Alaska Ag....Hoorah for Hemp!

The Department of Natural Resources, and the Division of Agriculture announced that they have released the proposed regulations they have created for hemp.  Nice letter, right?

Valley Senator Shelley Hughes has been a strong, vocal supporter of hemp, seeing it as a boost to flagging Alaska agriculture. She has not read the proposed regulations, she confessed on a FB post. I certainly hope she does, and thinks through the 48 pages of regulations and what they really mean in practice.

Plant Materials Center head plant guru, Rob Carter, is busy growing all sorts of varieties of hemp. He'll be the one who decides what can be grown here for all Alaska. So it would seem that the subject is well in hand, guided by the knowledgeable folks in state government. 

The proposed regulations can be found here:  Proposed Industrial Hemp Regulations

Points to ponder:

     *The fee schedule-copied here for all to read...........

     11 AAC 40.100. Fee schedule. The following fees are established for registration and participation in the Alaska Industrial Hemp Program; 

(1) non-refundable application fee for a registration: $100.00; 

(2) non-refundable application fee for a renewal registration: $50.00; 

(3) annual registration fee for a grower: $200.00; 

(4) annual registration fee for a processor that creates a product not intended for human or animal consumption: $250.00; 

(5) annual registration fee for a processor that creates a product intended for human or animal consumption: $750.00; 

(6) annual registration fee for a retailer: $300.00; 

(7) endorsement fee for each industrial hemp product subject to Article 4 of this chapter: $100.00; 

(8) transportation permit issued under 11 AAC 40.710: $50.00; 

(9) modification of product endorsement: $100.00; 

(10) modification of registration: $50.00; 

(11) collection fee under 11 AAC 40.260 for the division or the division’s representative to collect samples from harvest of industrial hemp: $200.00; and 

(12) testing of seeds of wild, landrace, or unknown origin under 11 AAC 40.220: $1,200.00. 

     *The regulations give the Division of Agriculture police powers. That is, the power to enter private property, seize and/or destroy private property in violation of the regulations.

     *Minimum number of plants: 200.  

     *Cannot grow, store, or process them within a residence. 

     *Minimum acreage: One quarter.  Whether this means lot size, or garden patch, is not clear.

     *Minimum separation distance: 1,000 meters, or about 3300 feet. You must also provide GPS co-ordinates on your application.  Not to the property-but where exactly on the property the plant is.

_______________________

     *Other states have already certified varieties of hemp, for the three main uses: for CBD products, for fiber, and for animal feed. Some of those are northern latitude states, where growing conditions are similar.  Instead, Alaska will have whatever performs best in the micro climate surrounding the PMC in Palmer. And instead of allowing certified seed sales to Alaska, and letting the growers themselves figure it out, the Division is doing all that work for your benefit. (*cough cough* Because Kenai, Talkeetna, Fairbanks, Big Lake, and Glenallen have identical growing seasons, riiiiiight?)

     *The fees alone, preclude the participation of small farms and hobbyists-a large number of those folks would give hemp a try-even if only for the novelty.  

     *The distance between growing locations condition could be a huge obstacle for semi-rural and suburban growers.  (This is on a par for liquor licensing and schools, for example) 

So, your chances of being able to go to your local greenhouse or nursery, and try your hand at growing some seeds for your livestock, or fiber for your new loom, are positively zero. Who is going to pay the state $1,350 so they can sell a few flats of hemp?  Oh and by the way, everyone has to register and pay the fees listed above, which would include each and every customer.

Here again, the State of Alaska is picking winners and losers. The winners?

#Industrial

Keyword: Industrial. As in, only large, corporate farms will be able to participate. 

The Losers?

Every other Alaskan interested. 

     

Alaska Ag....The Dairy Program

I feel compelled to comment about the furor surrounding Gov. Dunleavy's proposed budget, which eliminates the dairy sanitation program in its entirety.

1.  The cited $180,000 is not the cost of salary for one person on state payroll. 

2.  There are different elements to the program, and they include:

          a. Monthly sampling of the milk (this is in addition to the routine daily sampling and testing that the dairy performs itself)

          b. Quarterly inspections of the farm itself (equipment, animal health, sanitation,etc)

         c. Quarterly inspection and testing of the milk plant on the farm (this is specialty equipment necessary for Grade  A status which includes the chiller and pasteurizer, etc)

         d. Maintaining federally required certifications and training

          e. Quarterly inspections of the blow molding plant in Palmer (where the milk jugs are  made)

          f. Performing specific laboratory tests on the milk samples

3.  The State of Alaska adopted the PMO (pasteurized milk ordinance) and other standards, and adhering to the administrative code is not only required federally for Grade A dairies, but is required by the state itself. In other words, if there exists one (or a 100) Grade A dairy, then the state is bound to perform the required inspections and testing. 

4.  The person who performs the dairy sanitation inspections, also provides the inspections for the FSMA, which includes locally produced crops.  This person also speaks at seminars, teaches the community about the programs within FSMA, and has other duties related to Alaska agriculture. 

