Partner Programs

The Alaska Farm Bureau works with a variety of non-profit, associations, and state and federal government entities in an effort to help our farmers’ businesses thrive.

These entities offer a variety of supportive programs that may offer assistance and/or permitting depending on your farm needs.

ARRC

The Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation (ARRC) was incorporated in 1935 under the laws of the territory of Alaska. It was founded as a non-profit organization under the direction of the Department of Interior and the Federal Emergency Relief Administration to administer the colony of 202 families being relocated from the mid-west.
The participants in this relocation were allocated a house, 40 acres of land, necessary tools and equipment. The federal government provided loan money to enable the colonists to set up their farms and get established. ARRC administered those long-term, low-interest loans and became the entity for managing and operating the agricultural project on behalf of the United States Government. Once the federal loans were repaid, accrued interest remained in a revolving fund from which ARRC continued to make loans to farmers and others involved in agricultural pursuits. Today, ARRC continues in its mission to help farmers statewide through loan financing.

Check out ARRC’s loan programs >

ARLF

The Agricultural Revolving Loan Fund (ARLF) promotes the development of agriculture as an industry throughout the State by means of moderate interest rate loans. They provide loans for the following farm operations.

• Short Term: loans to finance annual operating expenses such as seed, feed, fertlizer, harvesting or planting activities.
• Chattel: loans to purchase equipment or livestock.
• Farm Development: loans to purchase real property and construct non-residential improvements for agricultural purposes.
• Irrigation: loans to purchase and install irrigation systems.
• Product Processing: loans to build and equip facilities to process Alaska agricultural products.
• Clearing: loans to provide for land clearing.

Check Out Their Loan Program >

FSA

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is a USDA agency tasked to equitably serve all farmers, ranchers, and agricultural partners through the delivery of effective, efficient agricultural programs for all Americans. These programs range from loan funding to costshare programs. The Alaska FSA is located in Palmer and is available to talk to you about all the programs that could apply to your farm.

Learn more about the Alaska FSA >

Alaska Food Policy Council

The Alaska Food Policy Council (AFPC) imagines a healthy, nourished, food-secure Alaska. To accomplish this, the AFPC focuses on advocacy to policymakers and education to the public to strengthen Alaska’s food system.

Check out their work >

USDA- NRCS: Natural Resource Conservation Service

The USDA-NRCS is a federal agency that works with private landowners (farmers, ranchers and foresters) to put conservation practices in place that will benefit the soil, water, air, and wildlife. Their programs focus on a variety of different programs from invasive mitigation, soil conservation, to water conservation.

Help safeguard your soils by contacting their offices >

Alaska Association of Conservation Districts

The Alaska Association for Conservation Districts (AACD) is an organization formed in 1965 to help all Alaska’s local soil and water districts function efficiently. AACD is a grassroots organization that leverages local, state, federal and private dollars towards helping local Soil & Water Conservation Districts keep their doors open across the entire state.

AACD’s work is helping to address critical conservation issues, including:

• Erosion control
• Flood prevention
• Water conservation and use
• Wetlands
• Groundwater
• Water quality and quantity
• Nonpoint source pollution
• Community development

AACD assists Districts in working with landowners, land managers, communities, villages, tribal governments, schools, libraries, and other special interest groups. The help facilitate soil, water, environment, agriculture and other natural resource conservation efforts by providing technical guidance for resource management.

Find your local conservation district >

Department of Environmental Health (under DEC)

The Food Safety and Sanitation Program regulates the food sold and served at Farmers Markets.

Learn more about the rules and regulations >

Alaska Division of Agriculture: Inspection Services (under DNR)

Inspection services provides quality control for agricultural production through inspection and grading services, which include USDA grade and buyer specifications; field inspections for seed certification and disease control; issuance of phytosanitary certificates on export products from the agriculture industry; and produce information and training on packaging and quality control.

