Companies collaborate to design controlled environment for supplying feed to California dairy
Dr. Greenhouse, a leader in designing environmental control systems for indoor agriculture, will collaborate with Forever Feed to maximize the growth and nutrient value of Automated Sprouted Grain
Forever Feed Technologies, a pioneering leader in sustainable indoor feed growing systems, today announces a definitive agreement with Dr. Greenhouse, Inc., to design the controlled environment for an enterprise-scale indoor feed mill at the River Ranch Dairy in Hanford, California. The feed mill will grow Automated Sprouted Grain (ASG) to enrich the diets of over 5,000 dairy cows. FFT anticipates the indoor feed mill will begin production in late 2024."According to research and controlled trials, we are confident that ASG supplemented feed will increase the health and production of our herd while reducing methane emissions," said Jack de Jong, River Ranch Farms owner and chairman of Forever Feed Technologies. "Dr. Greenhouse will enable us to optimize the output of the FFT Feed Mill™ and significantly reduce the amount of water, land, fuel, and fertilizer we'd otherwise need to grow forage in the field."
Since its establishment in 2017, Dr. Greenhouse has providing consulting and engineering design services for over 180 Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) indoor farms around the world. Climate-controlled farms allow local and regional communities to increase the diversity and consistency of food sources while lessening their dependence on international supply chains. Locally grown indoor crops reduces the costs and carbon footprint associated with food miles, and the risks of water and weather disruptions.
"Using state-of-the-art climate technologies and experience-driven growing practices, we are designing an indoor farm that will be the leading indoor environment for animal feed agriculture,"" said Dr. Nadia Sabeh, President and Founder of Dr. Greenhouse, Inc. "As the first project of its kind in the dairy business, River Ranch Dairy and Forever Feed Technologies can change the course of dairy production and help the industry reach its goal of being 'climate neutral' by 2050."
"Automated growing systems for animal feed, and the controlled environment engineering needed to maximize germination and nutritional efficiency is critical," said Nathan Bastow, SVP Engineering Services, Forever Feed Technologies. "We are confident the Dr. Greenhouse team will meet our goal to deliver high-value ASG Feed™ around the clock for farmers."
Dr. Greenhouse, combined with JR Automation (announced earlier), will work with Forever Feed Technologies to build the first production FFT Feed Mill at the River Ranch Dairy later this year.
Forever Feed Technologies is a pioneering leader in automated agricultural feed systems designed to provide environmentally conscious, economically viable, and sustainably produced feed that will enhance food security and self-reliance worldwide. As the world grapples with the challenges posed by changing climates, the agriculture sector has emerged as a critical arena for sustainable innovation. Forever Feed Technologies signifies a profound leap towards achieving climate-neutral agriculture by 2050, and a more sustainable future for all. Forever Feed is based in both Hanford, California and American Fork, Utah.Dr. Greenhouse, Inc. is a Sacramento-based agriculture and mechanical engineering design firm providing state-of-the-art HVAC design and controls solutions for indoor grows. Dr. Greenhouse helps farmers efficiently control their environments, allowing them to produce high-quality crops within indoor grows, vertical farms and greenhouses. Dr. Greenhouse has provided expert early-stage programming and mechanical design for 180 facilities worldwide.
