HCR 24: Relating to the establishment and operation of a state food resource development working group.
00 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 24 01 Relating to the establishment and operation of a state food resource development 02 working group. 03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 WHEREAS agricultural and fisheries industries have played a vital role in the history 05 of Alaska, while it was a territory and after it became a state; and 06 WHEREAS agricultural and fisheries industries are critical to the state's economic 07 future; and 08 WHEREAS the United States Department of Agriculture reported in 2007 that Alaska 09 residents spend $1,500,000,000 annually on food and estimated that less than five percent of 10 the food consumed in the state is produced locally; and 11 WHEREAS a higher percentage of consumer spending in the state on local food 12 products would help drive economic development in the state's agricultural and fisheries 13 industries; and 14 WHEREAS access to fresh and nutritious local food would promote and contribute to 15 healthier lifestyles for the residents of the state; and 16 WHEREAS increasing local food production and consumption of local wild seafood
01 and farm products would improve the health of state residents, increase food security, 02 strengthen the local economy, and encourage community development; and 03 WHEREAS the state's food supply is vulnerable and depends on a food distribution 04 system that has been disrupted in the past and is likely to be disrupted in the future; and 05 WHEREAS the Governor has made economic development and food security critical 06 priorities for the state; and 07 WHEREAS the Alaska Food Policy Council is an independent organization that was 08 established to provide recommendations for improving access to healthy, affordable, and 09 culturally appropriate foods for all residents of the state; 10 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the 11 Governor to establish a state food resource development working group to work with the 12 Alaska Food Policy Council to identify resources and set policies to build a strong, 13 sustainable healthy food system in the state; and be it 14 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 15 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature supports the establishment of a 16 collaborative relationship among state agencies, the state food resource development working 17 group, and the Alaska Food Policy Council to enhance the access, availability, affordability, 18 and quality of food for all state residents; and be it 19 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 20 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature encourages the state food resource 21 development working group to identify new or expanded economic opportunities for state 22 residents in new food production, food processing, and food distribution businesses; and be it 23 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 24 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature encourages state agencies to 25 participate actively with the state food resource development working group to review 26 existing or proposed programs, policies, and regulations that affect the state's food system and 27 recommend to policymakers methods to improve the coordination and implementation of the 28 programs, policies, and regulations; and be it 29 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 30 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor 31 to direct the division of agriculture in the Department of Natural Resources to work with the
01 state food resource development working group to protect, preserve, and develop the state's 02 farm land and agricultural industry; and be it 03 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 04 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor 05 to direct the Department of Fish and Game to work with the state food resource development 06 working group to protect, preserve, and develop the state's subsistence, personal use, and 07 commercial fisheries; and be it 08 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 09 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor 10 to direct the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development to work 11 with the state food resource development working group to develop marketing and 12 promotional programs to enhance and identify new and expanded opportunities for state 13 residents in new food production, food processing, and food distribution businesses; and be it 14 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 15 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor 16 to direct the Department of Health and Social Services to work with the state food resource 17 development working group to develop strategies and educational programs to inform state 18 residents of the nutritional value of locally harvested seafood and produce; and be it 19 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 20 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor 21 to direct the Department of Education and Early Development to work with the state food 22 resource development working group to develop nutrition programs that include locally 23 produced food in school meals, to develop education programs that highlight state food 24 sources, and to work with the National Future Farmers of America organization, the National 25 4H Council, the Alaska Farm Bureau, the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of 26 Husbandry, and other farming groups to foster future generations of farmers in the state; and 27 be it 28 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 29 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor 30 to direct the division of homeland security and emergency management in the Department of 31 Military and Veterans' Affairs to work with the state food resource development working
01 group to develop a method to use state food sources as part of the Governor's disaster and 02 emergency preparedness food supply program; and be it 03 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 04 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor 05 to direct the Department of Corrections to work with the state food resource development 06 working group to develop a program to use state food sources as part of the Department of 07 Corrections institutional food service programs; and be it 08 FURTHER RESOLVED that, if the Governor establishes a state food resource 09 development working group, the Alaska State Legislature respectfully requests the Governor 10 to direct the state food resource development working group to work with the University of 11 Alaska, which, in 1917, was founded as the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines, 12 to research and develop a sustainable supply of locally produced food.