The Alaska Division of Agriculture is launching a new program in support of food security in Alaska. Funded under the Food Security Agriculture Incentive Grant Program in the State of Alaska Fiscal Year 2022 Supplemental Budget, this grant opportunity is in response to the current shortages of Alaska Grown livestock feed that will require livestock farmers to import feed barley with unaffordable and uneconomic transportation costs.
“The Alaska Barley Transportation Support Grant Program’s purpose is to help alleviate those high costs by providing reimbursement for the transportation of eligible products to qualifying businesses, said Mia Kirk, acting Director at the Division of Agriculture. “The goal of this program is to assist in providing an affordable source of quality feed barley for Alaskan livestock producers in advance of the 2023 Alaska Grown harvest.”
The Division is seeking Letters of Intent from businesses:
- Eligible businesses: The capability to order, receive, handle, store, transport, and arrange logistics to distribute multi-ton shipments of feed barley to livestock producers within Alaska.
- Eligible transportation expenses: Costs incurred for the transportation of eligible products into and/or within Alaska.
- Eligible products: Barley (Grade/Standard to be approved by Division of Agriculture)
Due to the urgency of this situation, letters must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Jan. 16, 2023. For more information and instructions, visit dnr.alaska.gov/ag and click “2023 AK Barley Transport Support Grant” under the Hot Topics section.
The Division of Agriculture and the Governor’s Office of Food Security, as well as other State agencies, have been coordinating with the agriculture industry in Alaska on other financial aid as well. Round 1 of the of the Food Security Cost Assistance program targeted commercial livestock farmers, while Round 2 will focus on commercial feed producers later in 2023. Low-interest agriculture loans are currently available, plus additional microgrants for food security, specialty crop grants and a new forgivable loan program are coming later this year.
The Department of Natural Resources’ mission is to develop, conserve, and maximize the use of Alaska’s natural resources consistent with the public interest.