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As persistent drought conditions and aquifer depletion threaten the future of American livestock production, Sprouting Gear Inc. is earning attention from researchers, ranchers, and sustainability advocates for its water-efficient hydroponic barley fodder system.

As agriculture comes under increasing scrutiny for its role in climate change, Sprouting Gear Inc. is giving the livestock industry a powerful new tool: a feed system that slashes carbon emissions by more than 95% while improving cattle performance and lowering costs.

About 2/3rds of our agriculture is irrigated with aquifer water, described as “fossil water”, because scientists say they could take centuries to refill. Flooding rainstorms have little impact on the aquifers. Livestock accounts for over 60% of our water usage. Livestock ranks among the top five in terms of diesel fuel and electrical usage. 

As the U.S. agricultural sector faces a historic water shortage, Sprouting Gear Inc. is offering a revolutionary solution. The company’s hydroponic barley fodder system reduces water usage in cattle feed production by over 95%, making it one of the most water-efficient feed technologies ever developed for large-scale ranching.

Sprouting Gear Inc., a leader in sustainable livestock feed innovation, today announced the launch of its Scalable Licensing Program— an opportunity for ranchers and feedlot operators to build their own hydroponic barley fodder systems on-site. This groundbreaking model allows producers to slash feed costs, drastically reduce water use, and take back control in a volatile agricultural economy.

Sprouting Gear, a pioneer in sustainable livestock feed technologies, today announced the official launch of its proprietary hydroponic barley fodder system designed to transform cattle feedyards. The revolutionary three-stage, climate-controlled system offers a near-zero carbon, drought-proof alternative to traditional feed crops, while slashing land, CO2 and water use by up to 95%.

With beef prices hitting record highs and cattle herds shrinking nationwide, Sprouting Gear Inc. is offering a powerful, systems-level solution to one of agriculture’s most urgent challenges: how to feed cattle affordably and sustainably in an era of climate stress, water scarcity, and economic volatility.

Sprouting Gear Inc., a pioneer in feedlot efficiency and agtech innovation, is redefining how feed is grown in America. With its proprietary three-stage hydroponic barley fodder system, Sprouting Gear is turning two pounds of seed into up to 19 pounds of fresh, living feed in just nine days—all inside a compact, climate-controlled vertical farm.

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the global economy, Sprouting Gear founder Paul Pluss has issued a stark warning: the rise of AI data centers may soon outcompete American agriculture for its most vital resource—water. McKinsey reports that U.S. data centre electricity consumption is expected to grow from 224 TWh in 2025 to 606 TWh by 2030, comprising 11.7% of total U.S. electricity demand. A report highlighted by Clean Water Action and others states that “a single data center can consume up to 5 million gallons of water per day”.