By the middle of World War II our nation faced a critical shortage of certain vegetable seeds. Without sufficient seed production, growers could not produce the crops to keep the nation, and much of the Allied world, fed.
Five northwest counties in Washington State: Skagit, Whatcom, Snohomish, Island, and San Juan counties were the nation's leader in the production of cruciferous seed crops (those in the cabbage family) as well as other vegetable seeds. But at the time, harmful insects and plant diseases had become so dominant that seed crops were destroyed while still in the field.

The Solution was NARF

In 1944, a concerned group of Skagit County farmers, business leaders and elected officials formed a "Governing Board" to coordinate agricultural research projects for interests in the five counties. By 1946, this farsighted effort was underway as the beginning of what is now the Northwest Agricultural Research Foundation, known as NARF.

The need for research specifically suited to the needs of the region led NARF to strenuously lobby for the creation of a Washington State University research station to serve the area. 50 years ago, the Mount Vernon station was created. Through its funding assistance, NARF has facilitated a number of the station's high priority research programs.

A Wide Ranging Mission

A nonprofit organization, NARF has supported research leading to the control of harmful diseases and insects as well as significant advancements in cultural practices, plant fertility and soil management. The research is conducted in conjunction with WSU and its research stations in Puyallup, Prosser and Vancouver as well as Mount Vernon. Main projects are financially supported through grants from the USDA and the Washington State Department of Agriculture.