CEA Alliance retains Torrey Advisory Group as outside government relations counsel

The CEA Alliance has retained the Torrey Advisory Group as outside government relations counsel.

“We’re excited to add the expert consultants at Torrey to the CEA Alliance team,” said CEA Alliance Executive Director Tom Stenzel. “The Torrey team has a depth of understanding of agricultural policy and works effectively with congressional and administration leaders. They will be great partners working with our members to advance policies that support indoor agriculture.”

“The Torrey Advisory Group looks forward to advancing the CEA Alliance priorities in the halls of Congress and across the administration,” said Katie Naessens, vice president of Torrey Advisory Group. “Innovative production like growing in a controlled environment is an exciting new component of the food and agriculture sector. We will make sure that controlled environment issues have a seat at the table and a place within USDA farm discussions.”

The CEA Alliance will be actively working with the Torrey Advisory Group in Washington, D.C., to expand the H-2A foreign guest worker program to include year-round farms. At present, this program for farmers to recruit legal workers is restricted to 10 months as a “seasonal” program. But U.S. greenhouses and indoor vertical farms operate throughout the year and cannot shut down for two months with no labor, the alliance said.

The Alliance is also working to create tax incentives and other government programs to support private investment in innovative agricultural technology.

“It’s clear that indoor agriculture can play a vital role in feeding Americans with fresh, healthy foods with minimal use of scarce resources,” Stenzel said. “We encourage congressional members, the USDA and the administration broadly to support and stimulate innovation in growing fresh fruits and vegetables in controlled environments.”