Governor Palin fires entire Alaska Board of Agriculture and Conservation

June 18, 2007

Juneau, Alaska - After being led to believe she'd get a tour of the troubled Matanuska dairy facilities by executives of the Creamery Board - then getting blown off - Alaska governor Sarah Palin has taken the first step to firing those executives.

After being led to believe she'd get a tour of the Matanuska dairy facilities by executives of the Creamery Board - then getting blown off - Alaska governor Sarah Palin has taken the first step to firing those executives.

On Sunday, Palin fired all seven members of the Alaska Board of Agriculture and Conservation, the group that ultimately has authority over the Creamery Board.

Palin will announce some, or all, of the replacements today and the Creamery Board will be fired as soon as the new AG board is in place.

Governor Palin can't directly replace the creamery board, but the AG board can.

Four members of the terminated agriculture board also serve on the Creamery Board including the ex-chairman, Rhonda Boyles.

All of the fired members of the AG board were ex-governor Murkowski appointees.

The trouble stems from the ongoing problems at the mismanaged Matanuska dairy and the announcement that it would close July 7th with no prior warning to dairy farmers.

The dairy asked for $600,000 from the state just weeks ago to help keep the dairy going while it explored ways to make it profitable.

Palin offered to help the dairy but has been repeatedly rebuffed by the Matanuska's executives.

From Governor Palin's June 13th press release: Governor Sarah Palin today expressed her disappointment with the Creamery Corporation's latest vote to ignore the Governor's proposed solutions and close Mat Maid's doors on July 7, 2007.

"I am very disappointed," said Governor Sarah Palin. "Our proposed solution last night to provide only milk from our local dairy producers keeps the doors open beyond July 7th and helps our dairy producers and farmers as well as our consumers. The fact that the Corporation refused to even have an open serious discussion on the State's proposed option this morning is unfortunate."

The Governor's local only, milk only proposal was based on the financial information that the Creamery Corporation began providing the State late last week. It was also based upon the Corporation's request last April for $600,000, which the Corporation said would give many months of funding for dairy operations.

Right now, 72% of Mat Maid's milk is imported from the Lower 48. The Governor sent a letter to the Chairman of the Creamery Corporation, Mac Carter, last night suggesting a local only, milk only solution for our dairy producers to keep the other 28% flowing.

Additionally, the Governor tried to tour the Mat Maid facilities in Anchorage today on her way to Global Food Alaska - 2007 on the Kenai Peninsula. Access to the facility was denied.

The Governor will further pursue the State's options in the matter.