions in energy use are possible.”

Research
This is another part of the research approach. Through the Photobiology and Agronomy Research Center (PARC), RED Horticulture conducts trials under controlled conditions. Timo explains how this relates to commercial production. “Trials allow strategies to be tested before implementation. Producers can then apply these results with a clearer view of expected outcomes.”

The goal is to make photobiology applicable to different crops and growing environments. “The same principles can be adapted to different varieties and production systems,” says Timo. It concludes by returning to the role of knowledge in greenhouse management. “Understanding photobiology is the starting point. From there, growers can build lighting strategies that match crop requirements and energy constraints.”

For more information:
RED Horticulture
World Horti Center
Europe 1
2672 ZX Naaldwijk
+31 174 705 617
horticulture.red/

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Hawaii Lawmakers Approve Bill To Create Psychedelics Task Force Charged With Studying Psilocybin And MDMA

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18 hours ago

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April 9, 2026

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Another Hawaii House committee has passed the Senate-passed bill creating a psychedelic task force responsible for analyzing and making policy recommendations about providing access to breakthrough therapies like psilocybin and MDMA.

The House Finance Committee advanced the legislation to Sen. Chris Lee (D) on a 15-0 vote Tuesday. The measure, which passed the Senate last month by a 24-0 vote, will next go to the House floor before returning to the Senate for that chamber to consider final amendments.

The bill would create Creative Mental Health Therapy, a two-year review of the current scientific literature, supporting additional clinical research and developing policy recommendations for the “safe, ethical, and culturally informed implementation” of a psychedelic therapy program.

“The Legislature believes in addressing the mental health crisis affecting the State’s residents, particularly among veterans, first responders and trauma survivors,” SB 3199 reads. “Suicide remains the leading cause of preventable death, and the State must explore all safe and effective treatment options supported by scientific evidence.”

Given that the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated psilocybin and MDMA as breakthrough therapies in the treatment of serious mental health conditions, which may be subject to future control under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), Hawaii’s legislation states that the state must “proactively prepare public health, clinical and research systems for safe and equitable implementation.”

The state Department of Health said in House committee testimony that it supports the bill, noting that in light of the FDA’s action on psychedelics, it is “prudent for Hawaii to assess research readiness, regulatory implications, workforce development and culturally informed implementation pathways” before any federal rescheduling of the substances.

The Governor’s Office of Wellness and Resiliency said the bill “has an important opportunity to begin paving a planned pathway for people who need access to life-saving treatments for trauma and other mental health issues.”

“A growing body of research demonstrates that breakthrough therapies (such as MDMA and psilocybin-assisted therapies) demonstrate high efficacy and positive clinical outcomes in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use disorders, end-of-life anxiety, eating disorders, depression, treatment-resistant, and additional conditions in terminally ill patients.”




Team members should include representatives from the State Department of Health (DOH), the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of Wellness and Resiliency (OWR), the University of Hawaii School of Medicine, and more.

Like the draft, the DOH would oversee the task force, an amendment approved by the House Health Committee last month makes the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) the responsible institution, and JABSOM’s nominee as the panel’s chairman.

The commission also adopted amendments suggested by the Department of Law Enforcement to say that its Division of Narcotics Enforcement — and not the Board of Pharmacy — would be responsible for changing the state’s scheduling of psychedelics after any federal reclassification, and to change the deadline for doing so from 90 days to 30 days.

Members note in their bill report that the state Agency for Health Planning and Development has expressed concern that psychedelics are illegal under federal law and that the task force should proceed with caution.

Finally, the panel made technical corrections for clarity, consistency, and style.

If ordered, it appears invoice would be It was first assembled in 2023 based on prior work by a separate psychedelic task force.With a similar goal of exploring avenues for therapeutic access in breakthrough drugs approved by the FDA such as psilocybin.

—
It’s Marijuana Time tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelic and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters by pledging at least $25/month, you’ll get access to our interactive maps, charts, and audio calendars so you never miss a development.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracking and become a Patreon supporter to gain access
—

Meanwhile, Hawaii senators recently passed a bill to legalize low-dose, low-potency marijuanathe legislation did not advance the necessary steps before a crucial deadline, so it is dead for the year.

A separate marijuana legalization bill, SB 2421, that contained provisions under federal reform law or amendments to the state Constitution, was delayed for action. The Senate and House panels also delayed action on a measure to sell certain hemp-derived cannabinoid products.

These actions follow Senior lawmakers in the House indicated that proposals to legalize cannabis would not move forward In the 2026 session, citing the lack of sufficient support in their chamber.

Earlier this month, a Hawaii Senate committee unanimously approved legislation to allow patients immediately enter medical cannabis after submitting their recordsinstead of waiting for the cards to be delivered, as is the case under current legislation.

A Senate committee also adopted the resolutions Asking Congress to federally legalize marijuanasupport the state’s efforts to clean up people’s criminal records and take steps to make it easier for cannabis companies to access banking services.

Another Senate panel advanced separate resolutions urging the state attorney general and the health department to seek a waiver from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Hawaii is allowed to run its cannabis program without federal interference.

user photo Wikimedia/Mushroom Observer.

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Rescheduling appeal process ‘remains pending’ despite Trump’s executive order

Published

2 days ago

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April 8, 2026

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The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says the marijuana redistricting appeals process “remains pending” despite President Donald Trump issuing an executive order more than three months ago ordering the attorney general to pursue reform “as expeditiously as possible.”

The DEA and reform advocates filed a joint status report Monday on the agency’s interlocutory appeal of bias and improper communications with parties opposed to the redistricting.

“To date, the Movants’ interlocutory appeal to the Administrator on the Motion for Reconsideration remains pending with the Administrator,” said attorneys representing the DEA and cannabis reform advocates who are challenging the process. “No information schedule has been established.”

The agency is responsible for establishing the information schedule. But nearly a year after a former administrative law judge granted the appeal, the DEA is once again delaying the process. This is the fifth consolidated status report, with largely identical language, that the parties have submitted under the administrative litigation order.

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