JUNEAU — The Alaska Legislature has rejected an executive order issued by Gov. Mike Dunleavy to establish a state agriculture department.
The March 19 vote on the resolution to reject the order was 32-28.
Some legislators said they supported an agriculture department, but wanted it debated through a bill that can be amended. Other opposition to Dunleavy’s department plan focused on its potential costs.
Dunleavy in December announced his plan to create the cabinet-level department intended to improve Alaska food security. Legislators cannot amend an executive order. They can only approve or reject it in a joint session of the Legislature.
In social media videos, Dunleavy has emphasized that around 95% of Alaska food comes from Outside. He has said disruptions to Alaska’s food supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the need for the agency.
After the final vote, Dunleavy on social media said, “I want to personally thank everyone who supported the proposed Alaska Department of Agriculture. Ensuring that Alaska produces more food will remain one of my policy priorities as Governor.”
Supporters said a dedicated department could help Alaska’s roughly 1,200 farmers, who in 2022 produced $91 million in agricultural products. Groups such as the Alaska Farm Bureau said it would help bring farming to the “forefront.”
Alaska is one of two states — along with Rhode Island — that do not have a state department for agriculture. The state Division of Agriculture is currently housed in the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, which also regulates oil and mining.
Palmer Republican Sen. Shelley Hughes has chaired a food security task force approved by the Legislature. She noted in floor debates that the group’s No. 1 recommendation was to establish a state agriculture department.
“There are issues that the individual ranchers, individual farmers, cannot do on their own,” she said.
But a majority of 60 Alaska lawmakers opposed Dunleavy’s executive order.
The vote was largely along caucus lines. Almost all members of the Democrat-dominated House and Senate majorities voted to reject the department, except for Rep. Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage, Rep. Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage, and Bethel Democratic Rep. Nellie Jimmie. All minority Republicans in the Legislature supported Dunleavy’s plan.
Anchorage Democratic Rep. Donna Mears, a member of the Food and Farm Caucus, said Dunleavy’s planned department needed a broader focus to be effective by including mariculture and state veterinary services.
“Food security is much more than growing and harvesting, there’s a lot of work that’s done in getting Alaska food to Alaska plates,” she said.
The Legislature is also facing a roughly $650 million deficit over two fiscal years based on status quo spending. Dunleavy’s proposal is competing with other spending priorities, including calls to substantially boost public school funding, lawmakers said.
The Dunleavy administration first estimated that the new department would cost an additional $2.7 million. Earlier in the month, the administration issued a revised estimate: The department would be established at no cost.
Instead of hiring 13 new employees, state officials said that existing staff would be reclassified or transferred to the new department. DNR Commissioner John Boyle testified in a legislative committee that there would be “minimal” outlays to establish the agency.
Some lawmakers, such as Eagle River GOP Rep. Dan Saddler, said they were initially concerned about the department’s potential costs.
“But on consideration, I think that this is an appropriate expansion of government, but it’s not a very large expansion of government,” Saddler said.
Other lawmakers remained unconvinced. Anchorage Republican Sen. Cathy Giessel said prior fiscal estimates showed that going forward, the department would cost around $9 million. She said the Legislature should continue debating the proposal.
“This is far more appropriately done as a legislative action,” she said.
Legislators debated the executive order for almost two hours on the House floor.
Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, said the vote was about protecting the Legislature’s power and authority.
“It’s about giving the Legislature and the people of the state the direct right to have a say,” he said.
But Senate Minority Leader Mike Shower, a Wasilla Republican, said he was suspicious about lawmakers’ opposition to the department based on process or cost. He said he would say “the quiet part out loud.”
“I think this is really about not giving Dunleavy a win. This isn’t about doing the right thing,” he said after the final vote.
Members of the House and Senate majority have introduced bills to establish a state agriculture department. Minority Republicans said they hoped the measure would advance quickly through the legislative process.
Last year, the Legislature rejected eight of 12 executive orders issued by Dunleavy to eliminate various public oversight boards. They were not reintroduced this year.
Contact Sean Maguire at smaguire@adn.com.