Lori Townsend: Alaska offers an abundance of wild foods.

But when it comes to locally grown crops, we're often at a disadvantage.

Unknown: We eat $2 billion worth of food.

And we're only producing $40 million of it.

Lori Townsend: What programs and efforts are underway to help lower our dependence on Outside shipments?

We're discussing food security right now on Alaska Insight.

Agriculture projects in Alaska have yielded mixed results.

Sometimes it works.

Sometimes it takes decades to bear fruit.

Now Alaska is working on its next big effort to promote agriculture: a large scale land auction in the interior.

As Alaska Public Media's Jeff Chen reports the state hopes the land will be used for cattle ranching, as well as crops like alfalfa, sugar beets and lettuce.

Unknown: An hour south of Fairbanks a new bridge just outside the town of Nenana takes you to what is now called the Nenana Totchaket Agricultural Project Area.

In June, the state organized an event to draw attention to the area as it prepares to auction off 140,000 acres of land, beginning with 2000 acres next fall.

This is not going to fail.

Dave Shade, the director of the state's Division of Agriculture, believes the project is fail proof.

We eat $2 billion worth of food.

And we're only producing $40 million of it.

It's pretty hard to fail when you have an area that we know will grow food.

It's going to be pretty hard to fail.

The state's been eyeing this land for agriculture since the 70s because of its ideal growing season and proximity to potential markets.

Lori Townsend: So we're looking at permafrost, it's hard to break.

Unknown: Permafrost and soil analyses are now underway, and the state still needs to survey and appraise the land in the spring to prepare it for auction.

We're looking at about 2,000 acres for next fall.

Land from 40 acres to 320 is the kind of general first phase and so there'll be a number of lots out there.

That's just the start.

The state plans to offer 30,000 acres for the first phase, and in 30 years, the state hopes to have all 140,000 acres for sale.

So it's gonna take a lot of work for people to develop it.

Wanda Haken, a local peony farmer, sees the potential with a railroad river and road system close by to bring products to market, but also cautions that it's no small feat to be a farmer.

To gradually develop it's been 10 years to get it to where it is today.

She says grants, no interest loans and free equipment to use could go a long way to help farmers get started.

Many local residents are excited about the project and some are helping to shape its outcome.

Our family has been trapping on that area since late 50s and 60s Tribal member Eva Dawn Burk directs Nenana Native Village's fish camp, she's kept up on the details of the land sale.

She worries about losing access to the land her family has trapped on for generations.

It's really hard because we go out there now and we can do some trapping but it's not like it used to be.

You know, we can do some fishing.

But it's not like it used to be.

She sees the importance of boosting food security in the region through agriculture too.

Low fish counts on the Yukon and Tanana rivers this summer forced Burk and others to adapt, accepting donated salmon at fish camp.

I'm not just trying to build a greenhouse, I'm trying to advocate for connection for our well-being.

Connection to th land.

And whether we do tha through traditional foods o through agriculture.

You know we're connecting with on another, and we're connecting t the land, and that's where tha healing takes place The state has the money to get started, but will need roughly $16 more million to complete phase one of the project.

Wanda Haken, the peony farmer is hopeful.

I think we would welcome, you know, some new people, especially farmers who are usually kind of the salt of the earth kind of people and like I said just just to offer more opportunities for employment for our local community.

If all goes as planned, Alaskans could see more farms, more wild harvests and more ranching in the next 10 years.

In the Nenana, I'm Jeff Chen.

Lori Townsend: Thanks, Jeff for that interesting look at the future potential for more agriculture and food security for Alaskans and the reality of how much work goes into turning wild land into working cropland.

My guests this evening know a lot about what is needed to do this.

Casey Matney is the Western Sustainable Agricultural Research and Education coordinator for UAF's Cooperative Extension Service and Tikaan Galbreath is a technical assistance specialist for the Intertribal Agriculture Council.

Welcome both of you.

Thanks for joining me this evening.

Tikaan, I want to start with you how much interest is there within the tribal communities you're working with, in developing farming opportunities for both crops and raising meat animals?

It's definitely different from traditional hunting, fishing and gathering of wild food.

Unknown: I think there there definitely is interest, but it's mixed in how it might be applicable to the communities, depending on whether or not they're a coastal community or or Interior with a more land access.

The challenge with with the production of any meat is the kind of lack of access to processing and cold storage throughout the state that represents real infrastructure challenges.

And so even before beginning any sort of economic investment and those types of enterprises, you know, there's conversations exploring, you know, how do we acquire a mobile meat processing center?

