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Farmers Search for Long-Term, Stable Agricultural Economy

The Matanuska Valley has long been the heart of the state’s agricultural industry.  Growers are riding the crest of the local food trend which provides something of an economic boost to small farmers.  But some say the eat local movement is another fad, and a long term agricultural economy needs better facilities to expand potential markets. An Agricultural Processing and Development Center has been a dream of Valley growers since the late 1960s.

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APTI Reporter-Producer Ellen Lockyer started her radio career in the late 1980s, after a stint at bush Alaska weekly newspapers, the Copper Valley Views and the Cordova Times. When the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound, Valdez Public Radio station KCHU needed a reporter, and Ellen picked up the microphone. Since then, she has literally traveled the length of the state, from Attu to Eagle and from Barrow to Juneau, covering Alaska stories on the ground for the AK show, Alaska News Nightly, the Alaska Morning News and for Anchorage public radio station, KSKA elockyer (at) alaskapublic (dot) org  |  907.550.8446 | About Ellen