Legislature(2017 - 2018)BARNES 124
01/31/2018 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB217 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| *+ | HB 322 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 217 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
January 31, 2018
2:57 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Andy Josephson, Co-Chair
Representative Geran Tarr, Co-Chair
Representative Harriet Drummond
Representative Justin Parish
Representative Chris Birch
Representative DeLena Johnson
Representative George Rauscher
Representative David Talerico
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative John Lincoln, Vice Chair
Representative Mike Chenault (alternate)
Representative Chris Tuck (alternate)
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 217
"An Act relating to the Alaska Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act;
relating to the sale of milk, milk products, raw milk, and raw
milk products; and providing for an effective date."
- HEARD & HELD
HOUSE BILL NO. 322
"An Act relating to penalties for discharges of oil and other
pollution violations; relating to oil discharge prevention and
contingency plans for commercial motor vehicles transporting
crude oil; and providing for an effective date."
- SCHEDULED BUT NOT HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 217
SHORT TITLE: RAW MILK SALES; FOOD EXEMPT FROM REGS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) TARR
04/07/17 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/07/17 (H) RES, FIN
04/12/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/12/17 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard
04/13/17 (H) RES AT 5:00 PM BARNES 124
04/13/17 (H) -- Continued from 4/12/17 --
04/14/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/14/17 (H) <Bill Hearing Postponed>
04/17/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/17/17 (H) Heard & Held
04/17/17 (H) MINUTE(RES)
01/31/18 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
DEBBIE SPEAKMAN, Executive Director
Homer Chamber of Commerce
Homer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support during the hearing of
HB 217.
BRAD ST. PIERRE, Manager
Tanana Valley Farmers Market; Vice President
Alaska Farmers Market Association
Fairbanks, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: During the hearing of HB 217, testified in
support of certain provisions of the bill.
ROBBI MIXON, Director
Homers Farmers Market; Director
Kenai and Anchorage Food Hub; Director
Alaska Farmers Market Association
Homer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support during the hearing of
HB 217.
ACTION NARRATIVE
2:57:13 PM
CO-CHAIR ANDY JOSEPHSON called the House Resources Standing
Committee meeting to order at 2:57 p.m. Representatives
Josephson, Parish, Talerico, Drummond, and Tarr were present at
the call to order. Representatives Rauscher, Birch, and Johnson
arrived as the meeting was in progress.
HB 217-RAW MILK SALES; FOOD EXEMPT FROM REGS
2:57:43 PM
CO-CHAIR JOSEPHSON announced that the first order of business
would be HOUSE BILL NO. 217, "An Act relating to the Alaska
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; relating to the sale of milk, milk
products, raw milk, and raw milk products; and providing for an
effective date."
CO-CHAIR TARR, speaking as the sponsor of HB 217, provided a
PowerPoint presentation entitled, "House Bill 217 The Alaska
Food Freedom Act," undated. Co-Chair Tarr said food freedom is
a growing movement that hopes to accomplish goals that are
appropriate for Alaska as evidenced by support from the Division
of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources (DNR),
indicating there are opportunities in Alaska for agriculture to
increase food production and local food security. The goals of
the food freedom movement are (slide 1):
· increase direct producer to consumer sales, such as access
to farmers markets
· support entrepreneurs through business opportunities for
local farmers
· create more opportunities for small-scale food producers
through financing
· strengthen the local food system: food imports have
increased from 50 percent to 95 percent and currently
Alaska has just a three- to five-day food supply in
grocery stores
· grow local economies by increasing the purchase of local
products
3:02:05 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR explained a related bill [SSHB 46] was reported
from the committee on [3/22/17] and a forthcoming committee
substitute (CS) for HB 217 will incorporate SSHB 46 into HB 217;
thus the forthcoming CS for HB 217 would accomplish the
following: add in statute food freedom language defining
farmers markets; allow farmers to sell products through online
purchasing mechanisms such as food hubs; give DNR receipt
authority for the Alaska Grown logo; give the state and
municipalities more freedom to purchase more Alaska grown
produce at a 7 percent to 15 percent procurement differential
(slide 2).
