The Controlled Environment Agriculture Alliance (CEA Alliance) has submitted to Congressional leaders a comprehensive list of recommendations for the 2023 Farm Bill.
“Since the 2018 Farm Bill, the CEA sector has grown tremendously due to its value in the overall agricultural landscape,” said Tom Stenzel, Executive Director of the CEA Alliance.
“Controlled environment growers employ a variety of agricultural production methods and technology to create optimal growing conditions, using less scarce resources, and maintaining rigorous environmental controls. Increasingly, CEA producers are an important part of the domestic fresh food supply chain and a critical backstop against supply chain disruptions triggered by extreme weather and macroeconomic challenges,” Stenzel said.
“However, these producers often do not qualify for many of the existing programs authorized by the Farm Bill, which have primarily focused on outdoor field agriculture. The CEA Alliance appreciates the steps taken in the 2018 Farm Bill to create the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production, and encourages Congress to accelerate government support and investment in this important and growing part of US agriculture.”
The Alliance submitted recommendations to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, and the House Agriculture Committee. Recommendations were made in 11 different areas to better support indoor farms and specialty crop producers overall.
A copy of the CEA Alliance’s recommendations are attached.
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The Controlled Environment Agriculture Alliance (CEA Alliance) is a membership trade association representing and serving vertical farms and greenhouse producers growing fruits and vegetables in a highly controlled indoor production environment. Controlled environment growers employ a variety of agricultural production methods and technology to create optimal growing conditions with rigorous environmental controls. Growers utilize innovative technologies such as hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics, and soil-based systems to grow a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. For more information, please contact Tom Stenzel, Executive Director, at Tom@CEAAlliance.com.
