Legislature(2013 - 2014)BARNES 124
01/29/2013 11:15 AM House ECON. DEV., TRADE & TOURISM
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| Overviews (s): Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Overview and Seafood Marketing Efforts | |
| HCR1 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HCR 1 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
HCR 1-STATE FOOD RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT GROUP
11:48:05 AM
CHAIR HUGHES announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 1, Relating to the establishment
and operation of a state food resource development working
group.
11:48:42 AM
REPRESENTATIVE BILL STOLTZE, Alaska State Legislature, informed
the committee he is introducing HCR 1 in order to integrate the
resources within existing departments and agencies thereby
improving support for agriculture - and food policy in general -
through better coordination of services. The resolution
pinpoints the departments, agencies, and groups that have a role
in agriculture from the Department of Health and Social Services
(DHSS) which administers Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food
and nutrition programs, to the Department of Corrections (DOC),
which makes many agricultural purchases. In fact, efforts by
Representative Stoltze, other legislators, farmers, and
wholesalers have been successful in increasing DOC's purchases
of local agricultural products from $32,000 in FY 08 to $113,000
in FY 11. House Concurrent Resolution 1 seeks for all
departments, agencies and the University of Alaska (UA) to be
more proactive in promoting and utilizing agriculture in Alaska.
Last year's capital budget included an appropriation for the
Department of Commerce, Community & Economic Development (DCCED)
to approve Alaska Grown, Alaska Wild Seafood, and Alaska
Husbandry products. He noted two previously successful
programs: the promotion of vegetables and the salmon supplied
to the Galena City School District by Kaltag Fisheries.
Representative Stoltze advised the resolution has wide support.
11:52:56 AM
CHAIR HUGHES asked how the resolution will "fill a gap that the
[Alaska] Food Policy Council isn't currently filling?"
REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE said the council is a private group which
agrees that Alaska needs a better food policy. Although the
resolution is as inclusive as possible, the administration will
have to invite participants. In further response to Chair
Hughes' question on the membership of the group, he expressed
his belief that for the resolution to be successful, the
administration will have to agree [to the membership],
therefore, for the resolution to set out the membership of the
group would have been counterproductive.
REPRESENTATIVE HUGHES noted the resolution brings eight
departments and UA together so it will potentially have impact
across the state.
REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE stated he was open to incorporating good
ideas into HCR 1.
11:56:04 AM
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND stated her interest in the resolution,
noting her urban district includes "enormously successful"
farmers markets stocked with products from other districts. She
has heard that Alaska produces less than 5 percent of the food
that is consumed in the state, and said she supports any way to
increase that.
CHAIR HUGHES recalled in the 1950s Alaska produced 50 percent of
the food consumed.
REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE surmised that Alaska has been a victim of
efficiencies and better transportation.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND observed the Anchorage School District
has a large food service facility that serves 20,000 students
each school day. She opined school food service facilities
should be utilized each non-school day to process food and
support community and state programs such as WIC.
CHAIR HUGHES expressed her belief that part of what the working
group authorized by HCR 1 will address is recommendations
regarding similar opportunities.
11:59:27 AM
REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE agreed.
CHAIR HUGHES reminded the committee that the nutritional value
of food declines with time after harvest. She invited public
testimony.
12:00:15 PM
KEVIN BRENNAN, Executive Director, Kodiak Regional Aquaculture
Association, stated his support for the resolution, saying that
it is a good move for the state. The Kodiak Regional
Aquaculture Association is one of seven regional corporations
that run salmon hatcheries and perform salmon enhancement
projects across the state along with many non-regional, private,
nonprofit salmon hatchery systems. He advised that hatchery
production salmon account for about 30 percent of the statewide
salmon harvest. The association seeks to encourage action by
the state to help with food security and food resources.
Unfortunately, many view salmon hatchery systems as commercial
fishery-driven and profit based; however, hatcheries have
expanded their roles to support food security. The United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has identified
fish as a single food that can be used to address all aspects of
world malnutrition. Hatcheries produce fish for the commercial
fishery, subsistence, personal-use, and sport fisheries as well.
Mr. Brennan gave an example of a hatchery that stocked sockeye
into a barren lake and provided a source of food for the local
community. Sport fish programs along the road system produce
for local use and support tourism. The association board of
directors passed a resolution in 2012 that read in part:
We acknowledge our role as a food producer and commit
to working in a collaborative multi-disciplinary
manner to address the issues and challenges of food
security at a local, regional, and global level ...