Or ensure that you know, what we are raising isn't going to spoil and ensuring that there is the appropriate storage facilities for that?

Lori Townsend: Yeah, that's a really important point, the the lack of processing facilities that exist currently.

Casey, I don't think many Americans in the Lower 48 conjure an image of Alaska when they think of a farmer.

But Alaska is leading the nation right now in new farm starts and women farmers.

So what's going on?

Why are there so many new farmers here?

And then what criteria do you use to call someone a farmer?

Is it number of acres under till?

Or how do you make that designation?

Unknown: Yeah, so I'll address the second part first, I guess.

To be a farmer, you're producing food.

And so there's lots of different crops that can be produced.

If you're a hay producer, you're a hay farmer.

If you have livestock, you're more in that range of farmer/rancher.

And then if you produce just regular produce that you would probably see like your farmer's market, you're also a farmer.

So there can be hydroponic operations mixed with outside operations.

And it, there's a lot of variability in the state, what kind of farms we have, but any of those fit into that category of farmer.

So when we look at the number of new farms that we've had in the state, I think the biggest reason that we have lots of new farmers, lots of women farmers is the opportunities.

So there's lots of food that can be produced here in the state.

And because we ship so much in, people are looking for locally produced food.

So it's very easy, I think, for people to be acknowledged by the public, and people want to consume those products versus shipping in everything.

The other thing I think that we have going for us is we've got lots of soil and water resources.

And people who move to Alaska are usually looking for something new.

This is considered the the pioneer state begin with anyway.

So it's not really a far stretch for to consider the fact that when people get up here, they want to produce things from the land, they want to have that connection with the land.

And I think that's part of the reason why you see those increases here in our state.

Lori Townsend: Are more women entering farming generally in the nation, or is this kind of particular to Alaska?

Unknown: You've seen it increase across the nation.

And if you look at the agricultural programs they have at universities across the Lower 48, you actually see a higher percentage of women in taking those courses.

I don't know the exact reasons for that.

But there's just a lot of women that are looking at agriculture, natural resources, and wanting to be in farming.

Lori Townsend: Well, that's great news.

Tikaan, you talked earlier about both the climate change threat to our supply lines here, such as bigger storms and other natural disasters, but also the opportunities that it presents for crop diversification.

What do you think that means for the next decade?

Unknown: As we continue to see warmer climates, we're going to see the opportunity to grow new crops successfully.

And so really asking the question of which plant relatives that we want to bring into the state and to cultivate those relationships with is, I think a central question for our tribes and for our state that, you know, it can be framed differently depending on if you're Alaska Native, or of caucasian descent, in terms of what that looks like and how you're speaking about it, but there definitely is you know new opportunity as, you know, we see this warming.

You know, as Casey mentioned, there's a ton of soil and water resources in the state and how we utilize that to support our food security.

I think is a central question.

The question that I don't necessarily have the answer to.

Lori Townsend: And when you talk about the the distinction between people who are of Indigenous descent or of caucasian descent and how they may see the plants differently, what are some of what you hear, especially in the Indigenous communities about what they would like to consider bringing in?

Are people talking about different types of, of maybe some kind of traditional types of crops from other nations to bring here, tribal nations?

Unknown: In my work, there is definitely, you know, when we talk about agriculture and food security, for the tribes, and for our tribal members, you know, we are looking at those, the plants that have sustained our communities and our lively, our well-being over 10,000 years.

And so looking at those plants in the Lower 48, for that have helped serve the tribes in those regions.

And as the migration occurs, with the global warming, bringing it north, there's an important thing, there's an exploration of what that can be.

So you know, for the, for the long, excuse me, the tribes have worked in relationship with the plants for the health and well-being of the people forever.

And so continuing that relationship is important.

And so as we explore what agriculture might mean to the tribes, there is a need to acknowledge those existing relationships.

Lori Townsend: Right, thank you.

Casey, your thoughts about this, what is realistic for farmers, especially in areas where permafrost is still present, like some of the acreage that's going to be offered for sale?

Unknown: Yeah, so you know, the different types of crops that can be grown a lot of times depend on soil temperature.

Cool season crops need temperatures between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Warm season crops need temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

And in the state, we've seen an increase in the use of high tunnels and greenhouses.

And so trying to extend that growing season.

So we've got the ability to put different types of environment changing tools that we already have out into play in the field.

So we can do that and help modify things.

If we've got permafrost, and we've got other soils that maybe have some other issues to work around, it really becomes a challenge to figure out, 'Okay, how should we move the soil?

