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Plant Empowerment offers the fastest route to sustainable and profitable horticulture worldwide

Published

3 weeks ago

November 21, 2025

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Peter Geelen and Jan O. Voogt, together with Peter van Weel, were there at the beginning of the work on Het Nieuwe Telen (New Work). This year, a special edition of a magazine* celebrates fifteen years of the concept. Both Peters and Jan laid the foundations for Land Appropriation, the framework that underpins Het Nieuwe Telen. Plant Empowerment is the English term that has gained worldwide recognition for this philosophy.

In 2022 the founders created the Plant Empowerment Academy. Their aim is to support the sustainable development of greenhouse horticulture by promoting an open exchange of knowledge through an objective and independent breeding concept.

On the Plant Empowerment Academy website, the founders discuss how the concept came about. Their story goes back to 2004, and they describe it as the beginning of the “sustainability transition in Dutch horticulture”. That year, the first fully enclosed greenhouse in the Netherlands was built.

“Surprisingly, the plants in this closed greenhouse behaved very differently from what theory and experience in conventional open greenhouses would have us expect,” they recalled. “For example, the rate of crop transpiration, which depends on solar radiation and humidity, did not fit standard evaporation models. Higher greenhouse temperatures sometimes produced better results than lower temperatures, which contradicted prevailing assumptions.”

New insights through the combination of physics and plant physiology
These unexpected observations inspired a new research project on plant behavior in relation to greenhouse climate. Peter van Weel, then working at Wageningen University and Research, and Jane, at Hoogendoorn Growth Management, conducted the research.

“We discovered that some long-standing theories about plant behavior and climate control were partly incorrect, and even contradicted the basic principles of physics and plant physiology. Step by step, together with researcher Peter Geelen, we developed a new growing concept based on physiological and physical laws. 2008.”

© Plant Empowerment AcademyPeter van Weel, Peter Geelen and Jan O. Voogt, founders and authors of the Plant Empowerment cultivation concept, together with illustrator Jan Seelen for visualizations of the first book Plant Empowerment the basic principles, November 2017.

Plant Empowerment Academy
Other key milestones in the development of the concept were 2009, when Het Nieuwe Telen’s innovation program began, 2015, when Peter Geelen, Jan O. Voogt and Peter van Weel published the book ‘De basisprincipes van Het Nieuwe Telen’, and 2016. It starts from the natural behavior of plants and their inherent growth potential.

In 2018, a book in English followed, ‘Plant Empowerment, the basic principles’. The book was later translated into Dutch and Spanish. Today, the Plant Accreditation Academy manages the publication of all the books.

The founders of Plant Empowerment advocate close and open collaboration between all parties involved, including research and training institutes, extensionists and breeders, investors, suppliers, crop advisors, technical specialists, governments and other organizations. They emphasize that this intensive cooperation is essential for success. Plant Appropriation, they say, offers the fastest route to a sustainable and profitable global greenhouse industry. For more details, readers are directed to the Mission page of the Plant Empowerment Academy website.

In order to maintain the independence of the Plant Ownership Academy, the founders have stated that they cannot enter into commercial relations. Plant Empowerment Academy and Plant Empowerment Foundation are different organizations.

The Plant Empowerment Academy is, however, open to welcoming ambassadors who wish to contribute to their shared mission. Companies, institutes, distributors and organizations interested in joining the Academy as Ambassadors are invited to contact the founders through the Ambassadors page.

Plant Empowerment Digital Growth
In recent years there has been a growing interest in data-driven breeding, supported by modern computational tools such as artificial intelligence. According to the creators, the concept of Plant Empowerment is very suitable for this, as it is based on the physiology and physical principles of plants. At the same time, the sector increasingly feels the need for a unified monitoring protocol that can be used in both research and practice.

With the initiative and support of Kas als Energiebron, the authors published an additional guide at the end of 2023 called Plant Empowerment Digitaal Telen. This guide describes a structured method of crop monitoring, including the use of appropriate sensors and plant observations. It also explains the digital tools needed for practical implementation, such as dashboards. This uniform and standardized approach improves collaboration between different parties and facilitates the exchange and comparison of research and practice results. It also allows for a significant acceleration of the learning curve and overall sustainability transition.

*https://www.kasalsenergiebron.nl/content/kasalsenergiebron/docs/HNT/Magazine_15_jaar_HNT.pdf (link to Dutch magazine)

For more information:
Plant Empowerment Academy
(email protected)
www.plantempowerment.academy

Related Topics:Empowerment Fastest horticulture offers Plant profitable route sustainable worldwide

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Maine Officials Approve 2026 Ballot Initiative To Largely Repeal Marijuana Legalization Law For Signature Collection

Published

13 hours ago

December 9, 2025

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Maine officials have given permission to prohibition activists to begin gathering signatures for a proposal A ballot initiative that would roll back the state’s voter-approved marijuana legalization law. The measure, if passed, would also overhaul the regulatory structure of the medical cannabis program by establishing product testing requirements.