5.  Prior to the adoption of the PMO and subsequent creation of the program, the state veterinarian performed the required tests (at the farms at Pt. MacKenzie, for example) but it is unclear who was tasked with inspection and testing of the milk plant (Matanuska Maid) during that time. (Matanuska Maid has since fallen into history, and no large facility exists within the state. The Havemeisters' invested in a dairy plant, on their farm, to process the milk into Grade A)

6.  There exists no mechanism (currently) to hire any external professionals to perform the needed tests and inspections.

Please note: The frequency of the actions taken by the state is as accurate as I can determine. They may be more, or less, frequent than cited above. Specific lab test information is unknown, but is sure to rule out various pathogens, bacteria, and so forth. 

Of suggested solutions, none are available to the Havemeisters on their own.  This is true for any other dairy hoping to attain the Grade A stamp, which allows for legal commercial sale.

Even the future of the bottling plant may be at risk, if they lose the Havemeister contract of 5,000 milk jugs a week. Not to mention the inspections done there, that allow other Alaska companies to bottle products locally.

However, the OSV (Office of the State Veterinarian) could, in theory, offer a way out of this dilemma:

As it stands, the only permitted lab is the state's own.  There exist others locally. In addition, there are certified labs in other states capable of testing. It is entirely likely that the inspections themselves, can be done by anyone certified/trained to do them, it is a matter of adjusting regulation and having the time to get it done. The OSV has the full authority to make changes, and there appears to be support within the legislature to do so at this time.

The future of the dairy remains in doubt, until the budget is finalized and on the Governor's desk for signature, or red pen.  That said, the dairy has come up with alternatives, and so have others on the Governor's team.

Note: I too, railed against paying a single person 180 grand a year for dairy inspections, in a previous post. Like most, I did not realize that the choice to call it a "position" was ADECs decision, and even that decision is questionable, because they do intend to reduce staff by eliminating a position. So yes, ADEC is playing semantics, and budgetary shenanigans continue to plague Ag. 

Alaska Ag.....Moving forward

As readers know, this blog has been often focused on the shortcomings of Alaska Ag. From the unhelpful regulations and statutes of local and state government, to the ineffective Division of Agriculture. The Board of Agriculture Conservation has come under fire for their partisanship, giving rise to the well earned title "CBC of Ag", as they capriciously chose winners and losers . Many entries here have recounted the shenanigans and outright frauds that have been perpetrated in the name of Ag, to the detriment of all. Despite decades of management by state employees and volunteers at the BAC, no progress has been made in moving the needle forward, off that lousy "3 to 5% of food consumed, produced in state"

So, putting my money where my criticism falls:

Alaska Ag...An Uncertain Future

With the State of Alaska facing financial Armageddon, Governor Dunleavy's proposed budget suggests big change is coming.

The particulars as it is related to agriculture can be found on the OMB webpage for the state. 

The overview can be found here:

2020 Governor Amended

Details can be found here:

DNR Component Detail

 For the first link, scroll right and see the proposed reduction percentages.  For the second link, read the notes in the possible scenarios.  At the end of this detail report, is the organization chart for the Division of Ag going forward. 

This trims the fat from the Division, and sets up the office to be a lean, mean  machine. Their focus will change drastically, as the component details show, by moving some activities elsewhere and literally deleting others.  The Division goes from 28 positions, to 14, while still preserving its core function.

Stakeholders are sure to start screaming wildly, but this is a point in time where one should ask themselves:  

What has the Division done for Alaskan residents? 

What has it actually done for ag? 

Is there a better way to deliver what little service it provides?

Remember, running a program that benefits only a few, yet costs hundreds of thousands of dollars in payroll expense, is not fiscally responsible in a time of deficit.

This is how ridiculous it has gotten. The state has one PCN on payroll for dairy inspections. Folks, there is exactly one commercial dairy in the whole state. Although under the ADEC umbrella, there is no need to continue this program with only one dairy. As the detail for ADEC notes:

Eliminating the dairy program will not increase risk to public health, as unregulated milk will not enter the market. Those wishing to purchase local milk will still be able acquire raw milk through a cow-share program.

The incumbent holding this position will be rolled into ADEC doing other functions, but it is still an indicator of our past proliferate spending overall. 

While the future of the Division of Agriculture might be uncertain, there is no uncertainty about the future of agriculture in Alaska at all.  With the right Director at the helm, and a savvy slate of folks on the Board of Agricultural Conservation, some needed changes in state regulation/policy, the future could be very bright indeed.

Alaska Ag...The Crisis 2.0 UPDATE

The USDA slaughter plant, aka as MMM&S, has a notice:

"Closed 30 to 90 days for repair"

When, or even if, it will reopen, no one seems to know.  Since MMM&S is the sole location in Southcentral with the USDA stamp for resale cuts, this will no doubt cause problems for some producers. Livestock can still be processed using the "custom exempt" section of USDA permitting. 

Alaska Ag....The Crisis 2.0

In yet another huge challenge facing Alaska livestock owners, comes the rumor floating all over:

MMM&S might close, in as little as three weeks or so.

No one really seems to know the true cause of what might be happening there-despite the bargain basement price for the plant, it may not be viable for anyone, ever. Or it could be internal squabbles, or personnel, or personal reasons, or any combination of them. The State's continued poor economy no doubt contributed, as did the State's historical ag choices-Directors, BAC members, policies, the whole shebang.

