From July 12–14, the LVVN team from the Netherlands Embassy in Washington D.C. and the Consul General from the Netherlands Consulate General in Chicago had the opportunity to attend the Cultivate’25 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio.
Beeld: Lidy Feijt
Leading horticulture industry event in the USA
The Cultivate is known to be the leading horticulture industry event in the USA, organized annually by AmericanHort. AmericanHort represents the entire horticulture industry and is a leading national association in the USA for the green industry.
The show offers opportunities for the horticulture industry in the USA, Canada and the Netherlands; insights in how to grow your business, expand your network, and explore the latest industry trends through education, workshops and tours.
More than 40 Dutch companies showcased their products and innovations at the expo floor, joined by many visiting Dutch experts. Compared to other years the number of Dutch exhibitors was down about 20%. One of the reasons seemed to be the uncertainties in this industry, especially as they relate to trade. The word “tariffs” was the number one topic discussed on the expo floor.
Beeld: Lidy Feijt
CEA opportunities in Ohio
A strong focus of many Dutch companies remains the development of innovative sustainable solutions, especially as it relates to preservation of the environment, lowering costs as well as reducing the usage of chemicals, energy and water.
A recent study by Hillenraad Partners - commissioned by Innovation Quarter, Rotterdam Partners, and the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security & Nature - provides a deep dive into Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) opportunities across six East Coast states. The study explores applied technologies, ongoing CEA activities, and potential business synergies with Dutch innovations. You can download the research report (in English) via the Innovation Quarter.
Ohio stands out as the most promising state for CEA horticulture among the six states analyzed.
Network reception
In order to explore and promote the cooperation between the Netherlands and Ohio, a networking event for over 100 Dutch company representatives was hosted by the Netherlands Agricultural Network in the USA and Canada - based at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Washington, D.C. - together with the state’s private economic development corporation JobsOhio.
For many of them it was helpful to (re)connect and to exchange experiences related to topics like research, innovations, tariffs and investments, especially now during these uncertain times.
Beeld: Lidy Feijt