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Advocacy & Current Issues

Through our consensus process, we are able to find the legislative priorities that will have the greatest impact on our farmers and food for all Alaskans. 

Every year at our annual meeting, our membership comes together to discuss the legislative priorities for that year.

We base much of our core issues based on the Resolutions that we’ve passed. View our position on livestock issues, renewable resources, regulatory issues, agricultural education issues and general agricultural issues.

See Our Resolutions

2021 Issues We are Talking About 

Nuisance Wildlife

About the Issue

Wildlife causes an estimated $1 billion in damage to agriculture operations in the U.S. annually, wildlife also transmit parasites and pathogens to livestock and humans.  Farmers and ranchers are already expected to foot the bill for damage or disease caused by wildlife on their farms as well as keeping their livestock from getting out into the wild.  

From predators killing livestock to moose eating crops to bison wrecking barley fields, it’s a constant battle and expense for farmers to protect their livelihood from wildlife.  On top of this, there is not a clear answer from ADF&G on farmers taking game in defense of life and property.  Farms have attractants, but this doesn’t mean the farmers are trying to attract wildlife.  Many farmers are fearful of getting in trouble if wildlife comes around, and definitely if they have to take game in defense of life & property.  

Solution

ADF&G needs to define more clearly that farmers can defend their life & property without getting in trouble.  Normal farming practices (feeding livestock, growing crops) should not be considered improper handling of attractants to wildlife populations. Without this type of legislation, farmers will continue to be in direct conflict with Alaska’s dynamic megafauna as we continue to share the same space with wildlife. 

Where the Bill in Is Process: Looking for a bill sponsor or regulation change 

Call to Action: Language to get you started is coming soon. 

Who To Reach Out To: Governor Dunleavy: Feedback (state.ak.us), ADF&G Commissioner & your personal legislators

M. ovi

About the Issue

Domestic sheep and goats have been bearing the brunt of blame for pneumonia outbreaks in big horn sheep.  M. ovi is the pathogen that is primarily being focused on. This pathogen exists in both wild and domestic populations. Because of the possible risk of transmission between domestic and wild populations, attempts over the past several years have been made to place expensive and burdensome regulations on Alaska’s sheep and goat owners; testing livestock imports from outside the state is just one piece.

Science and data do not support required testing of M. ovi as a solution to pneumonia outbreaks. 

  • M. ovi is endemic in North American small ruminants.
  • M. ovi positive does not mean diseased; some M. ovi positive big horn herds have had pneumonia outbreaks while others are thriving.
  • M. ovi is not limited to sheep, goats and muskox as assumed; testing in Alaska has found M. ovi in deer, caribou and moose. 
  • Alaska has had no die-offs associated with M. ovi.
  • Testing showed similar prevalence of M. ovi positive wildlife as domestic animals, around 4-5%.
  • M. ovi found widespread across Alaska in wildlife, including remote areas where there is no interaction with livestock.
  • M. ovi is not new to Alaska; wildlife test samples dating back to 2004 have tested positive for M. ovi.

More information on science and studies involving M. ovi can be found here.

With M. ovi currently in Alaska’s wildlife populations (across the state and in multiple species), testing imported sheep and goats will have no impact on M. ovi being in Alaska’s wildlife populations, it will increase the cost to our farmers to do business.  It will increase costs to maintain healthy flocks by bringing in new genetics.  It will increase costs to the consumers who get meat, dairy or fiber from these farms.  It will increase costs to our 4-H and FFA kids.

Solution

We need to continue research to better understand M. ovi and respiratory issues in wildlife and livestock.  We would like to see increased education & outreach from state agencies to sheep/goat owners including good herd health management plans, proper protocol for wildlife coming onto farms, etc.

Where is this in the Process: Draft regulations proposed by Dept. of Environmental Conservation that would require M. ovi testing for all sheep & goat imports which is still in review process. 

Call to Action: Here’s some language to get you started: 

Wildlife organizations continue to push for unreasonable regulations over domestic sheep and goats, including required testing for M. ovi.  This would be expensive and burdensome to Alaska’s farmers and ranchers, limiting the ability to grow and succeed in their business without benefiting Alaska’s wildlife.  

