Lena Prine Joins OSA Administrative Team

Pac/West Lobby Group is expanding its administrative team with the addition of Lena Prine as assistant to Oregon Seed Association Executive Director Ryan Tribbett. Prine and Tribbett will be working together to help grow OSA’s membership and influence statewide.

“Oregon is the grass seed capital of the world, driving more than $1 billion in economic activity annually,” Prine said. “We need to make sure that our companies have a strong voice in Salem, advocating for the policies and resources they need to keep the industry strong and competitive in global markets.”

Growing up in Portland, Prine first took an interest in agricultural issues as a legislative assistant for former state Rep. Raquel Moore-Green (R-Salem), who served on the House Energy and Environment Committee. She later participated in the nonprofit Resource Education & Agricultural Leadership Program, commonly known as REAL Oregon. The program aims to increase knowledge and advocacy for Oregon agriculture.

Each class spends five months touring around different regions of the state, learning about the myriad of agricultural commodities they produce and what unique issues farmers, ranchers, foresters, and fishers face.

“I learned about the importance and significance of the natural resources economy in ways I didn’t previously understand,” Prine said. “I feel like my time in the program furthered my understanding of who the true caretakers of the land really are.”

In addition to her behind-the-scenes understanding of the Oregon Legislature, Prine has also spent the last year working closely with local companies as director of business advocacy for the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Prine said she hopes to use her experience in both business and politics to amplify OSA’s success.

“We sometimes make it hard for our natural resources producers, including seed companies, to do their job in this state,” Prine said. “My passion is really easing the regulatory environment so farmers can farm, fishers can fish, and foresters can forest.”