Oasthouse Ventures of the U.K., a business development company that specializes in greenhouses with low carbon emissions, has invested $104.8 million in its first controlled environment agriculture facility in Carroll County. It plans to grow tomatoes in this operation.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the governor of Virginia, announced on Friday that this project would create initially 118 full-time jobs and 265 part-time ones. His office revealed that Oasthouse would produce and package 45 million pounds worth of tomatoes to be distributed to major retailers in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwestern United States over the next three-year period. It will also source 31,000 tons of hardwood residues grown locally to heat the greenhouses.
According to the Governor’s Office, this project is Phase One of a three-phase construction plan in Southwest Virginia. The first phase of the project includes a 65 acre greenhouse in Wildwood Commerce Park that will focus on tomatoes. It also includes a packaging facility and a daycare center for employees. Oasthouse expects to begin producing tomatoes in its new greenhouse by 2026, according to the company’s website.
Ben Alexander, Senior Development Manager at Oasthouse Ventures, said that the Carroll County facility was a significant step in building a sustainable network of indoor farms to supply American-grown produce throughout the Eastern United States.
The new indoor farm from Oasthouse Ventures will focus on sustainable food sourcing, and will offer fresh produce which will travel less miles to market. According to the governor’s offices, this will increase shelf life for consumers and lower costs. Youngkin said in a statement that the project was “a technological leap ahead” and helped to solidify Virginia’s position as a “leader in the agriculture industry and technology.”
Caren Merrick, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade, said that indoor farming was changing the way we produce local and sustainable products for our communities. Oasthouse Ventures will not only create over 100 jobs in Virginia, but will also use hardwood residuals from the local area as a source of heating for its greenhouses.
According to the Governor’s Office, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership collaborated with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VADACS), Mount Rogers Regional Partnership (MRRP), Blue Ridge Crossroads Economic Development Authority and Carroll County in order to secure this project for Virginia. Youngkin approved a grant of $550,000 from the Commonwealth Opportunity Fund and a grant of $250,000 from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund for the county to help with this project.
Oasthouse posted a website that details available jobs. These include growers, engineers, IT, and HR positions. However, “most of this hiring won’t begin until early 2026.”