M.ovi is an incompletely understood pathogen that is already widespread in Alaska, including areas without domestic animals.  Instead of overregulating our sheep and goat farmers, the state should be working with sheep and goat owners on improving education and outreach around wildlife/livestock interaction issues.  Working on cost-effective and efficient strategies that maintain separation and continuing research on M. movi and respiratory pathogens.

Support Alaska farmers and ranchers by working with them instead of regulating them.

Who To Reach Out To: Governor Dunleavy: Feedback (state.ak.us), Dept. of Environmental Conservation Commissioner, Jason Brune, Jason.Brune@alaska.gov 

Confidentiality

About the Issue

In order to comply with state and federal laws, farmers are required to provide certain information to DEC or DNR; importing livestock, testing of certain pathogens or diseases, etc.  There are also situations where a farmer may want to participate in a voluntary testing program, whether it’s to determine prevalence of newer pathogens or things like maintaining Alaska’s scrapie free status. 

Currently, there is no protection over personal or business information on records that go through DEC or DNR.  Records that identify a particular animal, crop, business, individual’s name and address, or specific results from testing are subject to the Public Records Act.   

Alaska’s farmers and ranchers should be afforded the same protections other industries have in protecting personal and business information.

Solution

Give DNR and DEC confidentiality over certain information to protect our farmers. 

Where the Bill in Is Process: Looking for sponsors. 

Previous legislation that supports this policy: In 2018, HB315 was a Governor’s bill to support this. Read the full bill language. {Link to Leg Page} Alaska State Legislature (akleg.gov)

Call to Action: Here’s some language to get you started.

The Governor’s office should sponsor this bill: support giving the DNR and DEC confidentiality over animal and crop records to protect our farmers personal and proprietary information. 

Who To Reach Out To: Send feedback to Governor Dunleavy’s Administration at Feedback (state.ak.us)

Where Our Advocacy Has Worked 

When farmers win, everybody wins.

2021 – HB 22 – Free the Cheese

In 2021, HB22 was successfully passed through the Alaska legislatures for small herd-share dairies to be able to sell value-added products, like cheese, into the Alaska Market.

#freethecheese

2019 Budget

Over the years agriculture programs (already minimally funded) have been drastically reduced in state funding.  In 2019 agriculture programs (Division of Agriculture, Dairy Inspections, etc.) were essentially eliminated from the budget. Alaska Farm Bureau worked with many other organizations to reinstate funding for these programs.

2018 – HCR23 – Protect Wildlife From Foreign Pathogens

Introduced at the request of the Alaska Wildsheep Foundation to send a message to agencies to “enhance efforts to protect the state’s wildlife” from things like M.ovi.  The Alaska Farm Bureau worked with legislators to amend language making it more livestock friendly and focused on science-based management.

2018 – HB 217 – Local Food Procurement; Farm Tours; Fees

This bill has multiple aspects that can assist Alaska’s farmers and ranchers in their operations through marketing assistance, access to markets and improving protections.

  • Institutional purchasing is an underutilized market for Alaska’s farmers that would keep dollars in the state to be recirculated in the economy.  There are multiple pieces to this program that need improvement; HB 217 addresses the preference amount.  Increasing the option to give up to 15% preference could make this more attainable to farmers as they expand their production and we work on the other pieces of the procurement puzzle.  Increasing the allowable preference does not increase the overall budget for these grocery contracts.
  • Participants of the Alaska Grown program are proud to display that their products are Alaska Grown.  Being able to use marketing tools like stickers, twist ties, etc. when selling their products is a great tool that tells consumers they are getting a quality product.  Giving receipt authority to Division of Ag will enable them to continue purchasing these in bulk and providing them to Alaska Grown participants.
  • Agritourism is an increasingly popular way to expand farming businesses, it’s also a way to educate consumers about farming and where their food comes from.  There are inherent risks being on a farm, this does put our farmers in a precarious position when they invite people onto their farms.  Adding agritourism (“farm touring”) to the civil liabilities statute will add some protections for farmers who opt for incorporating agritourism to their business/educational plan.

Becoming a Successful Farm Advocate 

It can be intimidating to contact your local representatives and have your voice heard. Your voice is important and your thoughts, opinions, and expertise have a huge impact in helping educate and influence our local, state, and federal decision makers in helping build a stronger agricultural system in Alaska. 

Join us for our annual conference where you can learn how to become a farm advocate with in-person training