“Cultivating Sustainable Growth: Balancing Economics and the Environment in CEA”
Danville, VA – [June 19, 2026] – Indoor Ag-Con and the CEA Innovation Center are pleased to announce that the 4th Annual Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East will kick off with the opening morning keynote panel titled “Cultivating Sustainable Growth: Balancing Economics and the Environment in CEA” at 8:45 AM on Tuesday, September 9, 2025. Held at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) Conference Center in Danville, Virginia, this keynote sets the stage for two days of deep dive track sessions, research showcases, tabletop exhibits, and collaboration across the indoor agriculture industry.
Bringing together voices from government, industry, and technology, this panel will explore how CEA operations can grow in ways that are both economically sound and environmentally responsible. The conversation will highlight the connections between policy, innovation, and investment.
Keynote panelists include:
Matthew Lohr, Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry – As a member of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s cabinet, Secretary Lohr plays a key role in advancing the administration’s commitment to building a strong indoor agriculture ecosystem in Virginia. Under Governor Youngkin’s leadership, the state has prioritized the combination of strategic investment, technology, and business development to support safe, sustainable, and locally grown food. Secretary Lohr brings a deep understanding of how policy and public-private collaboration can help the CEA sector grow and thrive.
Ben Alexander, Project Director, Oasthouse Ventures Ltd. – Alexander oversees U.S. operations for the U.K.-based firm that is developing a $104.8 million greenhouse project in Carroll County, Virginia. A leading sustainable business development firm, Oasthouse Ventures specializes in low-carbon greenhouses.
Roger Buelow, Chief Technology Officer, COFRA Sustainable Food Group – Buelow brings expertise in sustainable technologies and innovation. The COFRA Sustainable Food Group is focused on encouraging the adoption of a more sustainable food production system and includes businesses related to the Controlled Environment Agriculture sector.
“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, Indoor Ag-Con. “These speakers bring a valuable mix of policy, technical, and operational perspectives.”
Dr. Scott Lowman, Vice President of Applied Research at IALR and Co-Director of the CEA Innovation Center, added, “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.”
ABOUT CEA SUMMIT EASTCo-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con and the CEA Innovation Center—a partnership between IALR and Virginia Tech—the CEA Summit East returns September 9-10, 2025, for its fourth edition. The event offers two days of educational sessions, tabletop exhibits, networking, research showcases, and tours of the CEA Innovation Center, all designed to bring together stakeholders from across the indoor farming industry. Attendees include greenhouse growers, urban agriculture operations, vertical farms, outdoor growers exploring hybrid opportunities, educators, scientists, extension specialists, suppliers, engineers, tech specialists, architects/developers, government officials, and other industry members.
For more information on the CEA Summit East and to register for the event, please visit www.ceasummit.com
ABOUT INDOOR AG-CONFounded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con is the largest trade show and conference for greenhouse, controlled environment agriculture and vertical farming. The event covers all crop types and brings together growers, tech providers, researchers, and business leaders to explore trends and innovations shaping the future of food production For more information, visit www.indoor.ag.
ABOUT THE CEA INNOVATION CENTERThe Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is a joint project between Virginia Tech, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), and industry that is working to advance the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sector in Virginia, the U.S., and internationally through leveraging its collective resources, skills, and expertise by addressing the needs of the industry with research, education, and extension programs For more information, visit www.ceaic.org