Advisors and Collaborators

The project, Performance and Adoptability of Biodegradable Plastic Mulch for Sustainable Specialty Crop Production, benefits for participation of advisors and collaborators.

Scientific Advisors

• Lisa DeVetter – Horticulturist; Extension expert – ​Washington State University, NWREC
• ​Jay Gulledge – Soil and climate scientist; Government polcy expert – ​Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Climate Change Science Institute
• ​Rich Koenig – ​Soil scientist; Extension expert – Associate Dean and Director, Washington State University Extension
• ​Wesley Kline – ​Horticulturist; Outreach expert – ​Cooperative Extension of Cumberland County, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station
• ​Douglas Jackson-Smith – ​Sociologist; Trans-disciplinary teams expert – ​College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University
• ​Ramani Narayan – ​Polymer scientist; Materials standards expert – ​Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Michigan State University
• ​Monica Ozores-Hampton – ​Horticulturist; Extension expert – ​University of Florida, Southwest Florida Research & Education Center
• ​Nicholas Piggot – Economist; Extension expert – ​Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, North Carolina State University
• ​Elsa Sanchez – ​Extension expert – ​Department of Plant Science, Pennsylvania State University

Stakeholder and Industry Advisors 

• Mark Amara – ​Grower – ​​Moses Lake, WA
• ​Jerry Bartlett – ​​Composter – ​​Cedar Grove Composting, Inc., Maple Valley, WA
• ​Lisa J. Bunin – ​​Organic food policy – ​​Center for Food Safety, San Francisco, CA
• ​Mike Gallagher – ​​Mulch manufacturer – ​​Sunshine Paper Company, Aurora, CO
• ​Robert Green – ​​Bioplastics manufacturer – ​​NatureWorks LLC, Cary, NC
• ​Andrew Holt – ​​Grower; State representative – ​​Nashville, TN
• ​Randy Honcoop – ​​Grower – ​Lynden, WA
• ​Dan Martens – ​​Bioplastics manufacturer – ​​Novamont North America, Inc., Danbury, CT
• ​Dick Mathes – ​​Mulch manufacturer – ​​Custom BioPlastics, Mount Vernon, WA
• ​George McDonald – ​​Grower – ​​Catesa Farms, Riddleton, TN
• Dave Williams – ​​Mulch manufaturer – ​​BioBag Americas, Dunedin, FL
• ​Eric Sideman – ​​Crop specialist – ​​Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
• ​Ruth Watts – ​​Bioplastics manufacturer, Business development – ​​BASF Corporation

Collaborators

• Techmer PM – Polymer modifier/additive company and partner in the public/private U.S. Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation. Techmer is providing assistance with compounding the polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkonoate (PHA) compounds for the experimental mulch.