12:05:37 PM
BRYCE WRIGLEY, President, Alaska Farm Bureau, encouraged the
adoption and implementation of HCR 1. He cautioned that food
security in Alaska is subject to disruptions of its
transportation system such as the closure of the highway last
summer; the only way for Alaska to become more food secure is to
produce a greater amount of food within the state. Mr. Wrigley
expressed his appreciation that the resolution brings many
diverse agencies together in order to resolve the problem of
food security.
12:07:54 PM
REX WRIGLEY agreed with the previous speaker and expressed his
support of HCR 1.
12:08:24 PM
DEAN HAMBURG, Chair, Public Policy & Legislation, Alaska School
Nutrition Association, and the administrator for the U.S.
Department of Agriculture National School Meal Program, Kenai
School District, expressed the association's support of HCR 1
because it is a step toward improved food security for Alaska
families. Efforts to support locally sourced and processed
foods are best for kids and adults. Those responsible for
providing school meals to the 43 percent of Alaskan families who
qualify for free and reduced school meals are challenged by the
need to source foods from outside Alaska, and welcome HCR 1 as a
positive step towards bringing quality foods and increased
quantities of Alaska foods to the Alaskan children served by
school meal programs.
12:10:52 PM
KATE VEH, speaking on her own behalf, expressed her support of
HCR 1. She said her community is excited about local foods and
the government should support the public.
12:11:49 PM
KYRA WAGNER, speaking on her own behalf, informed the committee
she is involved with the cooperative extension state advisory
board, the local food workgroup of the Alaska Food Policy
Council, the Homer farmers market, and growers who are using the
USDA High Tunnel Grants for Organic Farmers. Her community is
networking to identify local food systems and it is apparent
there is a need to expand small scale production and
distribution. Ms. Wagner said the resolution creates a point of
contact for information and an infrastructure for collaboration
between state agencies.
12:14:23 PM
LARRY DEVILBISS, Mayor, Matanuska-Susitna (Mat-Su) Borough, said
he is a farmer and the former director of the Division of
Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, who has been
involved in the farming industry since childhood. He recognizes
the frustration felt by Alaska farmers who cannot market their
products; for example, Alaska has long held the capacity to
saturate the potato market, yet farmers are unable to market to
state agencies such as the Department of Corrections - even
after the passage of Alaska-preference legislation. Although
the marketing of carrots has been successful for 15 years, "the
state agencies are the hardest ones to get products into." As
mayor, Mr. Devilbiss seeks to increase the percentage of
locally-produced foods because the creation of ready markets
will encourage the next generation of farmers.
12:18:27 PM
TAFFINA KATKUS said she was a consultant representing
agriculture for the Mat-Su Borough and a raspberry farmer. She
expressed her support for HCR 1, pointing out the importance of
working together to make Alaska self-reliant. Farmers are
unsung heroes - without whom we could not get by - because they
provide food. From her experience she has learned that
solutions and answers come from many people and she has high
expectations that the working group created by the resolution
will look at the environmental impacts that are a major factor
in economic expansion, and that the legislature will study
policies affecting entrepreneurs. Ms. Katkus stated that
farmers in the borough are producing more than one-half of the
state's local production of crops and meat and repeated her
support for the resolution.
12:22:41 PM
DELENA JOHNSON, Mayor, City of Palmer, expressed her support for
HCR 1 which holds a vision to address the needs of all Alaskans.
The issue of food is universal and nonpartisan thus this subject
deserves the collaborative effort requested by the resolution.
Palmer has a 100-year history of agriculture in the region, but
agriculture has had a place in Sitka and Kodiak even longer;
this is a statewide issue and applies to everyone throughout the
state. Ms. Johnson stressed that farmers are hardworking and
government should work as hard. In fact, federal, state, and
local governments put up a lot of hurdles to farming and
legislation can help. She encouraged the governor to study this
issue closely, and pointed out that tourists are also interested
in Alaska farming.
12:26:43 PM
DANNY CONSENSTEIN, State Executive Director, U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA), Farm Service Agency for Alaska, and a member
of the governing board, Alaska Food Policy Council, said he is
in strong support of HCR 1. He agreed that importing 95 percent
of the food consumed in Alaska creates vulnerabilities; however,
there is also a health issue when citizens do not have access to
local and fresh food leading to obesity, diabetes, and heart
disease. The broken food system also limits economic
opportunities for local workers because of "hemorrhaging all of
our food dollars to the Lower 48." Mr. Consenstein pointed out
the resolution recognizes the problem and proposes that the
first step toward a solution is the coordination of state
agencies. Federal and local jurisdictions such as USDA are also
trying to improve by the coordination of their agencies. He
relayed that the food policy council will be forwarding policy
recommendations to the legislature regarding improvements the
state can make in infrastructure, training opportunities,
procurement, and marketing.