Whatever the cause, this is of grave concern to those Alaskans hanging on by a thread, producing locally grown livestock for discerning buyers. For without a functioning USDA plant with it's all important "stamp", there will be no Southcentral grown lamb chops, pork butts, or beef pot roasts for sale locally. 

This will cripple Alaska food production for quite some time, should it come to pass.

Just think about this issue, the next time you are in a chain grocery store, and select the imported products, instead of the Alaska grown. And how dependent you are, upon the continued stream of shipping containers making their way through the Port of Alaska.

Alaska Ag.....Surprise!

It seems the Palmer chains on agriculture, in the form of Arthur Keyes, have been broken.

Just posted today, on the Alaska Grown Facebook page, was an entry describing the success of the $5 Challenge.  

The link to the Facebook page for Alaska Grown is:  Alaska Grown

If you follow the link to the DNR press release about the program, you will find that DNR's David Schade is "acting director" of the Division of Agriculture.

What, exactly, does this mean for Agriculture in Alaska?  

Well, Mr Schade may become the permanent replacement for Keyes, that is unknown.

But what is known, that whoever ends up assuming the title and duties, will no doubt be a step forward for agriculture here. 

Alaska Ag.....In crisis

A crisis has been carefully crafted and let loose upon Alaska agriculture.  There is no knowing how this saga will end, but this is truly a "the little guy vs. the big money" fight...and fight it will be.

On the one hand, there is the big money. That would be the Wild Sheep Foundation, whose pockets are very, very deep, and their paid lobbyists and supporters who can work the halls in Juneau at will. 

On the other, the hobbyist, fancier, 4-H family, homesteader, rancher, farmer.  Who will be forced to rely upon their elected representatives for assistance, during what is sure to be a contentious legislative session. 

Do not be fooled, this entire situation was created on purpose, by the Wild Sheep Foundation. The aim was to remove domestic sheep and goats from the clean list (as established by the Board of Game) permanently.  

When MOVI was first brought to light, most Alaskan livestock owners had never heard of it, or what the track record of the WSF in the L48 looked like. Concerned about the risks, testing was proposed and then performed on domestic animals. Testing was also performed on wild sheep, goats, caribou and moose. Bear in mind that the science is not settled, the testing is not settled as to method and type, and that there are 400 strains of this opportunistic beastie known so far. And yep, you guessed it, it can be found in them all. A very small percentage of domestics, however. So then the question becomes: Who infected who, first? 

Common sense has been scarce in the whole WSF fiasco to date, as the WSF and their followers, cannot even seem to see, that tracking, hunting, darting, tagging, and sampling these wild animals, causes them stress. Stress is the main factor in triggering MOVI into the pneumonia that kills them.

But hey, taking hundreds of wild animals every year is perfectly fine, right? >sarcasm< 

Naturally, this is not an emergency to the Golden Boy heading the Division of Ag. While they do have a representative present at the working group meetings, Director Keyes is awaiting a "report" on the issue.  Seriously?  Waiting for a report?  What in the heck is so pressing about marketable crops in January, that he cannot attend a meeting and learn firsthand, the threat facing Alaskan livestock owners? Who knows what his excuse is. And as upset as these producers are, his one public letter does not prove he supports livestock production in full, no matter the threat. Shame on him for taking the "plausible deniability" route, because it was expedient. Pffft!  Whether Keyes is concerned about continued employment or not, it is his responsibility to be on top of this. Period end.

This is a crisis indeed, for our friends, family, and neighbors who own domestic sheep and goats. Since that nasty MOVI seems to be pretty much everywhere, and so are the wild animals, their removal from the clean list spells crisis, loud and clear.

Alaska Ag....a camel named Kehoe

So, those concerned about the future of Alaska's food security should already be aware of the blitzkrieg taking place against Alaska's sheep and goat owners. If you do not, here's the quick and the dirty:

There exists a disease called "m.Ovi" which is basically a pathogen that has devastated wild big horn sheep and mountain goats in the L48. Ongoing research suggests that co-mingling of domestic and wild herds may be the root cause for the presence in the L48 herds (perhaps!), although one should consider this particular pathogen an opportunistic one, that kills animals already stressed by other factors such as habitat loss, pre-existing disease, hunting pressure, drought, and scarcity of natural forage. So, the takeaway is that m.Ovi is generally considered to be the cause of the two species steep decline in the L48, particularly by the wildlife preservation groups, such as the WSF (Wild Sheep Foundation).  A few years back, the Alaska sheep and goat owners were quite surprised by a suggested regulation (submitted by Kevin Kehoe of the WSF) to our own Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game, to remove sheep and goats from the clean list in Alaska. 

See these blog posts for more information:

https://suvalley.blogspot.com/2017/08/alaska-agthe-prop-64-problem.html

and more here:

https://suvalley.blogspot.com/2017/11/alaska-agwill-adf-outlaw-domestic.html

Since that time, a working group was put together (which was supposed to equally be weighted between advocates (WSF, guides, etc) the state agencies, and producers, but ended up being majority WSF) to find solutions to the threat of m.Ovi to our marvelous wild sheep and goats. After a year and half of hard work by the Alaskan livestock owners, agreement was reached in principle for a variety of measures, to prevent contact between domestic and wild populations. 

