One of the first statements Gov. Mike Dunleavy made after he took office was to announce that “Alaska is open for business!” Perhaps he only meant resource extraction business, because now he is proposing to kill the inspection program required by the federal government to allow Alaska’s only dairy, the Havemeister Dairy in Palmer, to sell its dairy products in Alaska stores.
The governor thinks there will be no loss if the dairy has to close its doors; Alaskans can always purchase raw milk. Thanks, but no thanks! He says he doesn’t believe agriculture in Alaska should be subsidized. Since when does state employment of a federally required inspector constitute a “subsidy?”
We can build the Ambler Road at state expense for the benefit of a private mining company, and we can give endless incentives to the oil companies, but we can’t pay for an inspector to ensure that Havemeister Dairy products can be sold in Alaska grocery stores? Something is very wrong with this picture!
If you believe, as we do, that there is a market and a need for Alaska dairy products, please contact your representatives and tell them you oppose eliminating the dairy inspection program.
— Maynard and Connie Nuss
Wasilla
Have something on your mind? Send to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Letters under 200 words have the best chance of being published. Writers should disclose any personal or professional connections with the subjects of their letters. Letters are edited for accuracy, clarity and length.