ABOUT

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— Corenthin (Félix) Chassouant

Vice President of Sales and Business Development | Greenhouse Expert Advisor | Agronomist (MSc, Agr.)

Produce · Ornamentals · Soft Fruits · Forest Tree Nurseries · CEA · North America

“Too many growers build their greenhouse, fill their rows, and then start looking for buyers. I help them make the right decisions — in the right order.”

Who I Am

I’m Corenthin (Félix) Chassouant, an agronomist and commercial greenhouse specialist based in the Greater Montreal area (Québec, Canada). With a Master’s degree in Agronomy and professional accreditation as an agronomist (agr.) in Quebec, Canada given by the Ordre des Agronomes du Québec (OAQ). I have spent over a decade working hands-on with commercial greenhouse producers, structure manufacturers, and industry stakeholders across three continents.

In 2019, I created Horti Generation to share what I learn in the field: practical, honest insights into greenhouse production, Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), and the technologies shaping the future of horticulture in North America and beyond.

My focus spans the full spectrum of commercial greenhouse production in North America — produce growing, ornamental production, soft fruit growing, and forest tree nurseries. These sectors have distinct challenges, distinct markets, and distinct structures. That’s where I spend most of my time, and what this blog is built around.

My Background

My career has taken me from commercial greenhouses in Southeast Asia to operations across Western Europe, Canada, the United States, and Central America. For the past six years, I have been based in Québec, working as Vice President of Sales and Business Development for Industries Harnois, one of North America’s leading greenhouse structure manufacturers, covering everything from low-tech gothic high tunnels to fully automated poly and glass greenhouse systems.

In that role, I have worked directly with:

• Vegetable growers across Canada, the U.S., and Central America (tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and leafy greens), advising on structure selection, climate control systems, hydroponic growing methods, and the operational decisions that determine long-term profitability in a market increasingly shaped by energy costs, labor constraints, and competition from imported produce

• Ornamental producers across Canada and the U.S., from floriculture operations to container perennial growers and retail garden centres, helping them select structures that balance light transmission, climate control, and capital efficiency

• Soft fruit growers (strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries) transitioning from open-field to protected production using high tunnels, freestanding and gutter-connected greenhouses, with a focus on season extension, yield improvement, and ROI

• Forest tree nursery operators managing climate-controlled seedling production for reforestation programs in Canada and the U.S., where precision germination environments and efficient container systems are critical to survival rates and program timelines, improving the operations efficiency and profitability

• Producers across all tech levels: from low-tech poly houses and mid/high-tech poly gutter-connected systems to full high-tech glass greenhouses with automated climate control, LED lighting, and hydroponic growing systems

Before joining Harnois, I spent several years in Southeast Asia, supporting greenhouse development projects across diverse climates, an experience that continues to shape how I think about adaptive design, ventilation, and practical solutions for growers who need results, not theory.

What I Cover on This Blog

Every article on Horti Generation comes from real conversations with growers, real projects in the field, and real data. My editorial focus reflects the four sectors I work in most:

🥬 Vegetable & Produce Greenhouse Production

Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, herbs, greenhouse vegetables remain the backbone of the North American CEA industry. I cover the full range, from entry-level hydroponic systems for new growers to large-scale high-tech operations competing with open-field and offshore imports. Topics include crop selection strategy, climate management, fertigation, IPM, and the profitability decisions that determine whether a vegetable operation survives its first five years. With domestic tariffs reshaping competition from Mexican imports, the timing for North American greenhouse vegetable producers to invest in efficiency and differentiation has never been more critical.

🌸 Ornamental Greenhouse Production

Bedding plants, potted plants, cut flowers, woody ornamentals, container perennials: the ornamental sector faces unique pressures in North America including labor costs, competition from offshore imports, and the need to balance high-volume production with quality differentiation. I cover structural decisions, heating strategies, climate management, and the business side of ornamental operations.

🍓 Soft Fruit & Small Fruit Production

Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and other small fruits are among the fastest-growing categories in North American protected agriculture. I write about the full range, from gothic high tunnels as a low-risk entry point to full hydroponic gutter systems for high-yield year-round production. Topics include substrate management, climate and lighting requirements, irrigation and fertigation, propagation, and the economics of scale-up.

🌲 Forest Tree Nurseries & Reforestation

This is the segment most underserved by existing horticultural media, and one where controlled environment production is making a major difference. Greenhouse-based seedling production for reforestation programs requires precise climate management, specific photoperiod control, and container systems designed for high-density germination and hardening. I cover the technical and operational aspects of this niche from direct project experience in Canada.

Cross-Sector Expertise

Beyond crop-specific content, I write on the topics that matter to all four sectors:

• Greenhouse structures: choosing the right structure type, covering material, and design for your climate, crop, and budget
• Climate control & energy efficiency: heating systems, heat pumps, ventilation, and the move toward decarbonization in Canadian and U.S. operations
• CEA technology: from climate computers and LED lighting to automation and AI-assisted growing
• Business & profitability: market strategy, distribution models, investment decisions, and the operational choices that separate thriving operations from struggling ones

I also publish the Horti-Gen Insights newsletter, a collaboration with iGrow News, providing in-depth analysis for greenhouse industry professionals across North America.

Industry Presence & Recognition

My expertise has been cited and featured in leading North American and international publications:

I have also presented and exhibited at:

• Indoor Ag-Con (Las Vegas): representing Harnois at North America’s key CEA event
• GreenTech Amsterdam: international greenhouse technology exhibition
• CTNA (Canadian Tree Nursery Association) webinars: forest nursery production

Work With Me

If you are a commercial grower, an industry supplier, or a researcher working in vegetable production, ornamental growing, soft fruits, or forest nursery operations in North America, I want to hear from you.

Whether you have a technical question, want to share a story from your operation, or are looking for expert input on a project, reach out. The best insights on this blog come from conversations with people doing the work.

• 💼 LinkedIn: Corenthin Félix Chassouant
• 📬 Subscribe to Horti-Gen Insights
• 📩 Contact via the blog

Horti Generation is an independent editorial blog. All content reflects my personal expertise and field experience. Sponsored or partnered content is explicitly identified as such.