A Wyoming company that started as a way to use up an odd, leftover piece of land next to a Jackson parking lot is about to cultivate new territory. Vertical Harvest in Jackson lays claim to being North America's first vertical hydroponic farm, and it really packs an agricultural punch. The business grows 40 acres worth of produce — tomatoes, micro greens, basil and more — on a quarter-acre urban hydroponic farm.
On top of that, it's created an employment model that provides a marginalized population of disabled workers with good-paying jobs. That's created opportunities for independent living and advancement that didn't really exist for some members of that population before.
As a result of their "growing well" employment model, which helps disabled people learn to navigate in the real world, some who were before deemed unable to live independently have earned re-evaluations and now have their own places. Now Vertical Harvest is taking this doing well by doing good concept national.
The company has recently secured $56 million in financing to replicate what is a Wyoming success story in Maine, where the company plans to build a larger, 51,000-square-foot vertical farming facility in downtown Westbrook. Westbrook has committed to growing 30% of its food locally by 2030, and Vertical Harvest's "feed locals first" model with fresh, farm-to-fridge produce fits right into this goal.
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