The proposal — called the “Cannabis Legalization Act and Maine Medical Use of Cannabis Act” — is a revamped version of a marijuana initiative introduced in September, sponsored by a Republican state senator and a former top staffer for then-Gov. Paul LePage (R), staunch prohibitionist.

The latest proposal, a petition approved by the Secretary of State on Monday, would remove and amend multiple sections of the current state statute, which voters approved in 2016 to effectively repeal the legalization of recreational marijuana sales.

Adults over the age of 21 would remain legal to possess 2.5 ounces of cannabis under the proposal, but a section of the law allowing home cultivation would be repealed. The sale and home cultivation of medical marijuana would be legal.

Madison Carey, who was listed as a lead petitioner in the original version of the repeal initiative and remains involved in the current campaign, told Marihuana Momenti on Tuesday that “there needs to be regulation of marijuana,” arguing that her own experience recovering from opioid misuse disorder speaks to the inadequacy of the current law.

“My hope is to raise awareness of the reality of the potential dangers of not having regulation,” he said. “I think people are fed up with the constant use — the constant (retail businesses) coming up where people can legally buy marijuana.”

Of course, repealing the voter-approved law that established the adult-licensed sales system would eliminate the current regulatory infrastructure in place, which reform advocates say helps mitigate public health and safety risks associated with the illegal market.

Rep. David Boyer (R), who led the fight to get a cannabis legalization initiative on Maine’s ballot in 2016 when he was a staff member at the Marihuana Policy Project, said voters should refuse to sign petitions for the new initiative.

“Don’t stop Maine’s progress, don’t stop signing this unfair repeal initiative,” he told Marijuana Moment on Tuesday. “Repealing the legalization of cannabis would shut down an industry larger than lobsters, potatoes and blueberries combined, costing our state jobs, revenue and economic growth.”

According to the new measure, the director of the Office of Cannabis Policy will “advance policies that promote the health and welfare of the people of the state and protect their health and safety, emphasizing the health and welfare of minors as a priority consideration in the performance of all duties.”

They should also “ensure that eligible patients maintain access to high-quality, effective, and affordable medical cannabis under this Act.”

Under the proposal, the Department of Administrative and Financial Services would create a testing program for cannabis products that would require dispensaries and dispensaries to send those products to a licensed facility for safety evaluation before dispensing them to qualified patients.

The testing facility “should ensure that cannabis or cannabis products do not exceed acceptable levels of contamination for any contaminants that are harmful to health and require testing and ensure proper labeling.”

“The department shall adopt rules establishing a testing program under this section, rules identifying the types of pollutants harmful to health, which must be tested for cannabis and cannabis products under this chapter, and rules regarding the maximum level of contamination for each pollutant,” the vote said. the initiative the text says

Additionally, regulators should administer a system to track cannabis plants from seed to the point of retail sale or disposal. That system “should be able to track cannabis plants in groups during the cultivation phase and when passing from the cultivation phase to another registrar”.

Entrepreneurs must submit at least 67,682 valid voter signatures by February 2, 2026 to be eligible for next year’s ballot. If approved by voters, the initiative would take effect on January 1, 2028.

—
It’s Marijuana Moment 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
—

Maine lawmakers passed a bill in June legalize possession of an ounce of psilocybin Adults over 21 years of age.

After a different effort in the state last year legalize psilocybin and allow adults to access the psychedelic in state-licensed facilities. But lawmakers watered down that bill—instead, they changed it to create a committee to study further reforms—and in the end it was not approved.

Meanwhile, Maine legislators in February A top marijuana official voted to investigate possible conflicts of interest.

And last year, the law that allowed people came into force now apply for legal marijuana crime records to be sealed.

Marijuana Moment is made possible with the help of readers. If you rely on our pro-cannabis journalism to stay informed, consider a monthly Patreon pledge.

Cannabis News

By concentrating our portfolio, we create room for innovation and growth

Published

2 days ago

December 8, 2025

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Viscon transfers the range fork product portfolio to Flier

Viscon Plant Technology will transfer its spacer fork product portfolio (including spacer forks and fixed forks) to Flier Systems effective January 1, 2026.

“The furrows are a proven solution for spacing within the sector. By transferring this portfolio to Flier Systems, the technology will remain available to both existing and new customers, with continued quality and support. Flier Systems will take over development, sales and technical service, while Viscon Plant Technology focuses on its core activities,” the team says.

“The transfer of the fields is a deliberate strategic step to strengthen our focus on automation solutions for plant growers and young breeders. In addition to concentrating our portfolio on technologies such as tissue culture automation, phenotypic sorting and somatic embryogenesis automation, we create room for further innovation and growth. We are pleased to have found a reliable and dedicated partner in Flier Systems,” said Nigela, who will continue the same product portfolio. Viscon Plant Technology.

“Acquiring spacer forks fits perfectly into our strategy to automate the entire production process for professional plant growers. Having just introduced the upgraded SPH transplanter/sorter, we have already taken an important step in the automation of potted plants. Acquiring spacer forks is a logical addition as it allows us to offer a complete and integrated package. Viscon,” said Ad Kranendonk, Flier Systems.