Delta Junction Barley and Hay Farming

Delta Junction in Interior Alaska was the site of the state’s “Barley Project” of the late 1970s and early 1980s, an attempt to turn part of the Tanana Valley into a farming area. Today the former farms are mainly pasture or hay.[1]

Location

Delta Junction is a city about 99 miles south of Fairbanks, where the Alaska Highway meets the Richardson Highway. The 2020 census counted 918 residents.[1]

The Barley Project

In the late 1970s and early 1980s the state designated the Tanana Valley as a potential farming area. The Barley Project east of the city planned to ship barley by rail to Valdez and then overseas to Asia. Farms were established and a storage facility was built in Valdez, but the railroad was never built and the project was defunded.[1]

Farming today

The former farms are mainly pasture or hay. Barley, potatoes, carrots and wheat are still grown with limited commercial success, and the area is known for exotic meats such as yak, bison and elk. The source also notes that 23 bison were brought from the National Bison Range in Montana in 1928, and the nearby Delta Junction Bison Range covers 90,000 acres.[1]

FAQs

What was the Delta Junction Barley Project? A late 1970s and early 1980s state effort to farm barley for export to Asia.

Why did it fail? The planned railroad was never built and the project was defunded.

What is grown there now? Hay and pasture, with some barley, potatoes, carrots and wheat.

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Delta Junction, Alaska

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 14, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue