Speaking at the AeroFarms Ag Tech Innovation Summit in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Controlled
Environment Agriculture Alliance Executive Director Tom Stenzel urged global stakeholders to support
increased investment and government collaboration to advance CEA production as a cornerstone of
future sustainable agriculture.
“While private equity investment has driven much of the early support for CEA producers, the United
Arab Emirates government model of clearly setting sustainability targets and investing in the sector
needs to be adopted more globally, including in the United States,” Stenzel said.
“As Congress begins consideration of the 2023 Farm Bill, indoor agriculture needs to become a vital part
of every Farm Bill title,” he said. “In addition, tax policy that provides incentives for private sector
investment can be critical in meeting our goals for sustainability, climate-smart agriculture, and nutrition
security.”
The CEA Alliance is a membership trade association representing and serving indoor vertical farms and
high-tech greenhouse producers, their supplier business partners, and their customers. Members work
together through the CEA Alliance to advance the sector through public policy advocacy, food safety and
sustainability standards, and delivery of the freshest, high-quality fruits and vegetables to consumers.
