ELLSWORTH – The Ellsworth Plan Commission approved a site plan and architectural plan for a proposed aquaponics facility Thursday, Feb. 24, which will move on to the village board next. The new business is set to occupy the former Shopko building at 598 W. Lucas Lane in the Crossing Meadows Business Park.

The indoor aquaponics facility, called Controlled Environmental Farming Inc., will be used to germinate/hatch, cultivate, harvest, process, package and distribute fruit, hemp, herbs, vegetables, fish and shrimp. While fish and shrimp processing won’t take place onsite, there will be “whole” fish retail sales of the fish and shrimp.

The basic idea behind aquaponics is that the waste produced by fish feeds the plants, and the plants clean the water for the fish, producing one continuous cycle. This system is based entirely around the nitrogen cycle. When the fish produce waste (ammonia), bacteria break it down into nitrates.

Organic fertilizer will be cultivated, produced, packaged and distributed using the solid waste from the fish. The water is filtered after leaving the fish tanks and it goes into four holding tanks, business own Bruce Carman explained. Once the waste settles, it’s mixed with sawdust and sold as organic fertilizer. He plans to work with two local sawmills who have expressed interest, he said.

If any odor would be produced from this operation, it would be from the fish waste that doesn’t dissolve in the nutrient water, Carman said. That’s why he uses a charcoal filtration system and will enclose the holding tanks in a room. He will also enclose the old loading dock area, to help control the odor from escaping. Little if any discharge from the nutrient water would go into the village sewer system. Carman also plans to work with the Department of Health on ways to recycle the wash water.

The facility will include a childcare (daycare) center that will be designed for up to 50 children, in order to provide full-time childcare options for employees and possibly, the general community. The adjoining northwest easement property may be used for a fenced-in playground. Carman said he expects aquaponics operations to be around the clock, so childcare would be available around the clock as well.

The building will be used as a solar energy generation facility, partnering with Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services for solar energy generation and storage; an electric vehicle charging station will also be located on the property.

Also proposed is a classroom space, which will be located at the front of the building to the right of the current overhang. The classroom will be separated from the main facility, but will include a miniature model of the system. Students from Ellsworth agriculture classes, under the direction of teacher Katie Christenson, can use their own small aquaponics systems to learn about the process and grow things such as lettuce.

“It’s all about letting the kids run with ideas,” Carman said. The space will include a whiteboard and computer(s) in the classroom, and will also be used to train new employees or offer weekend classes to the community.

Village President Becky Beissel expressed excitement about the facility, but said she hopes the landscaping around the building will make it look inviting and less like an industrial facility. Carman assured her landscaping is a top priority for him, because he believes good business starts with a clean and healthy working environment.

This site plan for a proposed aquaponics facility in the former Shopko building (598 W. Lucas Lane, Ellsworth) went before the Ellsworth Plan Commission Thursday, Feb. 24, where it was approved. Site plan courtesy of Controlled Environmental Farming Inc.