Preparing for the weed economy

For at least two decades the story of the Matanuska, Susitna and Knik River valleys has been one of growth and of change.

It’s a story we’re sure you know well; the expanding population in Alaska has mostly centered in Anchorage where many of the corporations are based that operate our North Slope oilfields. That community is running out of affordable housing, thus pushing people to Mat-Su.

Here at the Frontiersman, when the housing boom came we started reporting on construction, not just of homes but also on other infrastructure like roads and schools, stores and medical facilities to serve all these new Mat-Su residents.

When the state and borough started upgrading its roads here we built up sources and learned how to report on road construction.

Mat-Su’s proximity to Anchorage and its available space also make it an attractive place for big projects like Port MacKenzie and the state’s largest prison.

When the port started operating and the Goose Creek Correctional Center opened we quickly realized we also are in the business of reporting on the shipping of bulk commodities and the housing of the majority of the state’s inmates.

These big changes in the story lines we cover here have been kind of a mixed bag. Some we saw coming, and some we didn’t. Some we prepared for, and some caught us by surprise.

With the apparent success at the ballot box last week of the initiative to legalize recreational use of marijuana, we believe that the Valley and the Frontiersman are on the verge of yet another big shift.

We often hear people say that the Valley’s biggest cash crop is not actually potatoes or hay or vegetables, but a crop that could not be accurately quantified: marijuana. Our Valley is so synonymous with the marijuana that is grown here a strain of that plant even exists that carries the Matanuska name.

We’ve also talked to people at the Agriculture Extension Service who say when people call asking for tips on how to encourage their indoor tomatoes to thrive they are sure the person on the other end of the phone isn’t actually growing tomatoes at 20 below in the dark of winter.

Of course, when it comes to underground economies all you’re dealing with are rumors and there’s very little in the way of hard data. All of this could be bunk.

Either way, the Mat-Su has a lot of the qualities that are very likely to be attractive to people with an eye toward growing a marijuana industry here. One of which is our expert farmers with years of experience growing this crop.

We also have a lot of land. We have a rich agricultural history. We have the attendant businesses — supply shops and equipment mechanics and the like — that would make the area attractive to people looking to set up marijuana growing operations.

And that’s why we were kind of glad to learn that the initiative won’t be effective for another 90 days and it could take even longer — perhaps up to a year or more — for the state to set up a permitting regime that would allow for legal growing and retail operations.

Quite frankly, we need this time to prepare. We need time for law enforcement, the District Attorney and local businesses to prepare for the change. The voters have spoken. This change is coming, and we welcome it. We also welcome the delay in implementation, which will help give us all a chance to make this a smooth transition.