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| Mat Maid's History Mat Maid History (PDF) Fresh to the Table: 1930 – 1976 Matanuska Maid, Alaska’s largest dairy food and beverage processor, is also the world’s most northern! What began in 1936, a story forged from individual hardships and financial crisis, is today a story of great vision and opportunity. Still in the grips of the Great Depression, Congress authorized President Roosevelt and his Federal Emergency Relief Administration to undertake an expensive and daring social experiment. Drought-plagued farm families from northern Midwest states were moved to sparsely settled lands, including Alaska. In 1935 the Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Program, under the laws of the territory of Alaska, was established as part of this program. The 202 families participating in the program were each given 40 acres to clear and farm, some basic equipment, free seed and a long term, low interest $3000 loan. The introduction of more than 900 people to a new “colony” near the center of modern day Palmer more than doubled the Matanuska Valley population. The scattering of subsistence farms suddenly blossomed into a new industry. In 1936 the Matanuska Valley Farmer’s Cooperative Association was formed, providing a surplus of vegetable crops and dairy products in and beyond the Valley. Oversight of the Colony came from Washington D.C. until the Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation took over some of the management. But even then, few administrators had much Alaska experience or training in organizing and running a cooperative agricultural colony. Alaskans were accustomed to their independence and chafed at any imposed authority, even if it came from the cooperative itself. “Colonists complained that they were given no chance to express individuality or to ‘go on their own’ but rather were herded … as a group incapable of thinking,” said the authors of Matanuska Valley Memoir (1955, University of Alaska Experiment Station). Government controls and the pioneer spirit made strange bed-fellows. But, adversity was unable to defeat the program.” Back to top page 2 > |