Risk Priorities for Greenhouse Growers in 2026
March 21, 2026 Greenhouse growers are no strangers to risk. Weather events, labor shortages, rising input costs, and supply chain delays are part of daily decision-making. But new research suggests many business leaders may be focusing on the wrong threats.
The Sentry® 2026 C-Suite Stress Index, which surveyed 1,250 U.S. executives, found business leaders are cautiously optimistic about the year ahead. More than half (54%) believe their companies will thrive in 2026 — but also worry that a single event, like a cyberattack, multimillion-dollar lawsuit, or hurricane, could threaten to put them out of business.
The Risks Businesses Often Underestimate
The business risks executives across industries are most concerned about include supply chain challenges (45%), economic pressures (44%), and tariff and trade uncertainty (39%). Labor shortages and rising healthcare costs also ranked high.
Yet only 32% listed natural catastrophes among their top threats, despite 92% reporting they’ve experienced weather-related disruptions in the past five years. Even more striking, 50% believe the next severe weather event could end their company altogether.
Similarly, 69% of executives believe a single multimillion-dollar lawsuit could put their business out of operation, but just 17% include lawsuits among their biggest threats for 2026.
This misalignment between day-to-day operational concerns and business-ending threats matters for greenhouse operators.
Controlled environments offer some protection from the elements, but greenhouse businesses remain vulnerable to a range of risks — from severe weather that damages structures and crops to workplace injuries tied to labor shortages and training gaps. Liability claims can also escalate into costly litigation.
Greenhouse operations often concentrate significant value in one place, which includes the structure itself, glazing, irrigation systems, environmental controls, and crop inventories. A single event can result in structural damage, crop loss, and weeks or months of production interruption.
These realities highlight the need for insurance coverage that reflects the full scope of a grower’s risks. As environmental conditions evolve, workforce pressures intensify, and liability exposures grow more complex, consider whether to evolve your coverage.
Risks Greenhouse Operators Face Today
Nearly all executives (92%) reported severe weather impacts on their business over the past five years, with 70% experiencing property damage to facilities, vehicles, or equipment. Meanwhile, 84% are concerned that property insurance will become harder to obtain in their locations.
For greenhouse growers, weather risk is layered:
- Structural damage to greenhouses and service buildings
- Loss of crops due to temperature swings or power outages
- Damage to specialized equipment and automation systems
- Business interruption during growing, selling, or distribution windows
Property coverage is foundational for greenhouse operations. Review your coverage to help ensure it reflects current replacement costs by considering inflation, supply chain volatility, and rising construction costs that have increased the expense of rebuilding controlled-environment structures. Undervalued property limits can leave operators underinsured at precisely the wrong moment.
Business interruption insurance coverage can also play an important role, as it accounts for lost revenue during recovery. For growers with seasonal contracts or tight delivery windows, a prolonged shutdown can ripple through the entire year’s financial performance.
Include in your annual renewal conversation with your insurer your property valuations and catastrophe exposures, as well as your severe weather plan for business and scenario planning around downtime. Update coverage as facilities expand, automation increases, or crop value changes.
Workforce Strain and Workers’ Compensation
The C-Suite Stress Index also highlights growing workforce pressures. Two-thirds of executives (66%) have either seen or fear an influx of unskilled or under-skilled workers will increase workers’ compensation claims. Nearly half (49%) worry injuries could rise as companies push for higher output.
Greenhouse operations depend on skilled labor. When labor pools shrink or experienced workers retire, newer employees may be asked to take on tasks they’re not fully trained on. In fact, 84% of executives report asking employees to perform tasks outside their roles or training.
For growers, that can translate into workers’ compensation cost drivers from:
- Strains and sprains from repetitive tasks
- Injuries from material handling or lifting
- Accidents involving carts, forklifts, or other equipment
- Increased claims tied to fatigue or heat exposure
The good news is that 83% of executives plan to increase investment in worker safety in 2026. Building a culture of safety, with strong workplace injury prevention programs, is one of the best ways to reduce accidents and ensure safety is prioritized among your team.
That includes structured onboarding, task-specific training, ergonomic assessments, clear safety protocols for chemical use, and regular reinforcement of safe practices. It also means evaluating how automation, workflow design, and scheduling can reduce physical strain.
Workers’ compensation coverage paired with proactive risk management can help prevent costly claims. Your insurer can help you identify trends in claims, benchmark performance, and implement prevention strategies before losses escalate.
Litigation and Liability: A Quiet Threat
While weather and workforce risks are tangible in greenhouse operations, liability exposures are often less visible until they surface as claims.
The Stress Index found that 93% of executives have been impacted by litigation in the past five years, and nearly half report higher insurance premiums or legal costs as a result. The rise of multimillion-dollar verdicts and third-party litigation funding adds complexity.
For greenhouse growers, liability exposures may include:
- Premises liability for visitors, contractors, or retail customers
- Product liability tied to plant health or chemical application
- Auto liability for delivery vehicles
- Employment complaints leading to a lawsuit
Even if litigation isn’t top of mind, it has the potential to divert management attention and strain finances. Review general liability, commercial auto, umbrella policies, and, in some cases, cyber insurance against current operations.
Cyber risk is increasingly relevant as greenhouse operations continue to adopt climate-control software, inventory management systems, and connected devices. A ransomware event that disrupts environmental controls or order management systems can have cascading operational consequences.
How Working Closely With an Insurer Helps Businesses Prepare
Only 17% of executives report being confident that their insurance coverage is adequate. Encouragingly, 98% plan to reevaluate their policies in 2026. Many intend to expand coverage, add protection to mitigate risks, or eliminate known gaps.
As businesses grow, add locations, upgrade technology, or change their workforce composition, their risk profiles change.
For greenhouse growers, consider regular insurance and risk assessment reviews that address:
- Updated property valuations and current construction costs
- Business interruption assumptions
- Workers’ compensation trends and safety initiatives
- Vehicle use and driver training
- Emerging exposures such as cyber risk
While totally eliminating risk may be an impossible task, you can help ensure coverage keeps pace with reality, and if your greenhouse operation faces a property or liability claim, you’ll be better able to weather the storm.
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