Key Takeaways
- The 2025 CEA Summit East will open with a keynote panel on sustainable growth in controlled environment agriculture
- The panel brings together voices from government, industry, and technology sectors
- Keynote speakers include Virginia Secretary of Agriculture Matthew Lohr, Oasthouse Ventures’ Ben Alexander, and COFRA’s Roger Buelow
- The session aims to explore the intersection of economics, innovation, and environmental responsibility in CEA
- The Summit will be held September 9–10, 2025, at the IALR Conference Center in Danville, Virginia
Indoor Ag-Con and CEA Innovation Center to Launch CEA Summit East with Policy and Sustainability-Focused Keynote
Indoor Ag-Con, in partnership with the CEA Innovation Center, has announced the keynote session for the 4th Annual Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East. The event will take place on September 9–10, 2025, at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center in Danville, Virginia.
The Summit will open at 8:45 AM on Tuesday, September 9 with a panel discussion titled “Cultivating Sustainable Growth: Balancing Economics and the Environment in CEA.” The keynote is expected to frame two days of industry engagement, featuring breakout sessions, research showcases, tabletop exhibits, and cross-sector networking.
“This panel reflects the core mission of the CEA Summit East — bringing different parts of the industry together to share ideas and explore solutions,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO of Indoor Ag-Con.
Panel to Explore Growth Strategies for Sustainable CEA
The keynote panel will focus on how controlled environment agriculture can expand while maintaining a balance between economic viability and environmental responsibility. Discussions will center around the role of public policy, technological advancement, and strategic investment in shaping the sector.
Speakers include:
- Matthew Lohr, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry – Representing the state’s efforts to support local, technology-driven food production, Lohr offers insights into how policy frameworks and public-private collaboration can enhance the CEA ecosystem.
- Ben Alexander, Project Director, Oasthouse Ventures Ltd. – Alexander leads U.S. operations for the U.K.-based company currently developing a $104.8 million low-carbon greenhouse project in Carroll County, Virginia.
- Roger Buelow, Chief Technology Officer, COFRA Sustainable Food Group – Buelow contributes a technical perspective on sustainable systems and innovation in food production. COFRA’s initiatives focus on scalable CEA practices.
“We’re looking forward to a conversation that not only highlights current progress, but also helps spark ideas for building a more sustainable path forward for CEA,” said Dr. Scott Lowman, Vice President of Applied Research at IALR and Co-Director of the CEA Innovation Center.
