We searched the Web for comparative statistics on return on investment for agricultural enterprises. Here's a summary what we learned.

Hydroponic farming in the USA delivers substantially higher annual returns and efficiency compared to traditional agricultural capital investments in farmland, though it comes with higher startup costs and complexity [1][3][4][5][6].

Return on Investment (ROI) Comparison

- Traditional U.S. agriculture/farmland: Averages a 7–12% annual rate of return, driven by crop income and long-term land appreciation [11][12][13].

- Hydroponic farming: ROI typically ranges 20–35% annually for efficiently managed operations, especially those producing high-value crops. Reported profit margins and payback periods are superior due to increased crop cycles and premium pricing, though this is contingent on scale and market access [14][15][16].

Key Efficiency and Yield Differences

-Hydroponics:
- Can produce up to 10–20 times the yield per square foot versus traditional farms, largely by enabling vertical growing and year-round production in controlled environments [3][9].
- Uses up to 90% less water and maximizes space, reducing risks from weather and pests [3][2][8].
- Consistently delivers higher returns per unit area, but demands significant capital, technical skill, and ongoing energy inputs [1][6][4].

- Traditional farming:
- Relies on climate, soil, and seasons, leading to variable yields and greater land and water use [6][2][4].
- Lower capital requirements to start, but faces sustainability and efficiency challenges, especially in land-scarce or water-stressed regions [1][6][4].

Environmental Sustainability

- Hydroponic systems: Offer improved sustainability, reduce soil erosion and chemical use, and are adaptable to urban or harsh environments [1][3][4].
- Traditional farming: Can contribute to environmental pressures without sustainable practices [6][4].

Cost and Investment Considerations

- Hydroponics: Higher initial costs can be offset by greater long-term returns and resource efficiency—especially beneficial in urban/vertical farming [1][6][4].
- Traditional agriculture: Lower barriers to entry, but potentially higher operational costs and yield variability over time [6][4].

In summary: Hydroponic farming offers much higher financial returns and productivity compared to traditional U.S. farm investments, as well as stronger resilience and efficiency, but at the cost of greater capital and operational complexity [1][3][4][6][5].

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Pittsylvania, Virginia’s AeroFarms facility, operated by New Jersey-based indoor vertical farming company AeroFarms may be the largest of its kind in the world.

The 140,000-square-foot facility is a $42 million investment, located in Cane Creek Centre, a joint industrial park owned by Danville and Pittsylvania County, Virginia

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As a food systems consultant, I’ve worked with food banks, farms, schools, and community groups to bring healthy, local produce into the hands of those who need it most. One of the most promising tools in that mission? Microgreens.

These tiny, vibrant greens—nutrient-dense, fast-growing, and full of flavor—can play a powerful role in strengthening food security, community wellness, and local economies.

If you work with or support a food bank, I strongly encourage you to consider the potential of microgreens and small-scale hydroponic growing. Whether through donations, community partnerships, or even on-site production, this is a fresh solution worth exploring.

What Are Microgreens?

Microgreens are the tender young shoots of common vegetables and herbs—like broccoli, radish, peas, sunflower, or basil—harvested just after the first leaves appear. Though small, they’re concentrated in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—often many times more than mature greens.

They’re also:
Easy to grow with minimal space
Ready to harvest in just 7–10 days
Long-lasting when kept cool
Versatile and flavorful

In short, microgreens are one of the simplest ways to introduce fresh, high-value nutrition into any food distribution system.

Why Microgreens Belong in Food Boxes

Microgreens address several critical gaps faced by food bank clients:

Nutritional Power: They offer dense vitamins and minerals in a small, manageable form—ideal for individuals with limited access to fresh produce.
Flavorful & Versatile: A pinch of microgreens adds brightness to soups, sandwiches, rice bowls, and more.
Dignity Through Freshness: Clients feel respected when receiving high-quality, fresh items—not just canned goods and shelf-stable food.
Many food bank customers who have received microgreens in the past express joy and gratitude for something that tastes “alive” and feels nourishing.

The Power of Local Growing

Because microgreens can be grown quickly in small trays under basic lighting or natural sunlight, they’re perfect for hyper-local production—even in urban or space-limited environments.