Or should we leave it in place?

Should we raise the soil up a little bit to make it better for plants?'

And also how you access the area.

So all of those things are considered before a farmer actually begins because they need the plan.

So I'm sure each one of those soil resources before it gets developed will be really thoughtfully considered.

Lori Townsend: And I know that it's the cost of making land ready for crops is going to vary depending on if it's, you know, heavily wooded, or other areas.

But the story that we had at the beginning here, Jeff's story about the agricultural potential near nenana.

Do you have some idea of what it costs per acre to get the land into shape, so people can successfully raise cash crops or support raising cattle?

It really seems daunting.

Unknown: Yeah, so if it's for using it for more of an open wild land range situation, some of the area that may have been previously burnt, or there's been some thinning of trees in there, over time.

That area can be grazed right away.

And so depending on whether you have sheep or goats or cattle out there, that that area can be used.

If you're going to be converting it and completely planting to something else.

One of the biggest factors will be things like stump and tree and log removal.

And that can be fairly expensive.

One of the things we usually advise is not trying convert all of the land at once; to move in and go across property and and just make sections of the areas you know, you can work with and and make steady progress.

Yeah, so if you had 20 acres, you would probably do two, three, four acres a year instead of just trying to convert all of it at once.

Lori Townsend: Sure, of course.

And how how long do you think it would take for someone to be able to raise crops or meat locally that can compete with food shipments from Outside?

Prices for meat to have risen dramatically in recent weeks and months.

But do you see that as temporary?

It shouldn't be cheaper to ship milk and meat into the state than to get it locally, it seems.

Unknown: Yeah, I think that the opportunity to be very competitive with pricing with the price changes we've seen recently.

I think the opportunity is there.

A lot of people want that locally produced food, they want to know what the animal has been fed.

And they want to know that it's been locally raised by people that care about the land.

And so that does give us an edge for people looking for that type of food market.

And I think if people whether they choose to be egg producers, or whether they want to do livestock, or where they want to produce crops, I think, you know, as long as they manage all of their other expenses, the part of actually selling the food to the people probably won't be the hardest thing that they, they have to overcome.

Lori Townsend: Great.

That's a hopeful note.

Tikaan for generations, people harvested from land and water and stored food and ice shelter, ice cellars, or dried and smoked to preserve.

All of these methods are now being challenged by climate change and mitigating them as expense.

If you now need a freezer, that takes electricity, or you have to have fuel to travel greater distances to find game or fish, your per pound cost is going up.

What do you hear from communities about how quickly that's happening and how people are trying to adjust?

Unknown: With climate change that can happen overnight, right?

In some communities, we're seeing riverbank erosion that occurs, you know, 100 feet in 12 hours.

And we can see the loss of trails and the degradation of sea ice equally as quickly.

The adjustment by communities is again, really dependent on each community and the environment that they are in.

Just because it's such a diversity of experience across the state.

Fortunately, and and rooted within the values of Alaska Native people is the idea of sharing and, and supporting of each other.

And so we have this rise up to the challenge by the community as a whole, to continue to practice our traditional ways of life.

But I think when we think about food security, and the cost of food, and the rising costs in our communities, it's exponential in our in our rural, rural stores, and when they're further away from our central hubs.

And so, equally the cost of, of harvesting from the land raises, as we see the use of four wheelers and boats and subsequently fuel as a part of that action being provided from by the land.

Lori Townsend: You had an interesting perspective on the different ways to think about what agriculture is.

Many people think of a farmer and a tractor plowing up a field or planting a crop.

But you said tribal people practiced it on a grander scale, managing an ecosystem.

Describe what you meant about how that works kind of together.

Unknown: Typically, when we think about agriculture, I think from a Western perspective, everything about you know, 40 acres, 100 acres, 120 acres, 300 acres of you know, tilled land and producing, you know, a single or a handful of specific crops.

The abundance of Alaska's ecosystem is not by accident, there was through the direct relationship with the Alaska Native people.

And through that partnership, there was you know the management of the land, to provide that abundance to create that fertility and to ensure you know, the return of our salmon runs, and the abundance of, you know, the caribou herds, you know.

The relationship between the plants and animals and the Alaska Native people is central to the worldview and the ideology of, of being of speaking of seeing, the ways of knowing.

Lori Townsend: Casey, corporate farms in the Lower 48 have created environmental problems, runoff and erosion, water contamination in some areas.

Do you think the future should be more of a return sort of to the past, where it's more smaller family farms rather than huge commercialized farming operations?

