Skagit Extension director gets professorship

Don McMoran’s recent promotion to full professor with Washington State University is built on a lifetime love for Skagit County and its farmers.

Born on the driveway of his parents’ home on the dividing line between the Mount Vernon and La Conner school districts, he joined the WSU Skagit County Extension in 2006 as Agriculture & Natural Resources extension educator. He earned tenure a few years later and became the county Extension director in 2012.

His two-year quest to become full professor was backed by community members who wrote letters of recommendation.

“The Ag School has very high standards and it’s an honor to have made that level,” he said.

From 4H and food preservation to farm machinery safety and mentoring farmers, the Extension office’s programs seek to support farms, farmers and rural skills.

Protecting the mental health of farmers is the program closest to McMoran’s heart. While he was growing up on a potato farm, his father’s hired man took his own life. In the three years before the pandemic, three county farmers died by suicide.

“After the third one, I had had enough,” he said. “I sat down with our staff and said, ‘We’ve got to do something about this.’”

With a $100,000 federal grant, he launched a farm stress suicide prevention pilot program and now administers that grant across the state with staff based in Extension offices in Skagit, Snohomish, Cowlitz and Yakima counties. Its voucher program offers farmers and farmworkers six free online sessions with a psychologist.

Since 2021, the program has expanded into 13 states through the Western Regional Agricultural Stress Assistance Program. He administers that program too.

While there have been no recent suicides, McMoran feels prevention work is still important.

“Agricultural stress is high right now,” he said. “There are a few bright spots but a lot of commodities, particularly dairies, are receiving really low ­compensation.”

Berries, spinach, cabbage and beets are holding their own, but landscaping and nursery stock are down. “Less building is happening and fewer people are putting in new lawns and ­landscaping.”

On the other hand, farmers have been through downturns in the past. “Being innovative and finding solutions is what they do,” he said. “WSU will be right by their side, hopefully showing them the way.”

McMoran rattles off ag economic statistics with ease because he compiles the annual WSU Skagit County agricultural statistics report, a crop-by-crop look at Skagit farms, yield, acreage, dollar value and workforce.

He also organizes the annual Ag Summit at the WSU Agricultural Research Station on Memorial Highway, where farmers can get updates on irrigation efficiency, soil quality, crop diseases and other issues.

“Extension is all about getting information from the university to people in the county,” he said.

McMoran is so committed, he’ll bring resources right to the field. One smoky summer, Dave Hedlin needed N95 masks to protect his crew. McMoran jumped in his truck and made a delivery.

No big deal. “That’s what you do in the Skagit farming community,” he said. “Between planting and harvest, farmers are really busy. I’m not afraid to go to them instead of making them come to me. I really care about my farmers and if there’s anything I can do to help them out, I’m happy to do it.”