STATUS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 

 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN ALASKA 



Don L. Irwin, Director 



Alaska Experiment Station 

 University of Alaska 



It is the object of this paper to assess and report the present 

 status and accomplishments of agricultural research work in 

 Alaska. In doing so it is necessary to keep in mind that the 

 enlarged, more technical research program is comparatively 

 new in Alaska. Little more than three years have elapsed since 

 this enlarged research program in agriculture was made possible 

 by increased direct appropriations through both the United 

 States Congress and the Alaska Legislature. 



To coordinate the work the University of Alaska and the 

 United States Department of Agriculture agreed on a joint 

 program for the study of the agricultural problems of the Terri- 

 tory. In initiating this joint program the University of Alaska 

 and the Federal Department of Agriculture have signified their 

 willingness, and their intention to cooperate fully and share 

 equally the responsibility for advancing agricultural research 

 in Alaska as rapidly as funds, personnel and facilities permit. 



To immediately activate this joint program the University of 

 Alaska made available the physical plant and facilities of its 

 experiment station at Fairbanks and of its sub-stations at Mata- 

 nuska and Petersburg. To augment this program and imple- 

 ment the more technical and analytical phases of the research 

 work the Federal Department has undertaken a substantial 

 building program at their station located at Palmer in the 

 Matanuska Valley. A large research laboratory is already com- 

 pleted and in use. Construction companies are now engaged, 

 under contract, in the erection of a large greenhouse, an experi- 

 mental vegetable storage building, and seven residences for 

 housing the staff. The Department has also purchased an addi- 



