Concerns Raised Over Plenty’s Virginia Farm
March 13, 2025 
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
According to a report from ABC News, Plenty has said that it will offer contractors who built its vertical strawberry farm in Virginia just 40% of the rate they were originally promised. If their offer is declined, Plenty says it may have no other choice but to shut the farm down before it sees its first harvest.
Here’s the official statement Plenty gave to ABC News:
“This is a challenging time for the vertical farming industry and for Plenty. We have been working nonstop to secure a path forward for the company and the best possible outcome for all involved, including our local contractors. That work has included reducing our spend by 85%, eliminating a number of executive roles and undertaking several rounds of layoffs.
“Once we understood that any available funding path would require a restructuring of our outstanding liabilities, we met with our Virginia construction partners to explain the situation and set forth the role we are hopeful they will play in our restructuring. We appreciate the hard work of our partners and, with their support, we hope to responsibly overcome our current challenges, keep our Virginia farm open, and continue working to create a more secure future for food.”
The contractors who helped build the strawberry facility have voiced their concerns and frustrations about Plenty’s latest offer.
“The losses here are the sub contractors that actually did the work,” Jeff Daulton, owner of Southern Striping and Asphalt Maintenance, LLC, shared with ABC News. “The materials we supplied, the labor we supplied.”
According to its website, Plenty planned to start harvesting strawberries early this year. An official harvest has yet to be announced as of this post, and that may depend on whether its contractors accept a pay cut.