Bowery Farming

Bowery Farming laid off 187 workers and shut down operations in November 2024, filing for Chapter 7 liquidation after failing to secure new funding. The once $2.3B-valued company (backed by celebrities Natalie Portman and Justin Timberlake) conducted multiple layoff rounds in 2023 and closed facilities in Arkansas, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Internal documents cited a "leaf-eating pathogen" outbreak and failed acquisition talks.

Before its collapse, Bowery Farming pioneered sustainable indoor vertical farming, using 95% less water than traditional agriculture and zero pesticides while achieving year-round production. The company's $70M Georgia facility in Locust Grove represented one of the largest vertical farming operations in the US. The entire 200,000-square-foot farm headed to liquidation auction in 2025.

Bowery Farming laid off staff and closed facilities in 2023.