Celebrity Chef, Governor Celebrate 'Future Of Farming' In Nottingham

NOTTINGHAM, MD — Celebrity chef José Andrés and Gov. Wes Moore visited a Nottingham indoor farm on Wednesday.

Andrés and Moore touted the efficiency of Bowery, which grows food indoors year-round.

Bowery uses only renewable energy to grow crops stacked on vertical racks, optimizing space and efficiency. The farm uses about 90% less water than a regular farm, The Baltimore Banner reported.

Andrés, a D.C.-based restaurateur and renowned humanitarian, is a Bowery investor and culinary advisor. He sees vertical farming as a way to feed an increasingly urban nation.

"This is the future of farming," Andrés said, according to WBAL. "We need systems to keep feeding America and feeding the world. We can be more precise in how we can feed Maryland and the world."

Bowery handles every aspect of the food chain, which is uncommon for farms. The company has growing, processing, packaging and shipping facilities under one roof.

"What's happening here is special, it's innovative, it's creative," Moore said, according to WBAL. "I'm looking at who the farmers are that work here, they're farmers from west Baltimore."

Bowery was founded in 2015. Its products are now sold in more than 2,600 locations including Whole Foods, Amazon and Walmart.

Bowery has been in the market since 2016. Its retail footprint has grown 26 times larger since 2020.

Bowery thinks its environmental approach is needed "at a time of unprecedented climate events and supply chain disruptions."

"Bowery is reimagining the fresh food supply chain to be smarter, safer, and more sustainable," Founder and CEO Irving Fain said in a press release. "Complex global challenges require a mosaic of solutions, and we’re proud to be part of efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to build a more reliable and secure food system."

Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks thinks grants for urban farms could help address food deserts, especially in Baltimore City.

"The vacant warehouses can be turned into systems much like this with the proper funding and tax incentives," Atticks said, according to The Banner. "It’s going to be our goal to push for those."