Native meals sellers in Anchorage and Fairbanks inspired the Legislature on Monday to work towards better meals safety in Alaska. This was in an effort to advertise extra native meals manufacturing and consumption throughout the state.
The 2 advocates for regional meals manufacturing mentioned that Alaskans can promote better independence of their meals methods by counting on native producers.
Erica Lujan is the supervisor of Blue Market AK, a grocery retailer positioned in Anchorage that focuses on stocking regionally produced meals whereas producing as little waste as attainable.
Lujan is a fierce advocate for consuming regionally, and had a lot to say concerning how Alaskans obtain their meals. “There isn’t any motive why after we sit down at any restaurant within the state we shouldn’t be consuming regionally grown Alaska french fries,” she mentioned as part of a presentation within the Capitol.
She identified that consuming meals produced regionally may help ease the statewide downside of meals insecurity. Presently, Alaska depends on imports for 95% of its meals provide based on a 2022 report performed by the Alaska Meals Safety Process Pressure. This meals shipped from exterior of the state is estimated to price Alaskans over $2 billion yearly.
Some regional meals manufacturing advocates like Lujan and Brad St. Pierre consider that cash can return into Alaskans’ pockets as a substitute. St. Pierre is the supervisor of the Tanana Valley Farmers Market in Fairbanks.
“We should always spend our cash the place our mouth is. If you would like a robust Alaska economic system, sturdy Alaskans and meals safety, we’ve got to avoid wasting native farms and encourage our subsequent era to be value-producers,” St. Pierre mentioned. He and Lujan introduced as a part of the “lunch and study” sequence, during which Alaskans throughout the state communicate earlier than legislators concerning a problem they’re keen about. It was sponsored by Rep. George Rauscher, R-Sutton.
Each audio system identified that there are appreciable boundaries to having access to regionally produced meals within the state. One such barrier is infrastructure. Lujan famous that many native meals producers battle to take their animals to one among three U.S. Division of Agriculture–accepted slaughterhouses within the state on account of distance and value of transport. This then can enhance the prices of meat, making a barrier to buy for patrons.
“We wish to discover a option to deliver the distribution and sale price of meat right down to make it extra accessible [for customers],” Lujan mentioned.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy fashioned the Alaska Meals Safety Process Pressure final 12 months to make suggestions on how you can enhance meals manufacturing and harvesting within the state.
In a draft report, the duty drive described the infrastructure as a barrier to meals safety as effectively. Amongst many different suggestions to enhance farming infrastructure, the duty drive suggested growing distribution and storage services for processing meat, creating and supporting a farm gear library and offering alternatives for farming schooling.
Schooling about meals manufacturing was emphasised by St. Pierre. “We have to educate and encourage the following era of farmers. We will’t simply have meals produced in a few pockets within the state. We want meals produced in all areas of the state,” he mentioned.
Lujan shared related ideas. She expressed her pleasure concerning the studying alternatives that native meals suppliers like Blue Market AK can present Alaskans. There’s a profit to realizing clients, what they need out of their meals and what questions they might have about it. “We all know who’s grinding their very own flour to bake bread with their children. We all know who’s canning greens and passing that meals preservation information by way of generations and so we are able to ensure to inventory these merchandise they like, you understand, higher than somebody who’s sitting in a company workplace deciding what the Fred Meyer on Muldoon ought to promote,” Lujan mentioned.
Lujan went on to say that this information may help a group higher perceive the significance of meals safety and what their wants are — one thing that is essential to Lujan personally. “Operating small grocery shops in any respect is known as a labor of affection. None of us are getting wealthy however we’re right here day by day as a result of we consider within the skill of Alaska to search out meals safety and meals independence,” she mentioned.
In closing, Lujan remarked on her time at Blue Market AK and her work to extend meals safety within the state. “In my profession, I feel that that is among the most essential work that I’ve accomplished. I’m 34 years outdated proper now, I hope that at 64 I’m nonetheless behind the identical money register.”
Initially revealed by the Alaska Beacon, an unbiased, nonpartisan information group that covers Alaska state authorities.