Skagit Valley Value-Added Innovation Partnership Zone

BreadLabThe Skagit Valley Value-Added Agriculture Innovation Partnership Zone (IPZ) nurtures partnerships to enhance the local agricultural industry, promoting innovative approaches that combine research and technology producing new jobs and a robust economy centered on the valley’s rich agricultural resources and heritage.

For value-added agriculture products, the IPZ, which is centered around the Port of Skagit’s airport and business park facilities, has emerged as a center for innovative value-added agriculture research and production within Washington state. Close proximity to these facilities will support agriculture processing and other value-added agriculture businesses in partnering with and utilizing these assets to scale up their activities.

EDASC administers the IPZ, in partnership with Skagit County, the Port of Skagit, Washington State University, Skagit Valley College, the City of Mount Vernon, the Northwest Agriculture Business Center, and local farmers and members of the agriculture community.  

Skagit Valley IPZ Business Plan

Leading Businesses and Institutions

  • Washington State University - Mount Vernon Research Station
  • Washington State University - Bread Lab
  • Skagit Valley College - Craft Brew Academy
  • Chuckanut Brewery
  • Gielow Pickles
  • From the Farm Treats (Commercial Kitchen)

About the Innovation Partnership Zone (IPZ) Program

The IPZ program is a statewide initiative, administered by the Washington State Department of Commerce, to foster the development of innovation clusters through encouraging and supporting partnerships among research institutions, workforce development organizations, and businesses to work cooperatively in specific geographic areas.  The goal of each IPZ is to stimulate regional economic growth by strengthening industry clusters and intellectual capital, and to accelerate the development of new technologies, marketable products, company formation, and job creation.  The Skagit Valley IPZ is already considered one of the most successful of these zones in the state.

For more information about the IPZ, please contact EDASC.