Introducing the new Soil Health Economic Development Coordinator at WSDA
While managing the STAR program, Lauren plans to foster connections between farmers, ranchers, and industry groups
Author: Dani Gelardi, Senior Soil Scientist, Washington State Department of Agriculture
We’re excited to introduce Lauren Quackenbush to the WaSHI network!
Lauren has been hired as the WSDA Soil Health Economic Development Coordinator. Helping to fulfill WaSHI goals, her primary role will be to support the adoption of conservation practices in Washington state, by expanding market opportunities for producers and generating economic valuation.
Lauren joins us with fifteen years of experience in soils and agriculture, and a lifetime of growing up in a ranching and rodeo family. Lauren holds a soil science degree from Cal Poly Humboldt, is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist (CPSS), and a licensed agricultural Pest Control Advisor (PCA). In California, Lauren operated her own flower and vegetable farm. She also worked at an agricultural consulting company providing soils and integrated pest management (IPM) expertise to clients. Most recently, Lauren worked in the Napa and Sonoma wine industry, as an Operations Manager for a vineyard management company, and a Grower Representative for a large winery collection. In this role Lauren connected growers with buyers, and advocated for better pricing and contract terms on their behalf.
Spearheading STAR
As the Soil Health Economic Development Coordinator, Lauren looks forward to leveraging her experience and expertise to foster connections between farmers, ranchers, and industry groups. She’s excited to develop accessible new sources of financial and professional support for Washington producers.
As part of her role, Lauren will manage the new STAR program at WSDA, intended to launch in summer 2024. We’re excited to announce that the STAR Science Committee has formed, and has begun developing scoring sheets for Washington crops. To test the scientific accuracy and agronomic relevance of these sheets, crop-specific focus groups will be convened in early 2024.
Stayed tuned for updates from Lauren on how to participate in this future opportunity.
This article was published by the Washington Soil Health Initiative. For more information, visit https://wasoilhealth.org. To have these posts delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to the WaSHI newsletter. To find a soil science technical service provider, visit the Washington State University Extension website or the Washington State Conservation District website.