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DNR agriculture division expands loans, feed‑grain reserve and seed processing to boost food security
Summary
DNR officials said the division of agriculture increased loan activity, is administering federal grants and has begun a feed‑grain reserve with four contracted producers; the plant materials center increased seed and grain processing volumes.
The Division of Agriculture told the House Finance Committee it is expanding lending and infrastructure to improve food security and local agricultural production.
Deputy Commissioner Brent Goodrum reported the agriculture revolving loan fund (ARLIF) equity at roughly $2.215 million and said the division manages more than 60 loans. In FY24 the division approved 23 new loans totaling about $6.1 million for short‑term start‑up costs, equipment, processing and farm development, he said.
Goodrum also described a feed‑grain reserve initiated in late 2023 in partnership with Delta Farmers Cooperative to expand production and mitigate feed shortages for the livestock industry; four producers currently have contracts. He said the plant materials center cleaned approximately 50,000 pounds of native seed and over 96,000 pounds of cereal grain for commercial growers — numbers he said were double and triple the prior year's volumes — and that the seed‑cleaning facility upgrade is underway to process next fall's harvest.
The division is administering more than $10 million in federal grants, including microgrants for food security, specialty crop block grants and the local food purchase program, and conducts inspections that support about $100 million in agricultural product sales to domestic and international buyers, DNR said.
Representative Hannan asked whether demand for ARLIF outstrips capacity; the department said loan demand has increased and that the board is concerned about remaining ARLIF balance and its ability to meet requests.
Why it matters: the initiatives address local food production, supply‑chain resilience and value‑added processing, and small‑business financing for Alaska farmers. Committee members asked for lists of grant recipients and follow‑up on inspection capacity.
