Matt Biondi brings a lifelong passion for mindfully using our natural resources, particularly water, to his new role as manager of UNH’s MacFarlane Research Greenhouses. Upon earning a degree in environmental engineering from Worchester Polytechnic Institute, Matt worked as an environmental consultant before turning his attention to agriculture. Driven by a self-interest in conserving and preserving water resources, he began his agricultural career working in hydroponics.
“My main focus, both professionally and within my personal life, is to preserve and protect our land and water – both for our environmental health today and for the sake of future generations.”
Position: Manager of the UNH Macfarlane Research Greenhouses
Starting date with NHAES: June 2023
Previous positions: Grower with BrightFarms; environmental consultant with Tighe & Bond
Where did you work before coming to UNH?
Matt Biondi: Before UNH, I worked as a grower with a company called BrightFarms. They produce baby greens using hydroponic systems. Like my role at UNH, I monitored the greenhouse climate, oversaw seeding, and helped maintain production quality. At the Loudon, N.H., grow houses, we harvested about 1,600 pounds of baby greens each day.
Prior to joining BrightFarms, I worked as an engineering consultant at an environmental engineering firm in Connecticut. At the firm, I’d consult on water and wastewater treatment plant projects throughout New England.
You went from environmental engineering to agricultural production — why the change?
Matt: I knew I wanted to work with water—hence the focus on water and wastewater treatment plants after graduating. However, in consulting on these projects, I became really interested in finding ways to reduce the amount of wastewater we’re producing before it even gets to the plant. So I looked into industries that use the most amount of water, and agriculture was one of the top users of land and water, and it has been for nearly a century.
With this information, I began focusing more on agriculture and learned about hydroponics, which is a much more efficient method of growing things because you use about a 10th of the amount of water of more traditional growing operations and a fraction of the space needed to get the same harvest. Greenhouses are also a means of resource conservation because we can control the conditions of the greenhouse to optimize plant growth, you can growth plants more effectively with less resources like space and water.
What are some aspects of managing a greenhouse that you enjoy?
Matt: I really like the variety of the work. I’m excited to be growing a wide range of plants here at UNH. We’ve got quinoa, strawberries, chickpeas, pumpkins, squash, and more. The plant variety encourages me to learn new techniques, and I benefit from the knowledge of the rest of my greenhouse team, who have a lot of experience and have served as mentors to me.
Any practices that you have implemented or leveraged since joining the NHAES?
Matt: Sanitation is a big focus for me, so I introduced footbaths in front of each greenhouse compartment as an extra layer of sanitation and disease prevention. I’m also continuing efforts to focus on more integrated pest management, which means using live beneficial insects in the greenhouse to combat pests rather than harsh and harmful pesticides.
I’m also working on making the greenhouse a more collaborative, open space. So I’ve been partnering with other UNH colleges, like the College of Liberal Arts, to bring some students here who might have backgrounds and majors other than natural sciences. For instance, we’re working with students in the Bachelor of Fine Arts program on some murals around the greenhouse, as well as inviting some photography and drawing classes into the greenhouse. I feel it’s important to establish relationships with other departments and increase access to and interest in the greenhouse.
What are some of your hobbies and interests outside of work?
Matt: I recently began assistant coaching for the UNH men’s rugby team, so that’s been a lot of fun. I also like to sculpt with clay and make statues and similar artwork.