Yesterday, Mr. Kehoe decided to leave after a fancy presentation. He will take all his proposed regulations/rules direct to the legislature, without any input from the domestic owners. They are the same demands he made at the outset, and the WSF has millions of dollars in the bank to pay for lobbyists and to coerce state acceptance of their demands.

In short, the talks, meetings, concessions and working group itself, were nothing more than a stalling tactic for the benefit of WSF's political plan. Here's the kicker:  Hunting statistics prove that the biggest threat to the wild populations of sheep and goats, are hunters themselves.  Nearly 800 were taken 2017 alone.  

This blog warned that the presence of m.Ovi would be confirmed in the wild herds and it was indeed proven to be present.  

The WSF and Mr. Kehoe are not waiting for more testing, not waiting for solid science, and is not willing to accept accommodations from our beleaguered livestock owners-homesteaders, 4-H, hobbyists, ranchers and farmers, period.   They have no inclination to work with anyone, least of all the state vet's office, the producers, or anyone else except their frightened base. 

And how does this situation pose a threat to Alaska's food security?  

While livestock production here is limited due to a number of factors, they still represent a significant portion of available food. There are more sheep and goats than cattle, and their numbers can be quickly increased should the need arise. There have been domestic sheep and goats here within the state of Alaska for over a century, with no disease die off of the wild populations, as is feared. If they are successful in eliminating domestic sheep and goat herds in Alaska, this will set a precedent to use in other areas. 

Removing these historically beneficial species from Alaskan plates, does not and will never serve, to improve our food security. 

Alaska Ag.....2019 and beyond

Well, here she is, a brand new year. 

What will the coming year bring for Alaskan agriculture?

If the past is our guide, we know what there won't be.

There won't be a land rush to turn muskeg, black spruce, dead birch and thickets of alders into growing food for Alaskans. Because politics and statute take precedence over the state's responsibilities (if any) to provide opportunity to develop a new resource.

There won't be loans for entrepreneurs whose expertise falls outside the confines of row after row of crops whose markets are already established.  There won't be money for processing facilities, creating pathways for the true "farm to market" infrastructure so desperately needed.

There won't be an explosion of greenhouses, or gardens, or raised beds, popping up like a long dormant seed brought to life, across Alaskan back yards and homesteads.

There won't be an abrupt return to small dairies, cattle producers, or flocks of sheep and goats. Having weathered decades of no support from the Division of Agriculture, livestock will continue to limp along, hamstrung by ignorance and incompetence.

There won't be a unified "call to grow food" since one has never taken root, not within the poisoned atmosphere that is the Division. They have salted the ground so thoroughly, that new ventures resolve and if fully committed, will eventually do it sans their nod of approval.

There won't be a handy encyclopedia of Alaska agriculture, because there exist dozens of programs and groups, both federal and state, that comprise the wealth of knowledge garnered over decades of study after study, program after program, experiment after experiment. Alaskans are expected to stumble around long enough to become discouraged, before finding the information they seek on food production. Thanks to entrenched bureaucracy, this will never be corrected.

Yeah, there are a lot of things that won't be.

Given enough time, ag itself might become one of them.

Alaska Ag.....The Food Security Thing

The gnarly issue of feeding the residents of  Alaska is never far from mind.  


It's only taken four generations to nearly sever the ties between food production, and the modern consumer. Prior to that time, most rural homes had gardens, and generations of family who were skilled and experienced at home food preservation.  They had root cellars, kitchen gardens, drying and smoking sheds, ice houses and shelf upon shelf of carefully preserved fruits and vegetables. They held over their own seeds, traded for what they didn't have, and sold or bartered excess with neighbors. There were no grocers, no supermarkets, no rapid transit to whisk the crops away to large centers for processing and distribution. The extensive interstate highway system did not exist, and what was moved around was done so by rail and barge. The birth of mega farms, monoculture production, and conglomerates was decades away from the lifestyle of the previous centuries.

Today, most kids believe food is contained only in brightly colored boxes their parents pull from the freezer and cupboard.  There is a large disconnect between what they are served, and where it comes from. Today's urban child may know what animals are "farm" animals, but have never seen or laid hands upon one. They've never collected eggs, raised poultry or livestock for 4-H, or helped with family gardens.  They've never been in a barn, let alone cleaned one, and never walked fields with bucket in hand, to round up that blasted loose calf. They've never picked an apple, or a berry, or a tomato. For most of them, there is too much outside out there, and it's smelly, disgusting, and scary.

For this, we can thank the urbanization of the workforce in no small part.  From family farms and small towns, to the bustling hordes of large cities, the move was slow, steady, and allowed America to expand its business and economy, into one that most of the developed world envies even today.  There are entire libraries devoted to this flight from farm to city, so there is little need to revisit the details.  But Alaska remains a unique state, with a unique set of circumstances.

