Vertical farming for a healthier Jersey City

Healthy Greens JC is a joint initiative between the Jersey City government and AeroFarms to establish 10 vertical farms across the city to provide free, locally sourced leafy greens to low-income residents. The program integrates technology, health education, and data-driven impact measurement using wearable technology and health screenings. The city has committed $1 million from its capital budget to fund the engineering and maintenance of these sites, which are located in public assets like schools and senior centers to ensure proximity to vulnerable populations.

• The Healthy Greens JC program aims to establish 10 vertical farms throughout Jersey City, with two already operational as of the report's writing. These farms are expected to produce approximately 19,000 lbs of vegetables annually over a three-year period.
• The initiative is funded by a $1 million commitment from Jersey City's capital budget for the engineering, construction, and maintenance of the farms, with the city also providing public premises such as schools and senior centers for the sites.
• The project utilizes a multi-partner approach to measure health outcomes, employing Oura Ring wearable technology and quarterly health screenings by Quest Diagnostics to assess the impact on volunteers' health and productivity.
• The program addresses food insecurity in Hudson County, where 2020 data indicates that 12.2% of individuals and 18.2% of children are food insecure.
• The vertical farming model is intended to be environmentally sustainable by using aeroponic technology that requires no soil, recycled water, and no chemicals or pesticides, while reducing fuel costs through shorter supply chains.

APA

World Economic Forum (n.d.). Vertical farming for a healthier Jersey City. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Urban_Transformation_Case_Study_DC_Healthy_Greens_2022.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Vertical farming for a healthier Jersey City. n.d. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Urban_Transformation_Case_Study_DC_Healthy_Greens_2022.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Vertical farming for a healthier Jersey City |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Urban_Transformation_Case_Study_DC_Healthy_Greens_2022.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforumndvertical, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Vertical farming for a healthier Jersey City}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Urban_Transformation_Case_Study_DC_Healthy_Greens_2022.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }