March 8 – Yuno – Alaska legislative leaders say that the state governor’s plan Mike Dnleyi to establish the Ministry of Government Agriculture can be rejected as soon as possible next week.
Dunlegy issued an executive order in January to create a department at the cabinet level that was aimed at improving food security in Alaska. The recently highlighted Dunleavy that about 95 % of Alaska food comes from the outside.
“By owning the Ministry of Agriculture, we can make sure that we have food for Alaska; that we can market our food to Alaska; that we can help our farmers do better in agriculture,” Dnievi said on Thursday.
Alaska is currently organizing and supporting agriculture through the Department of Agriculture in the Ministry of Natural Resources in the state. The executive order of Dunleavy will transfer the 37 -employed department and its employees to its own administration with its own commissioner.
Supporters say natural resource management focuses on oil and mining. The Alaska farm office said that the allocated Ministry of Agriculture will help to bring agriculture “to the foreground.”
Initially, legislators welcomed the suggestion of Denievi. But in recent weeks, many have strained in the legislative body in the plan, noting its potential costs.
Democratic Democratic Senator Bill Wilshovsky said on Thursday:
Legislators face a deficit of $ 536 million over two financial years based on spending the current situation. The legislators said that the Dunlifi’s proposal is competing with calls to significantly increase the financing of public schools.
“They do not seem to be in contact, but they can definitely be,” said Republican Senator in Palmer Chile Hughes, a supporter of the Denlifi plan.
Initially, the Dunleavy Administration estimated that the new administration would cost an additional $ 2.7 million. On Friday, the administration issued a revised estimate: the administration will be established without any cost.
Instead of employing 13 new employees, the DNR John Boyle Commissioner told the Senate Finance Committee on Monday that the current employees will be reclassified or transferred. He said there would be “minimal” expenses for establishing the agency.
Many legislators, such as the Republican Party anchor Julie Colomb, said they encouraged the administration at the beginning to be neutral. Others were skeptical that a new agency could be created without any cost of the state.
“They may say this year, and after that they will come from all the money next year,” said Will Stap Will Stap.
The Alaska commissioner earns $ 168,000 a year. “Maybe we will pay them in the crops we grow,” said Stap on Thursday.
The Ruler’s Office admitted on Friday that no department can work on a neutral basis in terms of cost.
“We must annually control the inflation budget in all areas of the government,” said Jeff Turner, Dnievi’s spokesman.
Turner added that the establishment of the agency with the resources of the “Business in view of the state budget restrictions.”
Alaska is one of two states – along with Rod Island – does not have the state’s Ministry of Agriculture.
In 2022, there were approximately 1,200 farms in Alaska who produced $ 91 million of agricultural products – an increase of $ 20 million over 2017, according to the US Department of Agriculture
“This is not only about cultivation: it is related to making sure that all Alaska, regardless of the site, income or background, has access to locally produced food,” said Ruby Mixon, CEO of the Alaska Food Policy Council.
Senator Hughes presided over the food security team approved by the legislative body. She pointed out that the recommendation of the first group is the establishment of the Ministry of Governmental Agriculture.
Anchorage Donna Mears, a member of The Food and Farm Caucus, said that the ministry was imagined to provide technical assistance to farmers and marketing assistance – among other pillars of this industry.
“How can you really get things from the ground on panels? There is a missing piece in the middle there, we don’t do very well,” she said.
Mirz said her focus on obtaining farmers resources. She said it is unclear whether the DNLVy version is costly from the administration will achieve its goals.
“We haven’t time for this conversation yet,” she said.
Her biggest frustration: changing changing plans.
“It is developing this morning,” she said, indicating the variable cost estimates on Friday. “Perhaps less than a week of voting on it.”
Some legislators assembled the use of Dunlegy for an executive order to create the agency.
Unlike regular bills, an executive order cannot be modified by the legislative body. It enters into force automatically after 60 days – unless the majority of legislators vote for rejecting it in the joint session.
In 2022, DunLavy used an executive order to divide the Ministry of Health and Social Services into two separate parts. He withdrew something similar a year ago after he faced “technical issues”.
Last year, the Legislative Authority rejected eight out of 12 executive requests issued by Dunlegy to eliminate various public supervision councils. It was not re -presented this year.
The DNR Commissioner John Boyle has told the legislators on Monday that Denlifi had used an executive order because he did not want legislators to put the proposed section on “The Back Burner”.
Many legislators have said that legislation can be submitted to establish the administration if the matter is rejected.
Legislative leaders say a joint session can be held next week to consider the matter. But no one official date has been set yet.
The legislators said that the executive order of Dunleavy is currently being rejected, but this may change with the continued pressure efforts behind the scenes.
“I think it will be a close vote,” Hughes said on Thursday. “When something like this decreases, will he return?”
