The House Resources Committee is seen Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, during a hearing about Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s plan to create an Alaska Department of Agriculture. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)
Driven by food-shortage fears during the COVID-19 pandemic and inspired by the recommendations of a legislative task force, Alaska lawmakers are considering the creation of a cabinet-level state Department of Agriculture.
In January, Gov. Mike Dunleavy issued an executive order that will automatically authorize the department unless state lawmakers specifically vote down the idea in a joint session of the state House and Senate by March 22.
Without that, the new department will become official on July 1.
Among the 50 states, only Alaska and Rhode Island lack a cabinet-level Department of Agriculture. Rhode Island is the only state with fewer farms than Alaska.
In a pair of legislative hearings Wednesday, legislators made it clear that they’re unlikely to stop the governor’s plan and are willing to support the idea.
In a 4-3 vote, members of the House Resources Committee declined to advance a resolution that would block the executive order.
Meeting separately, members of the Senate Resources Committee heard a presentation on the governor’s proposal and voiced support for the idea.
Currently, Alaska regulates and supports agriculture through a division of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. Speaking to legislators on Wednesday, DNR commissioner John Boyle said that agriculture can get lost among his agency’s other missions.
“At times, it can be an afterthought when our state leadership gets focused on oil and gas issues,” he said.
Splitting agriculture into a separate department means there would be a cabinet-level commissioner to bring attention to farms, even after Dunleavy leaves office in two years.
“This is really a way to leave that lasting legacy … we as a state are saying agriculture is important to us and food security is a priority,” he said.
Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, is a member of the Senate committee and chaired the state’s food strategy task force. The task force’s No. 1 recommendation is the creation of a cabinet-level Department of Agriculture.
That’s because a commissioner would be able to champion the task force’s other recommendations for boosting Alaska agriculture.
“The No. 1 reason is so this governor and future governors will have someone at the cabinet level to keep these items in front of them,” she said in testimony to the House Resources Committee.
Creating an agriculture department isn’t free. The governor’s office is requesting 13 new positions and a total of $10 million in funding, up $2.7 million from the current budget for the state’s agriculture division.
The Dunleavy administration isn’t requesting a corresponding cut to the DNR budget.
Speaking to the two legislative committees, Boyle said the request represents a base level. In its first stage, the Department of Agriculture wouldn’t include mariculture — ocean farms for kelp, shellfish and other products — even though that’s the fastest-growing sector of Alaskan agriculture.
Some functions of the Department of Environmental Conservation might eventually be transferred to the new agency as well, Boyle said.
“We really just wanted to get the framework set and built,” he said.
Both committees heard testimony from the Alaska Food Policy Council, Alaska Farm Bureau and FFA — formerly Future Farmers of America — in favor of the new department on Wednesday.
“I see a lot of opportunities,” said Rep. Donna Mears, D-Anchorage, later adding, “agriculture provides a lot of opportunities for entrepreneurism and doing things for one’s self.”
Rep. Zack Fields, D-Anchorage, said the new department’s cost is the equivalent of about $8 from each Alaskan’s Permanent Fund dividend.
“I kind of think it’s worth it,” he said.
Boyle said the change would pay off.
“I know that there’s very hard choices and tradeoffs to be made, but I believe that now is an especially appropriate time for Alaska to make the commitment that agriculture can play an important part in our state,” Boyle said.
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