Senate Resources Committee hears testimony on EO 136 to establish Alaska Department of Agriculture

Juneau — The Alaska Senate Resources Committee convened Feb. 12 to hear presentations and invited testimony on Executive Order 136, Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s proposal to create a standalone Department of Agriculture by moving the existing Division of Agriculture out of the Department of Natural Resources. The executive order was transmitted to the legislature Jan. 21 and, under current timelines, would take effect July 1, 2025 unless the legislature acts within 60 days.

Why it matters: Supporters told the committee the new department would raise agriculture’s priority at the cabinet level, broaden state advocacy for federal agricultural funding and markets, and help address Alaska’s supply-chain vulnerabilities exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Opponents on the panel questioned the timing and the proposed administrative costs amid tight state budgets and asked how the new department would change services already provided by the division.

The proposal and immediate effect

Deputy Commissioner Brent Goodrum, Department of Natural Resources, summarized EO 136 as “establish[ing] a department of agriculture, thereby elevating state agricultural policies and activities to a singularly focused department with cabinet level leadership.” The executive order would transition the entirety of the existing Division of Agriculture into the new department with no statutory change to the division’s responsibilities, Goodrum said, calling the reorganization a “cut and paste” of staff and functions into a new cabinet-level agency.

Committee members were told the executive order sets a July 1, 2025 effective date and that state staff could begin implementation planning in March if the order is allowed to take effect. Commissioner John Boyle, Department of Natural Resources, described the measure as an effort to “elevat[e] agriculture to take the appropriate priority” and to provide sustained advocacy for Alaska agriculture at the cabinet table.

Scope, staffing and budget questions

Committee materials and presenters state the Division of Agriculture currently has 37 employees, a FY25 management plan budget of about $7.2 million (roughly 70% state funds, 30% federal funds), and administers approximately $10 million in federal grants. The division operates programs that include inspections and certifications, phytosanitary export inspections, a seed-cleaning operation (the division reported cleaning over 50,000 pounds of native seed and 96,000 pounds of cereal grains last year), varietal trials and the Alaska Grown marketing program. The division also manages an agriculture revolving loan fund with about $21.5 million in equity.

The executive order proposes a small leadership and support team for the new department: presenters described 13 new permanent full‑time positions in leadership/support services and three reclassifications within the existing division. Committee discussion put the initial personnel and support ask at roughly $2.1 million. Senator Cindy Wilkowski asked how many of those new support positions would be devoted to core agricultural functions versus administrative support; presenters replied that the 37 division staff who perform core functions would carry over unchanged and that the leadership/support positions are intended to give the department stand‑alone HR, IT and budget capacity.

Supporters’ testimony: food security, research and markets

Five invited witnesses and agricultural stakeholders urged the committee to authorize a department. Scott Muggeridge, president of the Alaska Farm Bureau and a Delta Junction farmer, said the Farm Bureau “firmly believes that this step is essential for achieving sustainable food security.” He urged the committee to imagine “an Alaska with a greater food security, a stronger and more diverse economy, and the ability to produce clean, natural, high quality food.”

Private producers described both opportunity and persistent constraints. Roger Vandenio (identified in testimony as representing Vandenio Farms) said Alaska farms face limited capacity to scale without steady markets and public‑sector support. Mike Mosesian, an Anchorage grower and longtime greenhouse operator, told senators: “The first thing a farmer has to do, he has to establish a market before he ever plants a seed.” Peony grower Beth Van Sant of Scenic Place Peonies emphasized the state’s export potential and the need for research and cold‑storage capacity: “I feed your soul with flowers,” she said, arguing that research continuity and marketing support would help Alaska growers capture premium export windows.

Youth and workforce arguments

Inga Peterson, Alaska FFA state president, told the committee that the division’s support has helped FFA membership grow since 2023 and said a department would create clearer career pathways and program continuity for students pursuing agriculture careers.

Concerns from legislators

Several senators expressed support for agriculture but raised questions about timing, cost and priorities. Senator Klayman and others asked why the change was proposed late in the governor’s term and whether the state should wait for greater clarity on projected energy costs tied to planned infrastructure before expanding departmental overhead. Senator Klayman also pressed the administration on whether the $2.1 million initial ask would grow in future budgets.

Commissioner Boyle and Deputy Commissioner Goodrum said no new programs are added by the executive order and that the department would provide a sustained advocate for agriculture across successive administrations. Boyle noted the legislative and administrative tradeoffs and said future commissioners and legislatures would determine additional investments as priorities and budgets evolve.

Process and next steps

Presenters told the committee EO 136 was transmitted Jan. 21. Under the current timeline explained to the committee, the legislature has 60 days to act; absent legislative disapproval the order would go into effect and agencies could begin transition work as early as March, with a July 1, 2025 effective date. The committee indicated it will revisit the executive order at a future hearing and will accept additional public testimony.

What was not decided

No formal legislative action or vote on EO 136 occurred during the Feb. 12 hearing. Committee members pressed for additional detail on headcount vacancies, long‑term budget forecasts tied to potential energy developments and the balance between administrative positions and frontline agricultural services. Presenters committed to provide the committee with follow‑up details, including an exact count of current vacancies within the 37 Division of Agriculture positions and a list of Alaska agricultural exports and their destinations.

Ending

The committee adjourned after hearing invited testimony and public comment; members said the order will be returned for further legislative consideration. If the legislature does not act within the 60‑day statutory review period that began with the Jan. 21 transmission, the executive order would become effective July 1, 2025.