Or, how to destroy an entire segment of the agriculture industry to protect special interests.
Prop 90 never really went away, even though the Alaska Board of Game did not act on it last year.
Nope, it is alive and well, in all its horrible consequences.
Originally scheduled for consideration in March of next year, the matter will instead be taken up this coming November at their (BOG) scheduled meeting. The AkDFG is holding closed door meetings with proponents of this proposition, two Alaska goat owners, and others who have interest in the outcome. What the state is *not* doing, is going public with the nature of the meetings, results they are generating, or even publish a notice about them. Like many things surrounding Ag here, it is another case of back room deals, completed away from prying eyes and uncomfortable questions.
It only took this author a couple of minutes to discover that the BOG does *not* have the statutory authority to make any changes to the "clean list" maintained by the ADEC and state veterinarian. But facts are not relevant when the agenda appears (by the actions and statements of the Alaska Wild Sheep Foundation, who sponsored the proposition) to be "full steam ahead to "protect" Alaska wild sheep and goats because look what happened in L48!!" Never mind the science, never mind reality, it is nothing but fear based protectionism....nothing new for Alaska, and this time, Ag would pay a severe and heavy penalty.
A previous blog entry on this subject, touched upon the ways in which this proposition, if passed and somehow enacted by the state, would impact Alaska agriculture.
It only took this author a couple of minutes to discover that the BOG does *not* have the statutory authority to make any changes to the "clean list" maintained by the ADEC and state veterinarian. But facts are not relevant when the agenda appears (by the actions and statements of the Alaska Wild Sheep Foundation, who sponsored the proposition) to be "full steam ahead to "protect" Alaska wild sheep and goats because look what happened in L48!!" Never mind the science, never mind reality, it is nothing but fear based protectionism....nothing new for Alaska, and this time, Ag would pay a severe and heavy penalty.
A previous blog entry on this subject, touched upon the ways in which this proposition, if passed and somehow enacted by the state, would impact Alaska agriculture.
And where is the DOA on this issue?
(crickets, anyone?)
Not a peep out loud. No public support of our local livestock owners, those sheep and goat owners who contribute to agriculture here, no statements, no response aside from one letter last year, to this ongoing plan that would, if successfully enacted, eventually cause every single domestic sheep and goat in the entire state to become illegal.
Illegal to own, illegal to breed, illegal to import.
The State is acting irrationally and irresponsibly by holding these closed door meetings without public input. The AWSF is more concerned with protecting trophy hunters and guides, than it is about the real science of the disease they so fear, never mind agriculture, and has no regard for the unintended consequences of making private property illegal.
It should not come as a surprise to discover that the BOG assumes they can write statutes from their desk, but we bet it comes as a shock to those in the agricultural community that they fully intend to do so. Is it legal? Not as far as we can tell. Can they then push for this through the legislature? Why yes, of course. And they have very deep pockets indeed, to use for their action items.
Can the sheep and goat owners unify to protect their livelihoods and hobbies? Very unlikely, sad to say. They are as diverse and individual as any segment of Alaskans, and therefore, generally unwilling to come together for the greater good.
As is also usual, those sounding the alarm are marginalized, and those eager to "get along at all costs" are talking exorbitant testing (with unknown results that may just serve to support Prop 90), and discussing idly, ways in which they can survive here, in Alaska....where agriculture is once again, under attack.
Illegal to own, illegal to breed, illegal to import.
The State is acting irrationally and irresponsibly by holding these closed door meetings without public input. The AWSF is more concerned with protecting trophy hunters and guides, than it is about the real science of the disease they so fear, never mind agriculture, and has no regard for the unintended consequences of making private property illegal.
It should not come as a surprise to discover that the BOG assumes they can write statutes from their desk, but we bet it comes as a shock to those in the agricultural community that they fully intend to do so. Is it legal? Not as far as we can tell. Can they then push for this through the legislature? Why yes, of course. And they have very deep pockets indeed, to use for their action items.
Can the sheep and goat owners unify to protect their livelihoods and hobbies? Very unlikely, sad to say. They are as diverse and individual as any segment of Alaskans, and therefore, generally unwilling to come together for the greater good.
As is also usual, those sounding the alarm are marginalized, and those eager to "get along at all costs" are talking exorbitant testing (with unknown results that may just serve to support Prop 90), and discussing idly, ways in which they can survive here, in Alaska....where agriculture is once again, under attack.
The takeaway is this: They are holding secret, behind closed doors meetings, to craft a solution to a problem that is not proven to exist. And they intend to force sheep and goat owners to foot the bill, or suffer the consequences of owning illegal animals.
1 comment:
Actually, it should come as no surprise at all that the Div of Ag office and staff are silent about Prop 90, and are allowing producers to be thrown under the bus. They are too busy having their OWN closed door meetings, in an attempt to wrest away the Office of the State Vet from DEC, even though THEY TOO have no statutory authority to do so.
The Division of Agriculture no longer exists to serve the agriculture industry, but only to serve ITSELF. And this is all being done with this Administration's blessing and support.
Division of Ag staff are also way too busy resurrecting programs that were slated to 'be discontinued, due to the fact that they were unnecessary, and didn't serve agriculture, but only served the staff in the Ag office by keeping the staff roster full. The Division of Ag has hired TWO staff recently that have NO valid programs to work on. Each of those programs were either already slated to go away before the new Director stepped in, because they WASTED A HUGE AMOUNT OF STATE MONEY for NO payoff, or because they had been moved to a different agency, where staff could absorb the duties along with their current positions. When is someone going to realize that where there's smoke, there's fire?
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