Imagine:
Home growers donating surplus from a sunny windowsill
Local entrepreneurs earning modest income from selling or donating
Community volunteers engaging in hands-on projects that promote food justice
Hydroponic systems—especially vertical or tabletop units—can make microgreen growing even more efficient and clean. With minimal infrastructure, your food bank could explore partnerships or even operate its own grow station.

Now consider having all these suppliers connected via the Internet, allowing the food bank to request specific commodities to balance diets that have in the past been limited to canned goods and government cheese.

Economic and Social Impact

Supporting microgreen and hydroponic projects helps food banks do more than feed people—it helps build community resilience:

Local Revenue Circulation: Dollars stay local when food is grown and shared nearby.
Microbusiness Opportunities: Seniors, students, and low-income residents can become growers and vendors.

Social Connection: Projects built around growing food promote collaboration, inclusion, and purpose.

Real Stories, Real Potential

While your food bank may not currently distribute microgreens, others around the country already do—with positive feedback from clients, donors, and volunteers alike. The success of those efforts proves that integrating fresh greens is possible, even with modest means.

Now is the perfect time to bring those benefits to your community.

Recommendation: Let’s Start the Conversation

If your food bank, community organization, or local government is interested in exploring a microgreens or hydroponics initiative—whether donation-based, volunteer-driven, or income-generating—I’d love to speak with you.

Together, we can develop a tailored, realistic plan to:
Build community engagement around healthy, local food
Identify local growers or train new ones
Design scalable production models for homes, schools, or small businesses
Connect microgreens to your distribution pipeline
Keep revenue in the local community as growers spend and invest near home

Please reach out to discuss how we can bring microgreens—and greater food sovereignty—to your organization and your neighbors.

Let’s grow something beautiful and nourishing together!

We wondered how the nutrition from one ounce of mixed microgreens compares to a salad consisting of four lettuce leaves, one ounce of shredded carrot, a one-quarter-inch tomato slice, and a tablespoon of Italian dressing. So we asked several AI sources.

Nutrition Comparison: 1 oz Mixed Microgreens vs. Small Salad

To compare the nutrition of one ounce of mixed microgreens to a salad made of four lettuce leaves, one ounce of shredded carrot, a quarter-inch tomato slice, and a tablespoon of Italian dressing, we’ll break down each component and summarize the key differences.

1 oz Mixed Microgreens
Calories: 5–28 (depending on the mix; most sources report 5–25)
Protein: 1–2.2g
Carbohydrates: 1–4.4g
Fiber: 1–2.2g
Fat: 0g
Vitamins & Minerals (per ounce):
Vitamin A: 60–79.6% DV (540–714μg)
Vitamin C: 6.6–14mg (15% DV)
Calcium: 40–88mg (4–8% DV)
Iron: 0.2–15.9mg (2–15% DV; varies by type)
Potassium: Up to 298mg
Folate: Up to 66μg
Other: High in antioxidants, phytonutrients, and sometimes sulforaphane (especially in broccoli, kale, cabbage mixes)
Key Point: Microgreens contain 4–20 times more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than their mature counterparts by weight, making them extremely nutrient-dense for the calories provided.

Small Salad (4 Lettuce Leaves, 1 oz Shredded Carrot, 1/4" Tomato Slice, 1 Tbsp Italian Dressing)
Lettuce (4 leaves, ~20g)
Calories: ~3–4
Protein: 0–0.3g
Carbs: ~0.6g
Fiber: ~0.2g
Vitamin A: 42% DV (red leaf), 82% DV (romaine)
Vitamin C: Small amount
Iron: Small amount
Shredded Carrot (1 oz / 28g)
Calories: 10
Carbs: 3g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 1g
Vitamin A: Very high (from beta-carotene, but specific DV not listed for 1 oz)
Vitamin C: Small amount
Tomato Slice (1/4" thick)
Calories: 0
Carbs: 1g
Fiber: 0g
Vitamin C: Trace
Italian Dressing (1 Tbsp)
Calories: 35
Fat: 3g
Carbs: 2g
Sugar: 2g
Sodium: 146mg
Vitamins/Minerals: Minimal
Total Salad Nutrition (Approximate)
Calories: ~48–52
Protein: ~0.3g
Carbs: ~6–7g
Fiber: ~1.2g
Fat: 3g
Vitamin A: 40–80% DV (mainly from lettuce and carrot)
Vitamin C: Small amount
Calcium/Iron: Small amounts

More information is in the related FAQ.

