Alaska’s Last Dairy Farm Is In Trouble
Times are tough for dairy farmers in the Last Frontier. Rather, times are tough for dairy farmer, because there’s only one.
Havemeister Dairy, located in Palmer, Alaska, has been in existence since 1935. Today, it is the last remaining dairy farm in Alaska. And a change by the state government may box Havemeister Dairy out completely.
Agriculture is a small and difficult industry in Alaska; the growing season is short, the winters long and brutal, and the soil itself is largely non-ideal for growing crops. Dairy has in the past been important to the state, but the added expense of keeping dairy cows in Alaskan conditions, along with dramatically dropping milk prices nationwide, has left Alaskan dairy farmers unable to compete.
Alaska’s governor, Mike Dunleavy, announced his state’s 2020 budget back in mid-February, and along with all sorts of budget cuts, it came with a change that directly affects Havemeister. Dunleavy proposed cutting funding for dairy regulation entirely, which he says would save the state about $180,000 per year.
But for Havemeister Dairy, along with two dairy farms currently being built, that would mean, probably, the end of operation. Havemeister is, like most dairy farms, a Grade A facility; that level is required for a producer to sell milk that can be consumed in liquid form. (Grade B, increasingly less common, is for milk due for processing.) Without an inspector to affirm Havemeister’s Grade A bonafides, the dairy would be unable to sell milk to stores.
The Anchorage Daily News notes that the $180,000 per year is only for one inspector’s salary, plus health benefits and a pension, which is a curiously high figure. Farm advocates, says ADN, are suggesting reduced costs, rather than slashing the entire department.
The budget will go to a vote in Alaskan state congress.
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by Dan Nosowitz, Modern Farmer
April 10, 2019
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Why not just contract with another state to have an inspector flown up a couple times a year. Even if it cost 10 grand per time it would still be much cheaper then the current expense.
This inspector is who’s brother? I thought that was three dairy farms. For sure someone from the lower 48 would be glad to come up twice a year to look over things.
We must not be heading the whole story!
I totally agree it should be a USDA inspector that maybe is flown up a couple of times a year like the above stated it would definitely be much cheaper and better for the companies and the state
When I was in Alaska during 1955-56, we drank, as a rare treat, concentrated milk which was recombined with some water as we used it. It was in a dairy case in the Piggely Wiggely store in Fairbanks, but we used mostly Carnation powdered milk which was before the days of”Instant” dissolving milk. I used to stir it with a spoon in a pan to get it to dissolve. We never had a beater of any kind. Creamer dairy was near College Alaska at the time but I never had any of heir milk as our shipping was done at… Read more »
Why not just trust the farmer to deliver healthy milk? Are we saying government is much more moral & responsible than us? Haha haha ?
we have always prided ourselves on ‘growing locally”. this a well worthwhile enterprise and should be supported solidly by the people, the governor and the legislature.
Alaska needs to explore food security this includes dairy products. HB 16 is currently looking into the sale of raw milk or cow shares. This is an important first step. I support our local dairy farms and agree there is a way to protect this important industry in Alaska. Flying someone up from Washington is an easy and cheaper solution.
This inspector is who’s brother? I thought that was three dairy farms. For sure someone from the lower 48 would be glad to come up twice a year to look over things.
We must not be hearing the whole story!
That is a lot for a part time job, who is his uncle?
Where are the other 2 dairy farms that are being built?