Farm water

A recent example of this could be the drought in California; for every $100 spent on foods from this state, a consumer is projected to pay up to $15 additionally.

Livestock's large water consumption may also be attributed to the amount of time needed to raise an animal to slaughter.

Growing the amount of feed grains necessary for raising livestock accounts for 56 percent of the U.S. water consumption.

[10] This 18 percent loss, creates an even greater demand for cattle, being that CAFOs must make up for this lost profitable weight, by increasing the number of cows that they raise.

This shift has led to more efficient feeding and health methods, allowing ranchers to harvest more beef per animal.

[12] Water is one of the most crucial aspects of poultry raising, as like all animals, they use this to carry food through their system, assist in digestion, and regulate body temperature.

[citation needed] As water usage becomes a more pervasive global issue, irrigation practices for crops are being refined and becoming more sustainable.

Standard of living was not as high, so individuals consumed fewer calories, and ate less meat, so less water was needed to produce their food.

Today, the competition for water resources is much more intense, because nearly eight billion people are now on the planet, and their consumption of meat and vegetables is rising.

In 2006, the USDA predicted that if the agricultural sector improved water efficiency by just 10%, farms could save upwards of $200 million per year.

Farmers who use straw, compost, or mulch around their crops can reduce evaporation by about 75%, though the input costs are neither inexpensive nor readily available in some areas.

The use of white or pale gravel is also practiced, as it reduces evaporation and keeps soil temperatures low by reflecting sunlight.

Many modern small (nonindustrial) farmers are using rain barrels to collect the water needed for their crops and livestock.

Because farmers use the roofs of their buildings to gather this water, this also reduced rainwater runoff and soil erosion on and around their farms.