See what agricultural products are regulated >

Alaska Division of Measurement Standards and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement 

To learn more about the regulations around standardization of measurements for selling produce at markets find the measurement standards here >

Office of the State Veterinarian (under DEC)

The Office of the State Veterinarian is responsible for carrying out a wide variety of programs protective of both animal and human health, which in turn safeguards the health and food capacity of Alaska’s livestock, reindeer, and poultry, and prevents the transmission of animal disease to humans.

Find out more about their programs and regulations >

Alaska Farmers Market Association

The Alaska Farmers Market Association supports and promotes vibrant and sustainable farmers markets throughout Alaska.

Access their market directory and find training programs >

Alaska Peony Growers Association

Alaska Peony Growers Association is a membership organization of commercial peony growers as well as those interested in the emerging peony industry in Alaska.

Join their association >

RightRisk

RightRisk is a risk management education products developed by the RightRisk Education Team. RightRisk is an innovative risk research and education effort to help you, the farmer or rancher, understand and explore risk management decisions and evaluate the effects of those decisions.

Look at their educational materials >

Risk Management Association (USDA-RMA)

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA), created in 1996, serves America’s agricultural producers through effective, market-based risk management tools to strengthen the economic stability of agricultural producers and rural communities.

Learn more about their programs and crop insurance >

Alaska Farmland Trust

The Alaska Farmland Trust was founded with the support of Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation in 2005 and is governed by a board of directors. We are funded through generous individual donations as well as corporate and foundation grants. The Alaska Farmland Trust is a statewide effort to protect farmlands for future generations. Since it became a land trust in 2006, the Alaska Farmland Trust has worked to protect 381 acres of prime agricultural lands in Alaska.

Learn more about protecting your farmland >

Alaska Farmlink Program

A program of the Alaska Farmland Trust, Alaska FarmLink helps connect the next generation of farmers to landowners with available farmland to sell or lease. Alaska FarmLink will make sure your needs, interests and goals are met.

Enroll in the program to find or list land >

Ag in the Classroom

Alaska AITC has been around for over 30 years and is a program dedicated to providing teachers with the resources to integrate agriculture literacy into their classroom learning.

Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District is the coordinator for the Alaska Agriculture in the Classroom program (AK AITC). Alaska Agriculture in the Classroom is a statewide program begun by the Alaska Farm Bureau to help Alaska’s students understand that farms are the source of their food and flowers, as well as fabrics and fuels.

Email alaska.agintheclassroom@gmail.com if you have a request or want more information about our program >

Alaska FFA

Alaska FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

Find local chapters >

4-H

The Alaska 4-H program is a youth based organization and the nation’s largest youth development organization.

If your family is interested in rich opportunities for personal growth, fun, and education, enroll now >

UAF – Experiment Farms

The Alaska Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (AFES) is administered by the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The station includes the Fairbanks Experiment Farm, the Matanuska Experiment Farm & Extension Center and the Delta Junction field research site. The Georgeson Botanical Garden and the Reindeer Research Program are at the Fairbanks farm.
Researchers associated with the experiment station focus on creating knowledge and solving problems in agriculture, natural resources and the forest sciences. State and federal agencies, private industry, and the university sponsor and fund AFES research.

Here are summaries of their current research in agriculture and horticulture, forestry, ecosystem management and climate change, energy, animal management and meat production, human impacts on the environment, and youth and families >

Extension Service

UAF’s Extension is part of the largest informal education system in the world, connecting Extension programs at land-grant colleges and universities in every U.S. territory and state. Extension offers hundreds of publications, written and produced by university specialists, which contain practical information of interest to Alaska residents. Many publications are free and available online.

Major program areas include: agriculture and horticulture; health, home and family development; natural resources and community development; 4-H and youth development.

While we may not have an Extension office located in every Alaska community, Extension educators are as close as your computer or phone. To find out how we can help you, browse our site or contact the local Extension office nearest you >