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2026 Skagit Ag Summit
February 6 @ 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
The Skagit Ag Summit is our region’s premier gathering for farmers, agricultural professionals, community leaders, and advocates dedicated to the vitality of Skagit County agriculture. Each year, the Summit highlights the innovation, resilience, and collaboration that define our farming community while addressing the most pressing issues facing agriculture today.
Rooted in Skagit’s rich agricultural heritage, the Summit brings together diverse voices to explore opportunities in farm business management, soil and water stewardship, climate adaptation, labor and work-force challenges, agricultural technology, and market development.
Through keynote presentations, panel discussions, and farmer-led workshops, participants gain practical tools and insights to strengthen their operations and the future of local agriculture.
The event is also a place to celebrate the strength and diversity of Skagit agriculture, from our world-class seed industry and vibrant farm-to-table movement to emerging markets in livestock and specialty crops. Whether you are a grower, researcher, policymaker, or com-munity partner, the Skagit Ag Summit offers a chance to learn, connect, and contribute to the sustainability and resilience of our agricultural landscape.
Schedule for Friday, February 6th, 2026
8:30 am Welcome & Opening Remarks
Don McMoran, Director, WSU Skagit County Extension
8:40 am Building Blocks for Success: Infrastructure Supporting Agriculture
Moderator: Don McMoran, Director WSU Skagit County Extension
Objective: The continued viability of Skagit agriculture.
- Rick Larsen, Congressional District 2
- Ron Wesen, District 1, Skagit County Commissioner
- Peter Browning, District 2, Skagit County Commissioner
9:45 am Table Topics followed by break
10:15 am Farm Access and Succession
Moderator: Mikala Staples-Hughes, Western Washington Agriculture Association
Objective: Getting the farm to the next generation or other alternatives
- Anna Chotzen and Francisco Farias, Viva Farm
- Elizabeth Bragg, American Farmland Trust
- Sarah Stoner, Skagit County Farmland Legacy
- Hilary Aten, Office of Farmland Preservation
11:15 am New Faces in new places/hot topics
Moderator: Eric Nelson, Skagit Conservation District
Objective: Introducing new agency representatives to the Skagit Agricultural Community.
- Laura Claus, Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland
- Taylor Scott, Skagit County Dr. Inci , WSU NWREC
- Dr. Kevin Murphy, WSU Bread Lab
12:15 pm Wood fired pizza by Pizza 4 Producers
1:15 pm Innovation
Moderator: Jake Fowler, Northwest Ag Business Center
Objective: To educate the Skagit agricultural community on agricultural business and technology
- David Wallace, Farm HQ
- Sean Hulbert, Hulbert Farms
- Andrew Tuttle and Mary Marshall
- Nathan Kusler, 5G VTOL NW
2:15 pm Table Topics followed by break
2:45 pm Water
Moderator: Don McMoran, Director, WSU Skagit County Extension
Objective: 2025 Outlook Issues impacting Skagit agriculture
- Jenna Friebel, Skagit County Dike and Drainage Consortium
- Kellie Gillingham, Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE)
- Erin Ericson, Snoqualmie Valley Watershed
3:45 pm Closing Remarks
- Commissioner Peter Browning
- WSU Skagit County Extension
4:00 pm Evaluation and Adjourn
Table Topics
Farm Business & Succession
- Farm succession clinics (legal, financial, and family communication “hot seats” using real anonymized scenarios).
- Enterprise profitability labs for key Skagit rotations (dairy forage, potatoes, veg seed, berries), with partial budgets people can take home.
- Capital access and “Show me the money 2.0” on grants, tax credits, and lender expectations for small and mid-sized farms.
Land, Water, and Code
- Agritourism code roundtable (planning staff + growers) to unpack proposed amendments and work through edge cases.
- Farmland protection in a clean‑energy and mitigation world: drainage, estuary restoration, battery/ solar siting, and conservation tools.
- “Access, protection, acquisition” breakout on getting new operators onto land while keeping parcels in production.
Labor, Housing, and Workforce
- Year‑round labor strategies: H‑2A, local workforce development, mechanization tradeoffs, and HR basics for small farms.
- Farmworker housing, transportation, and childcare as critical infrastructure for Skagit agriculture.
- Capturing and transferring “institutional knowledge” from 20–30‑year farmworkers and retiring operators.
Innovation, AI, and Technology
- Practical on‑farm tech demos: irrigation and fertigation automation, drainage monitoring, and low‑cost sensing for flats ground.
- AI and decision tools for planting windows, risk management, and regulatory paperwork reduction, grounded in real Skagit case studies.
- Value‑added processing and direct‑to‑market logistics for Skagit crops (cold storage, co‑packing, and distribution partnerships).
Community, Stress, and Next Generation
- Farmer mental health and peer support: what’s actually working in the valley and how agencies can support without adding burdens.
- Emerging farmer pathways (Viva and others): incubator to independent farm, including financing and land tenure models.
- Youth and next‑gen leadership: connecting FFA/4‑H and farm kids with real roles in policy, drainage, and Summit planning itself.
Platinum Sponsor:
Gold Sponsors:
White Gold Sponsor:
Silver Sponsors:
Washington State University Extension helps people develop leadership skills and use research-based knowledge to improve economic status and quality of life. Cooperating agencies: Washington State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Skagit County. Extension programs and policies are available to all without discrimination. To request disability accommodation contact the ADA Coordinator, Human Relations and Diversity, 509-335-8888 at least ten days in advance.
