University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Hydroponics Lab Cultivates Sustainability and Education
Nestled in a compact room on the University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus, rows of lettuce and spinach thrive—not in soil, but in water. This innovative setup is part of the university’s hydroponics lab, which has been operating for five years. The lab not only supplies fresh produce to campus dining halls but also offers students hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture.
Hydroponics, the system used in the lab, allows plants to absorb nutrients directly from water, eliminating the need for soil. Student workers, such as Kassandra Clint, the lab’s student manager, monitor the system daily to ensure optimal pH and nutrient levels. “Every day, we come in, check the levels, adjust the pH, and add nutrients,” Clint explained. “We record everything to make sure the plants stay healthy.”
Compared to traditional farming, hydroponic agriculture is far more sustainable. It requires significantly less water, produces no runoff, and uses minimal energy. The lab employs LED lights to simulate sunlight, enabling the plants to flourish indoors. “We don’t have to worry about environmental impacts because there isn’t runoff,” Clint said. “We reuse all of our water and only add fresh reverse osmosis water when needed.”
The lettuce grown in the lab is harvested approximately every seven weeks and delivered directly to campus dining halls. Mike Ernst, executive director of auxiliary services, emphasized the environmental benefits of this local food production. “Most of our produce comes from California or Mexico, traveling thousands of miles,” Ernst said. “Here, we can literally serve it 10 minutes after we harvest it.”
Beyond providing fresh food, the hydroponics lab serves as an educational tool for students interested in agriculture. Rich Crow, assistant professor of agronomy and lab supervisor, highlighted the program’s impact. “They’re literally eating the results of their work—seeing that full system from seed to production to the table to their nutritional well-being,” Crow said.
The program continues to expand, with students and faculty exploring ways to increase its reach. Crow noted that the lab allows students to apply their coursework in a real-world setting while contributing to a more sustainable food system. Plans are underway to introduce an aquaponic system, which combines hydroponics with aquaculture—raising fish for harvest. “Aquaponics is hydroponics but with combined aquaculture, which is growing fish for fish harvesting,” Clint explained.
Additionally, the lab is working toward growing strawberries in its vertical system. Vertical beds require significantly less space than horizontal ones, which currently dominate the lab. The hydroponics facility operates in a previously unused campus space and costs about $1.30 per day to run. Each week, the lab produces approximately 100 pounds of lettuce, demonstrating the potential of sustainable agriculture in reducing carbon footprints and fostering innovation.
As the University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s hydroponics lab continues to grow, it stands as a model for integrating sustainability, education, and community impact.
