AGRICULTURE

Skagit County maintains one of the largest and most diverse agricultural communities west of the Cascade mountain range.

Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Skagit County. Local farmers produce about $261 million worth of crops, livestock, and dairy products on 93,000 acres of land. Over 90 different crops are grown in the County. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, tulips, daffodils, pickling cucumbers, specialty potatoes, Jonagold apples, green peas, and vegetable seed are some of the more important crops in this maritime valley. More tulip, iris, and daffodil bulbs are produced here than in any other county in the U.S. Ninety-five percent of the red potatoes grown in the state of Washington are from Skagit County. In addition to food and fiber products, agriculture in this region prvides habitat for thousands of swans, snow geese, and dabbling ducks.

Numerous agricultural suppliers, organizations, and agencies serve the needs of this important industry. Each October nearly 6,000 people attend farm tours during the Festival of Family Farms to learn more about the bounty, beauty, and complexity of the valley's working landscape.

Statistics

• Farmgate Values
• Crop Acreage
  
  Publications:
  (Ag Stats are large files, allow several minutes for slower modems.)
  
• WSU Skagit County Agricultural Statistics 2003
• WSU Skagit County Agricultural Statistics 2006

Economics

• 2003 AFT Study: Economic Impacts of Skagit Agriculture
• Farm Family Support Network
• Northwest Agriculture Business Center

• Direct Marketing: Evaluating Your Options
• Emerging Markets in Skagit
  (MS PowerPoint)

Organic and Small Scale Farming

• WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Small Scale Farm Websites

HOW TO SUBSCRIBE TO SKAGIT-AG LISTSERV

Skagit Ag listserv is designed for people interested in receiving regular email updates from WSU/Skagit County Extension related to local agriculture. People subscribed will receive periodic announcements of educational programs, hearings and other upcoming meetings, job openings, news critical to farmers in Skagit and Snohomish counties, conferences, grant opportunities, and available resources.

The information is sent only by the WSU Skagit County Extension Agent or her staff and will be relevant to commercial agriculture in Skagit and Snohomish Counties. Announcements will be short and will frequently have web sites listed for more information.

You may reply to the listserv messages that go out to the list; however, the reply will come directly to the Extension Educator and will not go out to the entire list. It is intended as an information dissemination list rather than a discussion list. Your message will be answered directly by the Extension Educator.

You may wish to have meetings or announcements posted to this web site. If so, contact Don McMoran at donaldm@co.skagit.wa.us and request a posting.

To subscribe to this listserv, email Sue Moulton at suem@co.skagit.wa.us and give her your name, your company name, your address, phone number, fax, and a list of the crops you grow (if applicable).