Emily Andes
Emily Andes recently joined Wagner Greenhouses in Minneapolis as Head Grower, bringing a proven track record of innovation, crop diversification, and technology integration in controlled environment agriculture.
In her previous role as Manager of Research and Innovation at Bushel Boy Farms, Emily spearheaded one of the company’s most notable initiatives — the 2021 launch of strawberries, Bushel Boy’s first non-tomato crop. This milestone laid the foundation for additional crops, including cucumbers (2022) and mini sweet peppers (2024). Under her leadership, Bushel Boy also grew its tomato portfolio from three to more than a dozen varieties.
Emily is recognized for embedding data-driven decision making and advanced technology into growing operations. She collaborated with IUNU to deploy AI-powered crop monitoring systems, pioneered new lighting strategies that improved yields by 12–15%, and led biosecurity research that dramatically reduced tomato virus infection rates at Bushel Boy’s Iowa facility.
Known for her hands-on leadership style, Emily works side-by-side with her team to solve problems, inspire curiosity, and drive continuous improvement. A passionate advocate for sustainability and community engagement, she has contributed to monarch butterfly conservation initiatives and volunteered with local nonprofits. At Wagner Greenhouses, Emily continues her mission to blend agronomy expertise, innovation, and teamwork to strengthen the future of controlled environment agriculture.