The Great Indoors Symposium will bring together the most senior leaders across the public and private sectors to discuss how to create a more sustainable, secure food system driven by indoor food production, including cultivation, fermentation and vertical farming. Our host, Governor Glenn Youngkin, has supported the development of an ecosystem in Virginia that combines state investment, new technology and company development in the indoor agriculture space, and will provide a forum for discussion that will inform strategies for the future of food at this critical inflection point.

Our food system is struggling to overcome issues that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to accelerate. The food supply chain is fragmented and inefficient, causing food waste and rising prices. Geopolitical issues have made food security a matter of national security. Increasing local food production and decreasing reliance on imports play a key role in food sovereignty and security, but outdoor food production is increasingly volatile. Outdoor farming, for example, is becoming more challenging due to factors like extreme weather, labor costs and availability, soil erosion, water availability, and pests’ growing resistance to pesticides.

Innovation is critical to creating a resilient, deglobalized food system that prevents a rapidly growing population from suffering food insecurity, while responding to consumer demand for healthier, more sustainable food options. The growth of indoor agriculture–including proteins and produce–along with sustainable innovations like clean energy, greener packaging, carbon mitigation and more will transform the food and agriculture landscape in the years to come.