We are fortunate indeed, to have regular shipments from the western ports of the US. These shipments are absolutely crucial to feed Alaskan residents and visitors.  Thanks in no small part to the invention of "just in time" ordering, Alaska grocers and retailers enjoy a steady supply of product for their customers. Even in the Bush, orders are regular (if subject to delivery conditions i.e: frozen rivers or break up of same) if costly. Back in the 60s, my own Mother used to sit down with a calendar and plan out meals to the ingredient. Why? Because we only got to town about every four months or so.  Back then, every grocery store had a warehouse with additional inventory-just in case. If not, our trek to the grocery store would cause my Mother to hastily rework the menu calendar, due to empty shelves caused by barges lost at sea. Thankfully, a hand spaded large garden was very successful for the family.

The regular port arrivals of behemoth ships carrying hundreds of shipping containers, is Alaska's literal lifeline. Any serious disruption in the supply chain will have immense consequences, a ripple effect not well thought out by most residents. I have spoken to those in emergency management, who say it plain: Alaska is 9 meals away from anarchy. There are any number of scenarios which might cause that critical chain to snap (earthquake, tsunami, EMP, solar flare, other natural disaster down south, war, to name a few) so you'd think that the Division of Agriculture might be a logical place to find solutions to this risk we all face.

Well, good luck with that. The State of Alaska, if the Division of Agriculture is any indication, could care less about the state's inability to feed itself. They share no information freely about their activities, you must submit a FOIA that they will run before their state attorneys first. Their land offerings, as few as they are, are expensive, restrictive, and seldom successful with food production. They have a lot of payroll tied up in "marketing", which most advertising professionals would see as marginally effective.  Yay, AlaskaGrown!  Yay, Alaska State Fair!  Yay, monster veggies!  Yay local produce in season at grocery stores! Yay! The Alaska Grown Source Book! Yay, yay, yay!  Right? Pffft!  Wrong, oh so wrong.

Still no solution to the insurance problem.
Still no lands for a modern day land rush.
Still no progress in getting Alaskans to feed themselves.
What do they do at the PMC?  Well, who knows for sure. Except that hemp is not happening any time soon, they test grow a lot of stuff, but how are they proving their results? Answer:  They don't. 
A repository for all things relating to Ag in Alaska? Not hardly.

All of which, and a lot more contained on this blog, begs the question:

Does the State of Alaska need a Division of Agriculture at all?

What's that smell?

Amid the cacophony of wails regarding Governor-Elect Dunleavy's request for resignations, and claims of "loyalty oath demand", and other assorted protestations of unfairness, there is an underlying hint of fear and trepidation.  

Mr. Babcock was accurate when he stated that no one person is irreplaceable, when it comes to state employment. Those of us in the private sector know this, and live this, every single day. 

This was followed by much consternation and gasps of fear, over his astute choices thus far, for his administration. I am awaiting to learn who will head the Division of Agriculture, because it surely will not be sycophant Keyes, with all his photo ops with Walker, his maxed out donations to Walker's failed bid for re-election and so on. Given the outstanding excellence of Gov-Elect Dunleavy's picks, I am confident that Corri Fiege will chose someone who is not afraid to clean house, shutter programs with little value, and put someone in place who will move Alaska Ag forward into the 21st century. It is so in a rut, so technologically lagging, so unable to serve the residents, it seriously needs a power wash, top to bottom. 

And let's not forget the BAC (Board of Agricultural Conservation, which oversees the ARLF) and it's staggering partisanship, inability to even provide an agenda, inability to provide meeting minutes, and it's unknown loan parameters. Here too, a complete replacement (or even perhaps, a reqorking of the seats themselves, is sorely overdue. 

So that slightly sour aroma wafting from 1800 E Glenn Highway?  Pretty sure it's the smell of fear and uncertainty, as our highly paid public servants come to realize they may have screwed the pooch one time too many. 

One Small Valley Social inJustice

Fair warning: There will be an individual named here, who does exist here in the Valley. 

First, social injustice.  

This is perpetrated upon all of us by our own government, and perpetuated by a combination of civil restraint and the inability of the governed to effect meaningful, rapid, common sense change.  Most readers will be painfully aware of the consequences of SB91, and their partial "fixes" as attempted by the Legislature in the last session. This feel good legislation, meant to keep habitual offenders from lengthy jail sentences has failed utterly and completely.  Originally proposed to go hand in hand with a massive increase in drug and mental health services (which likely would not have been effective anyway, if you look into the reports of this system in other states) the legislature, in its stupidity, did one without the other.  So, criminals are let loose, given citations at best, and are seldom incarcerated or successfully prosecuted. Even felonies get less than a slap on the wrist (as evidenced by the release of the felon who sexually assaulted a woman in broad daylight, was convicted, and gets off with time served.....in his own home, with an ankle monitor)  and lesser crimes? Most residents already know how futile it is to report pretty much anything. Not enough Troopers for our area, and so on.

This situation will not be rectified for many years to come, and in the meantime, crime has skyrocketed across the Valley. Just as the Troopers are not given enough tools to be effective in stemming this in any significant way, the laws as they exist, do not give the public the means to respond effectively either. 