Summary & Key Differences

Nutrient Density: Microgreens deliver much higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants per ounce than the salad, especially for vitamins A, C, K, and certain phytonutrients.

Calories: The salad provides more calories, mostly from the dressing, and more fat. Microgreens are extremely low-calorie and fat-free.

Protein: Microgreens offer more protein per ounce than the salad.

Micronutrients: Microgreens are richer in minerals (iron, calcium, potassium) and vitamins (A, C, K, E, folate) than the small salad, even though the salad contains a variety of vegetables.

Antioxidants & Bioactives: Microgreens are especially high in antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds like sulforaphane (in brassica mixes), which the salad lacks in significant amounts.

Volume & Satiety: The salad, with more bulk and dressing, may be more filling due to its higher volume and fat content, but is less nutrient-dense by weight.

Conclusion

One ounce of mixed microgreens provides a far greater concentration of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than a small salad made of four lettuce leaves, a small amount of carrot and tomato, and a tablespoon of Italian dressing. While the salad offers more calories and fat (mainly from the dressing), microgreens are a superior source of micronutrients and phytonutrients per calorie and per ounce. For those seeking maximum nutrition in a small serving, microgreens are the clear winner.

FAQ

According to The Seattle Times a food bank in South Seattle, planned to provide storage and services for local farmers and hunger relief groups, has been canceled due to funding uncertainty at the federal level. The project, known as South Seattle Food Hub, has been funded by a $4 million reimbursement grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, was expected to open in fall 2026. The cancellation comes as food aid groups brace for a potential spike in demand, highlighting the ongoing need for more storage facilities to address food insecurity in the region.

About the food hub

Here's a list of the most popular microgreens in the Seattle area as compiled by our friends in the cloud.

The Seattle microgreens market is shaped by both chef demand and consumer trends, with a strong emphasis on flavor, color, and versatility.

Continues...

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Politico reports that "The Agriculture Department has axed two programs that gave schools and food banks money to buy food from local farms and ranchers, halting more than $1 billion in federal spending. Roughly $660 million that schools and child care facilities were counting on to purchase food from nearby farms through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program in 2025 has been canceled, according to the School Nutrition Association.

"Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, castigated the administration for the decision, noting that her state would lose $12 million it planned to dole out to school districts.

“'Donald Trump and Elon Musk have declared that feeding children and supporting local farmers are no longer priorities, and it’s just the latest terrible cut with real impact on families across Massachusetts,' Healey said in a statement."

Read the source article

Indoor gardening projects can bring benefits to retirement communities of all sizes. The projects proposed herein can assist residential and social communities with active engagement in a combination of social and business activity that provides both satisfaction and achievement.

As the world’s population becomes older, more urban and more atomized, social engagement becomes ever more important. Indoor gardening can be a key to active living with purpose. It can provide nutrition, often a serious problem for seniors, and it can provide meaningful work without adding stress to daily life.

Continues...

Download this article (PDF)

Microgreens are young seedlings of edible plants that are harvested at an early stage, usually between 7 and 21 days after germination. They have gained popularity in recent years due to their unique flavors, textures, and potential health benefits. While microgreens are generally considered to be more nutrient-dense than their mature counterparts, it's important to note that specific nutrient content can vary depending on factors like the type of plant, growing conditions, and harvesting methods.

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Why should a household consider starting a microgreens operation, and can they make a living at it? Households should consider starting a microgreens business for several compelling reasons, and with the right approach, it is possible to make a living from it. Here's why microgreens can be an attractive business venture:

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A 2022 report debunks fringe claims that seed oils are toxic or otherwise a health risk.

Guy Crosby and others from Harvard University's Chan School of Public Health were quoted in a May 31, 2022 Consumer Reports article that denied the idea that these oils cause health ills ranging from headaches to heart disease.

Read the article at the following link.

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In case you are wondering why we are concerned about the relationship between food and community, you may find the article linked below instructive. The authors connect the dots between industrial farming and both economic and physical health.

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Video tracks impact of historic high fat, high calorie diet, especially on African Americans, with especial reference to traditional church celebrations.