12:31:19 PM
MARY SULLIVAN, Director, Department of Advocacy and Agency,
Anchorage Food Bank of Alaska, stated her organization's strong
support for HCR 1, saying improved coordination is a necessary
and viable answer to hunger problems and food security issues in
the state. She informed the committee that the food bank and
other anti-hunger advocates agree that this is a good
resolution.
12:32:24 PM
JOE BALASH, Deputy Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner,
Department of Natural Resources (DNR), stated that DNR - as one
of the named agencies in the resolution - offers its support for
HCR 1 and looks forward to working for this effort.
12:33:02 PM
DARREN SNYDER, 4-H Youth & Development and
Agriculture/Horticulture Agent, Southeast District, Cooperative
Extension Service, University of Fairbanks, University of
Alaska, and a governing board member of the Alaska Food Policy
Council, expressed his strong support for HCR 1. He said the
resolution recognizes the importance to all Alaskans of
developing a strong and secure food system that provides jobs,
healthy communities, food for the hungry, and a secure food
supply chain. Over 130 representatives have joined the Alaska
Food Policy Council because of challenges such as food dollars
that could stay in Alaska and create jobs; health concerns for
disease and contaminated food; and the high cost of food. The
vision of the council is for a healthy and secure food system
that feeds all Alaskans, and its mission is to improve the food
system for the benefit of all Alaskans. Initiated in 2010, the
council is an independent organization that is open to anyone
and is working to connect people from different areas of the
food system, focus attention on the problems of the food system,
and elevate policy to strengthen the food system. Members work
to strengthen the local agriculture and fisheries product
preference statute and to increase state agencies' purchase of
Alaska agricultural and fish products, and have collaborated to
pilot-test the Alaska Farmers' Market-Quest Card program. Goals
of the council's 2012-2015 strategic plan are: all Alaskans
have access to affordable, healthy, local foods; Alaska's food-
related industries have a strong workforce; the food is safe and
supplies are secure; the food system is sustainable; and that
Alaskans are engaged in their food system. Mr. Snyder expressed
the council's appreciation for the legislature's support and
encouraged the governor to establish a state food resource
development working group.
12:37:13 PM
JIM SACKETT, CEO and President, Toghotthele Corporation,
informed the committee Toghotthele Corporation is the Alaska
Native village corporation of Nenana. He expressed the
corporation's support of HCR 1 and requested an amendment which
read:
Following the words, "to work collaboratively with
Alaska Native regional corporations" insert "and
village corporations"
MR. SACKETT explained that the regional corporations own the
sub-surface estate, but village corporations own the surface
estate where the food is actually grown. He noted that the
rising cost of energy will affect the cost of transportation and
growing food locally will become even more important. He
pointed out that Nenana is geographically located in the center
of the state with a highway, railroad, and barge system to move
food to the western cities.
12:38:55 PM
MIKE O'HARE, Deputy Director, Division of Homeland
Security/Emergency Management, Department of Military &
Veterans' Affairs stated that his division is one of the named
agencies in the resolution that would be required to coordinate
with others to provide food reassurance and the utilization of
domestically grown and harvested food. He assured the committee
the division does incorporate locally grown and harvested food
resources in its catastrophic food assurance plan.
12:40:06 PM
CHAIR HUGHES closed public testimony.
12:40:21 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON moved Conceptual Amendment 1 which read:
On page 5, line 9, following "Alaska Native regional"
insert "and village"
12:40:44 PM
CHAIR HUGHES objected for the purpose of discussion.
12:41:03 PM
REPRESENTATIVE HERRON observed that village corporations have
the surface rights in their respective jurisdictions and this is
an appropriate amendment to the resolution.
12:41:09 PM
REPRESENTATIVE STOLTZE spoke in support of the amendment.
12:42:14 PM
CHAIR HUGHES removed her objection. There being no further
objection, Conceptual Amendment 1 was adopted.
12:43:09 PM
[HCR 1 was held over.]
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HCR 1 Sponsor Statement Jan29.pdf |
HEDT 1/29/2013 11:15:00 AM |
HCR 1 |
| ASMI - EDTT.pdf |
HEDT 1/29/2013 11:15:00 AM |
|
| HCR1 Support Letters Jan 29.pdf |
HEDT 1/29/2013 11:15:00 AM |
HCR 1 |
| HCR 1 Support letters (2) Jan 29.pdf |
HEDT 1/29/2013 11:15:00 AM |
HCR 1 |