Just make a noise about an informal community patrol, or making a citizen's arrest, or tracking down a thief on your own, or serve a little payback-and watch the law enforcement community stand shoulder to shoulder and cry out: You may not do that! That's our job. In fact, there are literally hundreds of cases where private citizens have handed the AST a solid, air tight case and absolutely nothing is accepted. Period end. Photos, videos, caught red handed, does not matter-none of it is ever prosecuted and for that, lay some blame at the feet of the DA-who prefers a high conviction rate (as a means to a seat on the bench) and who will plead out anything and everything to get the right magic numbers. So just to be clear: If you have been made a victim of criminal behavior, you have to literally work it through the AST hierarchy, then over to the DAs office. If you are very fortunate, you will get the ADAs to persuade the DA, and they'll get their cases assigned. Which is not the same thing as having a Trooper call you back with a case #, hours or days after you have been victimized by some lowlife who likely has numerous warrants already.

On to the specifics of the topic.....

There is a woman here in the Valley, Brandi Slover.  Not quite sure how old Brandi is, but she is definitely an adult, and according to her own family, has made poor life choices and has a history of drug abuse.  If you drive between, say, the Meadowlakes area and Talkeetna, you stand a pretty good chance of seeing her, live and in person. This is the nutjob that literally darts into traffic moving at highway speeds. She dances and spins along the roadways, has thrown rocks and other debris at passing cars...and is not afraid to be topless, or to literally flash her genitals at traffic. She is completely impulsive and a driver has no idea the woman might very likely, step right into the lane. She has caused dozens and dozens of people brake hard and take evasive action, and one day, she will not beat the odds and that will be the end of Brandi Slover. 

She is well known to the AST, and has been to API numerous times in the past. In their 72 hour hold, she passes the psych eval and is released into the unsuspecting public again...and it all starts over. Her family cannot commit her, she has to commit herself. (Although seeking legal guardianship might be an answer, don't know) The thing is this: Brandi may not be a danger to herself in the clinical sense, but she is a clear and present danger to the community. Period end. And nothing can be done. If family cannot get her committed to API long enough for effective treatment, the courts surely don't act to protect the public either. They know her history, they know she'll be released and so....nothing happens. 

One day, this little facet of social injustice is going to cause a mentally unstable woman to be killed, and the operator (and passengers, if any) of the vehicle that takes her out to be traumatized, thanks to your government. 

However, if it had been a man flashing his genitals at dozens of vehicles on the highway?  Well, you can bet his butt would be in jail. For a very long time. And you know it's true.   And that is also a social injustice. 

All the leaves are brown.....

and the sky is blue........

(apologies to the music fans)


For some reason, the current state of things, has prompted that snippet of song into an ear worm of major proportions. Think this through:

In May this year, we had roughly six weeks of very cool, dark, and cloudy weather.

When did the bees show up in earnest at your place?  If you are like me, they never really did. Had no pollinators whatsoever except for the occasional bumble bee, lost from a local beekeeper. But native bees? None until August.

Had plenty of robins early on, but they took off in early June. Where did they go?

Gardening reports have the season as mixed, at best.  Some were fortunate and had a great year, but many folks, like myself, had a marginally productive year-despite added amendments and care.  Even my raspberry patch, reliable for 5 to 7 gallons of great berries every season-produced only a fraction of normal.

And then there are the trees.  Didn't it seem like things were turning color a little too soon?  But if you take a really close look at those birch trees.....well, I think we have a problem. Maybe a big problem, on the heels of the huge spruce bark beetle kill off of our local spruce. 

Our local birch trees have been subject to attacks by a pest known as "birch leaf miner" for some years now. This is what produced the bare tree tops in a wide swath of the Valley.  In some areas, the entire tops of the trees are dead-including, seemingly, a portion of the main trunk. On my own property, I have some that appear dead for the upper ten feet or so and looking around my travels, I see many birch showing the same effects of "whatever it is". 

And there is something else. The trees are not the bright and cheerful sunny yellow and vibrant orange that a combination of a good frost and dropping sap provides.  Nope, if you check closely, you will see some have leaves that are browning at the *branch*. At the stem where they attach to the limb. In fact. some of the leaves affected appear nearly singed. 

At first I thought it had to be something specific to our several birch species...but nope, the same thing shows on my own well tended lilac shrubs.  The leaves are browning from the stem outwards. There is no other symptom of disease or distress that I can identify. These shrubs are well watered, pruned every two years, and get at least some fertilizer from being planted in the lawn.

All the leaves are brown....and the sky is blue.......

.........??

The perils and perks of posting

Yep, another post by the blogger most of you love to hate.

You've done your part to squelch free speech, productive discussion, outright dissenting opinions, threatened livelihoods, and stomped all over the 1st Amendment rights of many locals over the past few years.  The incredibly slimy, seedy underbelly of Alaskan agriculture continues to bully honest criticism, and this blog has done it's part in exposing a portion, unknown to many (including local politicians) but it will no longer be the focus here. Yes, plenty has been shared, and continues to be shared but it has become such a yawner.....same story, different players, over and over. Blech.

In the meantime, I will post whatever the hell I feel like, whenever I feel like it, and as always, comments are welcome here.  Topics to come will include, but are not limited to:

The state of Alaska election issues.

The mismanagement of our collective resource (game and fish).

Crime and punishment.

And the occasional hard look at agriculture.

