TLDR:
- JD Vance invested in a Kentucky-based hydroponic tomato startup called AppHarvest.
- Despite the investment, AppHarvest faced challenges with Mexican worker reliance, high temperatures in greenhouses, and financial struggles leading to bankruptcy.
In 2020, JD Vance, a venture capitalist and Republican vice presidential nominee, invested in and joined the board of AppHarvest, a Kentucky-based hydroponic tomato startup. Despite his background at Yale Law School and Ohio State, Vance’s investment in AppHarvest proved challenging. The company’s heavy reliance on Mexican workers went against the belief of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that Kentucky could produce tomatoes without Mexican assistance. This reliance, along with high temperatures in the greenhouses reaching up to 155 degrees Fahrenheit, led to worker health issues such as dehydration and fainting.
Despite their attempts, AppHarvest faced financial struggles, with lenders demanding repayment and the company eventually declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The company, which had initially gone public with a valuation of $3.7 billion, saw its stock price plummet, leading to its downfall. Vance eventually resigned from the board, leaving many workers without jobs and hopes for a better future.
