Green Is the New Gold To hydroponic entrepreneurs, necessity was the mother - and the Fodder - of invention

July 8, 2010 (MMD Newswire) - It has been said that green is the new gold, and to the creators of an innovative hydroponic system marketed under the name Fodder Solutions, this saying has multiple levels of meaning. With Fodder, "green" refers not only to sustainable and environmentally friendly technology, but also to the brilliant hue of some of that technology's end products.

"Fodder Solutions technology is cost effective; it's clean and green, and it is available in the US right now," says Terry Colless, president of Fodder Solutions USA, Inc.

Initially developed in Australia, the Fodder system is described by its creators as a hydroponic (soil-free) growing room that has been specifically developed to sprout grain and legume seeds for highly nutritious yet cost-effective livestock feed and other fresh produce. In 2009 Fodder exported a single system to the USA, where the technology has been refined and further developed for the US market. Patents were rushed through and manufacturing facilities established. In short order, the first fifty systems were sold and installed, and the USA arm of Fodder was established. One of Fodder's distributors, Montana-based Sunroads Farmory, was so impressed with the technology that the company bought into the US firm. Ron Doore, president of Sunroads, says, "We have been looking around the world for this type of technology. It is exactly what the market needs."

Fodder's technology allows fresh feed and produce to be grown anywhere quickly; a thousand pounds of barley, wheat or corn grows into eight thousand pounds of feed in only six days. "This means no more carting bulk hay and other feeds long distances," says Terry Colless. "You could have a dairy in Manhattan and the cows could eat fresh grass every day."

According to the manufacturers, farmers will not only save money on feed costs but will also have healthier animals because of the raw nutrients and increased hydration. The "sprout mat" is edible and the animals eat the entire mat, as well as the greens and the roots. "Horses and cattle were designed by nature to eat fresh greens, not hay or dry feed," adds Colless. Katie Cocquyt, a horse owner in Moorpark, California, says her show horses are noticeably healthier as a result of her Fodder system. Cocquyt is now a partner in a company to promote the feed system in the professional equestrian world.

While Fodder Solutions systems are for anyone who owns animals that eat grass or hay, they're not just for farmers and ranchers, emphasizes Colless. "Our systems are also for people who want to grow their own salad mixes and sprouts all year round in any climate and any location. Whether they're natural-foods restaurant owners or other retailers, co-op gardeners, or individual families seeking a more sustainable lifestyle, growers of fresh produce can have a consistent supply twelve months a year with this technology." (Imagine being able to enjoy a fresh spring salad in the dead of winter in Minot, North Dakota.)

While Fodder Solutions technology has only been for sale in the USA for a couple of months and the company has had a fairly low profile to date, the systems have already generated significant user enthusiasm. "The USA consumers know exactly what they want," says Colless, who describes the market response as "overwhelming." He adds, "This is a technology that came about from necessity. A lot of livestock owners have the same needs as I did ten years ago. The technology has come a long way since then, but it is still based on the same principles of growing a cost-effective product in any climate."

The company believes that one of the biggest selling points is that the systems are very environmentally friendly, using only 1% of the water that broad-acre production uses. This should be welcome news not only for farmers who yearly face drought worries, but also for anyone who is concerned about the mounting global water crisis. Fodder systems are also cost effective, say the founders, and customers seem to agree. Ken Wilson, a dairy farmer in Hammond, New York estimates that he will break even within ten months of purchasing the equipment.

"Green" apparently has another level of meaning for Fodder as well: the greenbacks that are beginning to roll in as more folks learn about the system. Although there is a global recession, one almost wouldn't know it by talking to the people at Fodder Solutions. According to Colless, USA consumers are purchasing the technology as fast as it can be produced.

California feed store owner Curt Chittock grows and sells Fodder-produced feed from his store every day, and says he has already upgraded his system twice to larger models to keep up with consumer demand.

"The main comment we initially get," says Colless, "is that this technology seems too good to be true. Then when people learn a little more they want to know where we've been all these years. And they want to know how they can order a system."

He adds, "Necessity drives the best inventions, and when you listen to what the market needs and you can deliver it you will always be busy. We see our innovation as a bright spot in these times of doom and gloom about both the environment and the economy. Environmental technology creates jobs and is driving a new economy. We also believe that widespread use of this technology will lead to healthier consumers - humans as well as livestock. It's a win-win situation."

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