Or is large what is really needed to get the price down?

Unknown: Well, as you mentioned, even in the question, there's a lot of factors to consider that affects all of the different things that we produce for for farming and then also the money that received for the products we produce.

If we look at Alaska, most of the farms are small.

And so there is actually not as much chance I would say right now of having to even worry about Alaska becoming more corporate as far as farming, we'd have to do a lot of growth.

And with climate change, if we've got increases in temperature, it's going to make it a little bit easier to grow some things.

So we could probably see some more expansion of farms, but I don't really see us becoming a corporate model of food production.

And the way that we can help lower our costs is if we become more self-sufficient for the things that we need for farming.

So producing organic matter and fertilizers that we can use within state, growing forage in-state that we can use for our livestock here without having to bring resources in from out of state.

Doing all those things to minimize transportation and those outside costs, will help us be more productive and, and be more economical for everyone else trying to buy our food.

Lori Townsend: What are some of the programs available to help people get started in agriculture or to help them expand?

Unknown: Yeah, so if people are interested, one of the best resources, especially when it comes monetarily to helping fund some of these things would be the Farm Service Agency.

Their headquarters is in Palmer, and they're part of the US Department of Agriculture.

And through those programs, you can purchase land, you can use it for expenses for equipment to get started.

And there's lots of different ways you can work with those programs and other programs through the Natural Resources Conservation Service, to help you do things like certain types of fencing, certain types of land, management, reduce soil erosion, etc.

So, so when people start looking at all of their options, that bar that they have to cross to actually make it viable for them to do farming, that that bar starts to come down and things become a little bit more amenable to getting things done.

Lori Townsend: Tikaan, how about on the tribal side?

What programs are, are available to help people in rural places, in rural Alaska, get started?

And is there an interest in hydroponics and rural communities?

Or is it mainly hoop houses in greenhouses that you're seeing an interest in?

Unknown: Yeah, I think that goes along well, with what Casey was saying.

The resources available to the USDA can be really beneficial, specifically NRCS, the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

It's been a very strong partner in a lot of ways helping to create the tribal conservation districts, the tribe, you know, bringing it back to the previous question, speaking to how is land management and farming different?

You know we see these tribal conservation districts that are thousands, if not more than a million acres, and it's looking at how to implement a conservation plan, utilizing the conservation recommendation from NRCS, as well as the traditional ecological knowledge to to manage the land in the most to create the most within the ecosystem, to support the communities that are within that Conservation District.

There are also many different nonprofits and tribal organizations that are out there, including one that I work for Intertribal Agriculture Council, and our partners, the Native American Agriculture Fund, and others just to provide the support and the technical expertise to to accomplish the goals that overcome the challenges that might exist within the communities.

Lori Townsend: The Federal relief funds, there's been a lot of money made available.

But there's some challenging timelines, especially when there are supply restraints.

How has this been to manage?

Unknown: The what I've seen with some of the communities that I'm working with is the expectation of implementation within a year or by, you know, the close of 2021.

And the challenges of that, with the interruptions and supply change makes it unattainable for some of the projects that are most needed, especially considering some of the infrastructure development that would be required to successfully accomplish some of the food security goals or initiatives that are occurring within the communities.

You spoke to hydroponics, there's definitely a lot of interest within communities were growing, the growing season is limited to a month to three months to four depending on where you are in the state.

And looking to extend that, hydroponic seems like a viable solution in many of those cases.

And there's excellent exploration to look at, you know how to bring hydroponics out to the rural communities in a cost effective way.

All right.

Lori Townsend: All right, sounds fantastic.

The half hour went by fast.

Thank you so much to my guests this evening.

Such exciting news about the potential for more food grown in Alaska.

I grew up in Midwestern farming families and I know how critical having locally grown and harvested crops is to community food security and stability.

As you heard this evening, there's a lot of exciting agricultural potential on the horizon.

There's also an opportunity to be leaders in combining tribal knowledge with farming techniques to both increase the amount of food we can source locally, while also ensuring that wild and tilled landscapes can work in tandem, to keep the entire ecosystem harmonious and healthy into the future.

That's it for this edition of Alaska Insight.

Be sure to tune in daily for your local public radio station for Alaska Morning News and Alaska News Nightly every weeknight.

Be part of important conversations happening on Talk of Alaska every Tuesday morning, and visit our website alaskapublic.org for breaking news and reports from across the state.

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We'll be back next Friday.

Thanks for joining us this evening.

I'm Lori Townsend.

Good night.