Alaska Ag......Plucked Again

In the scramble to make a buck in Alaska agriculture, many folks have tried various business models, inventive production techniques, attempted new crops and a wide range of assorted scams and dubious transactions have all had their place here. Sometimes, the only way to tell the difference is by the trail of victims left behind.

One such victim is a relatively unknown supporter of Alaska ag, who is, in his own right, an astute businessman with many years of successful history in the corporate world.  Just how this otherwise perceptive individual fell prey to one of our shining champions of locally grown, is unknown.....but fall he did:

Over 2,600 whole frozen chickens, abandoned into his care. And he is has been (reportedly) plucked himself, to the tune of over $90,000.00. The local champion has recently posted on social media that "their visions no longer" matched or words to that effect.  I have no doubt that the business man wanted to get paid for his services and investment, and the producers (who may or may not be paid) were sure that their hard work was happily sold into the fast growing Anchorage market.  But the truth is in the photos here, and tell a different story.

However, take a close look at this label:

A simple bar code does not an inspected chicken make.  Despite oral claims and fancy sales pitches, the co-op does not meet any USDA standard. And in fact, many of the weights are wrong, many by nearly four ounces.

The requirements for actual exempt labeling are:

So, there you have it. 2,600 improperly labeled, improperly weighed chickens, evidently produced *without* a ready market.  If there had been a ready market, they would not exist.....proving that the ground work for local poultry was not adequately researched, and that either the price point is beyond the market, or the demand for this specific product does not meet production-or a combination of all three.

Plucked, indeed, and a mighty shiner on the face of our local champion.

Alaska Ag.....The Devil is in the Details

If former President Reagan is is known for his famous quote: I'm from the government and I'm here to help"  then it should be added  "....and the devil is in the details".

In reviewing Governor Walker's proposed 2019 budget, it took just a little digging to find the documents relating to the DOA. (Division of Agriculture)  If you are adventurous, there are a number of pdf files available through the Department of Natural Resources webpage. These multi-page entries can be a bit tiring to sift through, we suggest the detail and the change record files as starting points.  It is entirely likely that there is more data for the DOA on the DNR proposed budget list, since the manner in which these positions and departments and activities are funded is complex and can be confusing.

A few facts:

The DOA has, at the Southcentral Region offices, a total of 17 positions.  According to their website as of December 27th, they currently have 3 vacant positions. 

The DOA has, at the Palmer area Plant Materials Center, a total of 13 positions, 2 of which are vacant.

The DOA has, at the Northern Region office, 3 positions, of which one is vacant.

So that is 33 positions (sometimes known as PCNs, the short moniker assigned by the state) and of those, 6 vacant positions. On the surface, this appears as a reduction in personnel, a tightly run division where the public is still being served well. Again, the devil is in the details. 

Departments and divisions jealously guard each and every PCN they have. The reason?  There will hopefully come a time in the future when every position is fully funded. A fully funded organization can then plead the need for more PCNs to meet increased demand...and thus, government always grows, and never truly shrinks.

They can also simply decrement (love that guvspeak, don't you?) positions into new ones, by assigning the funding to a newly created or renamed PCN.  In this way, the organization stretches into nooks and crannies of public service it was never meant to go.

In the 2019 proposed budget, the DOA intends to decrement and in the end, create two new positions (in addition to the job the closed earlier this week, presumably)  The new position is called "the state veterinarian"  Now, it is not clear whether this is literally a behind the scenes move to place the Office of the State Veterinarian (currently occupied by the exemplary Dr. Robert Gerlach at the Department of Environmental Conservation) or the creation of a new "state veterinarian" under the auspices of the DOA.  We suspect the latter in this case. Dr. Gerlach has made clear in previous legislative sessions that he must and should remain at ADEC where his work can continue, he has excellent staff, and the support he needs to perform those duties.

This new "state veterinarian" will have "Development Specialist" for assistance. With what, exactly, is not explained in print. There is talk of livestock, and importing and exporting, but what the actual job duties are? Well that, friends...is one of those "the devil is in the details"  things. Who knows? The funding for these two positions will come from a surplus in the Agriculture Revolving Loan Fund component. 

However, one must not forget the Golden Boy's desire to mimic the Department of Agriculture in other states-nearly all of whom do have state veterinarians on staff. And one must not forget his desire to make the DOA a regular Department within state government. 

To understand, even in part, of what this means for our livestock producers, one should keep this in mind:

The State of Alaska already has an Office of State Veterinarian.  

That Office is already fully involved in one of the most pressing issues facing livestock producers, which is the Alaska Wild Sheep Foundations' continued efforts to make owning sheep and goats illegal within state borders. (And don't think the Board of Game sides with our protein growers-they do not. Look for the AWSF to push legislation in Juneau this coming session)

That Office already has excellent rapport with importers of livestock, a great working relationship with many Alaskans pursuing animal husbandry here in Alaska, and has experienced, trained staff at hand to perform inspections, etc. 

Now, ask yourself this.....for what purpose would another "state veterinarian" serve the DOA?  What regulation by pen would that person generate? Because you can be sure, that as soon as that person is on staff, the legislation for statutory authority to regulate will follow....because it's logical, if for no other reason. 

