Inflation may be easing, but grocery bills remain stubbornly high. Since 2020, groceries have increased in price by nearly 30%, outpacing overall inflation and average wage growth.
The reasons often begin far from the checkout line, via the long supply chains that convey most of the country’s fresh produce. The United States relies heavily on imports and a small number of domestic growing regions that are vulnerable to extreme weather, water shortages, and labor disruptions. Wildfires in California or war in Europe can raise prices for families in Ohio.
There’s no question that those long supply chains have delivered some benefits. They’ve helped expand American palates, removed seasonality from store shelves, and in some cases, brought costs down. Unfortunately, the price we’ve paid for this expanded supply and convenience has been the erosion of the resilient, regionalized network of small farmers that once fed the nation. Since the early 2000s, U.S. fresh vegetable production has decreased by more than 23%.
So how do we bring resilience back to our food system and make fresh food more affordable? The solution is American innovation.
Indoor farming, often called controlled-environment agriculture (CEA), uses advanced lighting, climate control, and data systems to grow produce year-round in highly efficient facilities. Countries like the Netherlands, the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter by value, have demonstrated how it can dramatically increase output despite limited land.
Now, American ventures like our Ohio-based company, 80 Acres Farms, are building that capacity here. We supply leafy greens, microgreens, herbs, and other harvests to more than 17,000 U.S. retailers, including H-E-B, Kroger, Meijer, Safeway, and Walmart, year-round.
By growing food closer to where people live, indoor farms reduce transportation distances and food waste while insulating production from droughts and extreme weather. Many operate without pesticides, and tightly managed water and nutrient systems allow for more efficient resource use.
Bringing large-scale fruit and vegetable production back to the heart of the country can strengthen food independence, create stable jobs, and expand access to fresh produce—supporting both household budgets and public health.
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Indoor farming does require significant up-front investment, like many technological breakthroughs before it, which is one reason why so many other companies have failed to make the leap from good idea to large-scale solution. The domestic semiconductor industry faced similar hurdles before policy choices helped manufacturing scale. There are many other examples of policy helping to mature promising tech-enabled industries, ultimately delivering savings to consumers.
Unfortunately, most federal farm programs were not designed with modern production systems in mind. Many still prioritize acreage or legacy infrastructure rather than resilience, efficiency, or geographic diversification. They were built for a different era of agriculture.
Thankfully, the federal government is positioned to do something about this. Congress is proposing bipartisan solutions that would help take a bite out of rising food imports and support the needs of domestic produce growers. In addition to addressing affordability, these solutions will help to create jobs, support local communities and drive healthy eating habits.
Last year, a broad coalition of food and farm trade groups under the banner of the Alliance for Specialty Crop Innovation came together to applaud the Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act—introduced in the House by Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee Chairman Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and ranking member Mike Thompson, D-Calif., which fills an important policy gap by creating new tax credits to accelerate the deployment of innovative farming technologies for fruit, vegetable and tree nut growers.
Meanwhile, legislation introduced previously by a group of bipartisan lawmakers seeks to revitalize the USDA's Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program in an effort to create a more resilient, diverse, and secure food supply chain, bring jobs to economically distressed communities, and lower food prices for Americans across the country.
This is not about favoring one type of farming over another. It is about recognizing that a diversified production system—one that includes both open-field and controlled-environment agriculture—reduces volatility and improves long-term stability.
The United States has long led the world in agricultural innovation. With policies that reflect today’s realities and opportunities, we can ensure that American consumers have reliable access to fresh, affordable food grown here at home.
Mike Zelkind is CEO of 80 Acres Farms, based in Hamilton, Ohio.