What New Jersey Produces: Agriculture, Manufacturing, Services

The Garden State's Economic Engine

Despite being the 4th smallest state, New Jersey ranks top 10 nationally in GDP (~$750B). Its output spans intensive agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and high-value services.

Agricultural Products (Top 10 National Rankings)

• #1: Blueberries (50M+ lbs), Cranberries (3rd), Cultivated blueberries
• #2: Spinach, Bell peppers
• #3: Peaches, Cucumbers, Eggplant
• #4: Tomatoes, Squash
• #5: Apples, Strawberries
• Also significant: Corn, soybeans, hay, nursery stock (top 5), horses (equine industry $1B+)
• Livestock: Dairy, eggs, pork — declining but present

Manufactured Products

• Pharmaceuticals/life sciences: 14 of 20 global pharma cos. HQ or major ops (J&J, Merck, Pfizer, BMS, Novartis) — "#1 biopharma state"
• Chemicals: Specialty, petrochemical (Linden, Paulsboro refineries)
• Electronics/tech: CommScope, L3Harris, defense electronics
• Food processing: Campbell Soup (Camden), Goya, Ferrara, ice cream, baking
• Machinery/industrial: Pumps, bearings, packaging equipment
• Plastics/packaging: Berry Global, Amcor facilities

Service Industries (Dominant: 85%+ of GDP)

• Financial services: Prudential, Chubb, banking back-offices (Jersey City = "Wall Street West")
• Healthcare/life sciences: Hospital systems (Hackensack Meridian, RWJBarnabas), research (Rutgers, Princeton)
• Insurance: Major carrier HQs
• Logistics/transport: Port of NY/NJ (East Coast #1), Newark Airport, rail hubs, 100M+ sq ft warehouse
• Tech/digital: Verizon, Audible, Swagger, fintech cluster
• Tourism: Shore ($20B+), Atlantic City, NYC overflow
• Education: Princeton, Rutgers, Stevens, NJIT — R1 research

Unique Advantage

Density + location: 9M people in 8,700 sq mi, between NYC and Philly, with ports, airports, rail, highways, and world-class research. Every sector benefits from proximity to capital, talent, and markets.