Alaska Ag.....That 20/20 Hindsight

Finally functional after a long period without a working computer. Whew!

(Report for previous post: The Board of Game took no action on the proposal to effectively outlaw sheep and goats for the time being-more to come on this subject in the future)

In the course of writing this blog, many people have reached out to share all sorts of information, or rumors, or just to bully this author.  Between the emails and phone calls, texts, lunches, and other interactions, seldom is offered such a damning example of ag malfeance as this:

The above scanned images originate from a three fold brochure provided by a reader quite some time ago.  Very fancy, isn't it?  According to the person who shared this, the cost was approximately $500,000 to MatSu Borough tax payers to see the project end at the brochure.  The Boro did the research, obtained (or leased, not sure) the property, created the brochure....and then funding disappeared. The land chosen ended up being used for what is now the school district commercial kitchen, which is seemingly another complicated, sideways story all on its own.  Crafted in the heady days of high oil prices, and sorely needed to spur agricultural growth, it turned out to be yet another state (Matanuska Susitna Borough in this case) government boondoggle.....just not one costing into the millions. 

It's a shame that this "Economic Development Project" was never completed. Such as facility would be a tremendous asset to the Borough, and its citizenry.  And might have served to set the stage for a serious look at export markets....since the producers all know that one of the major missing links to sustained growth is a processing center like the one described above. In hindsight, the other expensive boondoggles (such as the ferry fiasco) gobbled up excess revenues, and left Ag by the wayside. Again. 

Do you suppose they have a file gathering dust in Palmer, that a more forward thinking, enterprising individual could review?  

(Edited to add a link to the 2008 report on the subject)

Agricultural Processing Center Report-2008

Alaska Ag....Will ADF&G Outlaw Domestic

sheep and goats by Sunday?

That question is worrying all who stand in opposition to the Alaska Wild Sheep Foundation's push to remove our domestic flocks from the "clean list". 

Prop 64 is on the Alaska Department of Fish & Game meeting agenda this weekend. If you would like to speak up in support of your local farmers, ranchers, and hobbyists, you have until Saturday at 10:30 to sign up for oral comments. 

The meeting is being held through the 17th at the Lakefront Hotel, 4800 Spenard Road, Anchorage.

Over 360 fellow Alaskans took the time to submit letters in opposition to this proposal. 

The supporters are knowingly misleading the Alaska public, by stating that if the proposal passes, then folks can just get a permit, test, and be reimbursed for any stock destroyed as a result.  This is a lie. Not just an untruth, or a misstatement, it is a lie.

Direct from the State website:

In other words, the Board of Game has the power to remove species from the "clean list" If the animal is not on the clean list, then ownership is prohibited. Period end. 

Unfortunately, our local reporter was not as thorough as she could have been, when this was published by the ADN:

Permits for domestic goats and sheep?

The article does not go into depth on the lack of scientific data, how Dall sheep differ from Bighorn, what has occurred in the lower 48, under what conditions, etc.  After all, there have been domestic sheep and goats here for decades, with absolutely zero disease outbreak between domestic and wild stock.  ADF&G have not even identified habitat, yet the AWSF is intent on destroying a significant portion of animal husbandry in Alaska.  

If you can add your voice in support of local livestock (and food security!) in Alaska, it would be greatly appreciated.  This action is flat out fear mongering, has wide ranging implications (see previous entries on this subject), and serves no one but the pocketbooks of guides and outfitters, and their wealthy clients. Who, by the way, killed over 700 wild sheep last year alone. 

Alaska Ag.....All Hail The....

All hail the chief! 

Or the dictator. Or something to that effect.

Please do take a moment to click back on the previous blog entry, and read the comments.

Pay as much heed to Greg's demands as you like, to, as he puts it-"shut the fuck up and be nice".  Oh and make sure you pay homage to the man who "saved agriculture in the state" while you're at it *cough cough*

Followed by another obfuscation, allegedly posted by the MMM&S plant manager.  As the more public face of MMM&S, Shannon also posted on social media a screed referencing members of the ag community as "disreputable", and naming this blog author and another by name.  

Really, this is how you promote your business?  Take public sideswipes at your customer base?  Is that saving ag?  Why no, it is not.  But the overblown response is as puzzling as it is amusing. All that was done was to put together two *public* notices, of current sales prices (as of that date) at MMM&S.  And note that the advertised prices seriously undercut local Alaska raised, fed, and Alaska born livestock from other producers. Which is true, and they know it. 

They know because they cannot afford to do it themselves, and stay competitive. Not even with a feedlot masquerading as a "ranch", not with direct slaughter imports, not with any method.  So how are they offering these amazing prices?  Why, one only needs to look at their published processing rates to see the likely source of their "savings". 

Ag was not "saved" by the purchase of that plant.  Was it helpful? Of course, we all know that continuity of that facility is paramount to livestock producers.  But there are alternatives, other USDA plants that could have been used if absolutely necessary, or people could have gone back to custom exempt sales easily enough-and foregone the retail package sales altogether.  That said, the above attitude and way of doing business are just two reasons that Denali Meat Company invested in a mobile slaughter plant, and that the one at Pt MacKenzie exists today. 

Sometimes, having a monopoly is not as advantageous as one would think.