DANVILLE, Va. – The first event of its type on the East Coast, the CEA Summit East brings together hundreds of indoor farmers from throughout the nation.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research hosted the CEA Summit East.
More than two hundred representatives of the controlled environment agricultural business from twenty-eight states were there to network and gain knowledge about indoor farming.
Wednesday’s keynote speaker was Matthew Lohr, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry for Virginia.
“We’re bringing everyone to the table to learn and grow and network and see how we can work together and highlight Virginia,” said Lohr. “Governor Youngkin’s goal was for us to be the number one state in the country for indoor farming. I think having a large conference like this on the east coast in Virginia really highlights where we are and the potential we have.”
An additional highlight of the summit was demonstrating the advantages of indoor farming.
“The benefits of controlled environment agriculture include less pesticides or no pesticides, in some cases, the fertilizers, the food that you get really clean,” explained Scott Lowman, vice president of research at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research. “Consumers are demanding clean food.”
The epidemic, according to Lohr, raised the need for clean food.
“The controlled environment agriculture space really highlights that because we’re producing food locally. We control all of the elements of the food, the inputs, it’s tastier, healthier and safer and it’s close by. I think that the pandemic certainly highlighted the awareness and the importance of being able to have indoor growing of food,” added Lohr.
He maintains that traditional farming is vital to the economy.
“As we look at the indoor production of food, mostly produce and lettuces and fruits, we can do that inside very efficiently. But, we’re still going to need cornfields, soybean fields, wheat fields and cattle grazing. All of that is still going to be very important. So, we’re not replacing traditional agriculture. We’re trying to bring and highlight the indoor growing of certain food products to Virginia,” said Lohr.
Next year, they intend to organize an even larger meeting.
