Just six days before Christmas, workers at a $17 million vertical farming plant in Ringwood, Virginia, heard shocking news. Their workplace would close suddenly. This left 173 families facing big worries about money and jobs. The plant is at 1526 Cane Creek Parkway. It was part of a $42 million project from 2019. Back then, people called it the world’s biggest vertical farm. It used high-tech machines and special growing methods to produce fresh greens.
The trouble started when AeroFarms’ biggest investor pulled out money in early December 2025. The company had to restructure in ways they did not expect. This forced them to shut down the Ringwood site right away. On December 11, the company’s vice president for human resources, Carlos Nuñez, sent a WARN notice to Virginia Works. The notice said “exceptional circumstances” let them skip the usual 60-day warning. Workers in Pittsylvania County only got eight days’ notice before the planned closure on December 19.
Sudden Job Losses Hit Holiday Plans
The closure news hit 173 workers hard. It included 127 people from Virginia, from machine operators to top managers. These employees had no union to help them fight the decision. The company locked the gates, ended jobs right away, and cut off paychecks. This happened during the busy holiday season when families need money most.
Danville City Manager Ken Larking called it one of the quickest big closures he had ever seen. Many workers were technicians and operators from rural areas. They and their families now faced money troubles. Experts say the job losses could hurt local shopping and the economy for hundreds of people in Pittsylvania County.
Company Shutdown Stops, Then Restarts
At first, AeroFarms planned to close all its farms across the country. The new AeroFarms Inc. and AeroFarms Danville Farming Company LLC said they would wind down everything. The Ringwood plant had been running since the company came out of bankruptcy in 2023. It grew microgreens, tiny, nutrient-rich leafy plants, for big stores like Whole Foods, Costco, and H-E-B.
But on December 19, the exact day of the planned shutdown, things changed. An existing business partner stepped in with emergency money. This reversed the closure decision. The farm reopened quickly. It kept supplying greens to stores and brought workers back. The company has not shared full details yet on everyone’s job status.
Challenges in Vertical Farming Grow Clear
This close call showed problems in the vertical farming business. These farms grow plants indoors in stacked layers, using aeroponics. That method sprays nutrient mist on roots instead of soil. The company says its method uses significantly less water than traditional farming, skips pesticides, and produces far more crops in the same space.
Still, the company struggled to grow big after bankruptcy. It needs huge amounts of money for tech and setup. When funding dried up, regular dirt farmers got a short chance to supply more to stores like Walmart and Harris Teeter. The temporary closure threatened microgreens supplies in the area. But the restart stopped any big shortages of these healthy greens at high-end shops.
Lessons for Workers and Future Farms
Local leaders acted fast to help. Virginia Career Works offered job training programs. Officials in Pittsylvania County made plans to reuse the farm if needed. The short warning used a special rule in the WARN Act for struggling companies. This sparked talks about better protections for workers in rural spots where businesses fail quickly.
The state had given money to support farm tech like this. Now people question if it paid off. On a bigger scale, the event hurt trust from investors in indoor farming. Groups like Grosvenor Food & AgTech and Ingka Investments had helped refinance in 2025. AeroFarms is still looking at ways to stay strong long-term. The story shows how new food tech depends on steady cash. Without it, old farming methods win out for reliability.
Sources:
WSET (ABC 13) Virginia news coverage, December 2025
Produce Grower industry publication, December 2025
FreshPlaza agriculture news, December 2025
HortiDaily ag-tech reporting, December 21, 2025
Virginia Business magazine, December 2025
Cardinal News Virginia coverage, December 19, 2025