CO-CHAIR TARR further explained food freedom acts are also known
as cottage food laws, which address issues related to the sale
of homemade products. The bill requires homemade products to be
sold directly by the producer to consumers who are informed
about how the product is prepared, or that the product has not
been inspected. Further, the bill seeks to establish a
consistent statewide policy regarding the sale of farm and food
products and to ensure there is support for economic
opportunities for local products. Slide 3 provided definitions
of "farmers market" and "farm and food products." Co-Chair Tarr
said the number of farmers markets in Alaska has grown from 13
to 40 in the last decade because buyers want to know how their
food is grown and by whom. She provided sales numbers for
farmers markets in Fairbanks, Homer, Kodiak, and Mountain View,
and a chart that illustrated the general benefits of purchasing
from farmers markets, such as preserving farmland (slide 4).
3:08:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH noted the pasteurization of milk affords a
level of public protection and asked whether aspects of public
health are addressed by the bill.
CO-CHAIR TARR said she would return to concerns related to milk
later in the hearing. She advised in 2015, Wyoming was the
first state to pass policy related to food freedom, and bills on
this topic have been introduced in Utah, Maine, Colorado, and
Virginia. Turning to the impact of farming on Alaska's economy,
she said the $5 Alaska Challenge program sponsored by the Alaska
Farm Bureau, Inc., could raise $180 million for the state's
economy (slide 5).
CO-CHAIR TARR returned attention to the question raised about
raw milk and noted her intent to "pull that section out of the
bill," because further work is required to address concerns
raised by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on
how to contact consumers if necessary. Also, the Alaska Farm
Bureau Inc., supports inspections of raw milk producers. She
said she wants to bring all the interested parties together to
discuss safety concerns and inspection issues [before proposing
legislation related to milk products].
3:13:29 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH questioned the necessity of increasing the
[state] procurement differential from 7 percent to 15 percent.
CO-CHAIR TARR said in 2014 an audit was requested from the
Legislative Budget and Audit Committee to review the state's
policy on product procurement preference. The audit was
released in 2016 and she offered to provide copies to the
committee. The audit looked at the major contracts held by
Alaska institutions and compared the availability and price of
imported products with those of Alaska Grown products. The
findings were that the procurement rule, which limits paying
more than 7 percent over products from Outside, prevented state
institutions from purchasing Alaska Grown products. By
increasing the limit from 7 percent to 15 percent the bill would
provide more flexibility for procurement officers, but would not
require that they spend more. She related that once farmers
have a greater market and contracts for their products, they
will produce more and prices for Alaska Grown products will
decrease, and she gave an example. Also revealed by the audit
was that the Department of Administration (DOA) will update its
request for proposal (RFP) form to include Alaska Grown product
preference.
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH stated his concern adding a 15 percent
surcharge to the cost of doing business is unreasonable.
CO-CHAIR TARR pointed out institutions would not receive extra
money; however, the total cost of a product to a large
institution may be reduced by better meal planning and the use
of fresher and healthier products, or locally available
products. Further, state dollars would be directed to support
local economies and farmers, and to improve the state's food
security.
3:19:14 PM
[CO-CHAIR JOSEPHSON opened invited testimony.]
3:20:24 PM
DEBBIE SPEAKMAN, Executive Director, Homer Chamber of Commerce,
informed the committee Homer has over 1,000 high tunnels and the
community enjoys an abundance of produce. She advised Homer
also has many young entrepreneurs who are excited to found
businesses, and food freedom legislation will streamline
business that is conducted by cottage industries, farmers
markets, and food hubs. She said local jams and jellies can't
be purchased online because of various state and local
restrictions. Ms. Speakman spoke in support of making
regulations clean and concise to help young entrepreneurs,
thereby diversifying the state's economy. Further, the bill
would ensure institutions and municipalities can purchase local
foods in Homer and in other communities.
3:22:27 PM
BRAD ST. PIERRE, Manager, Tanana Valley Farmers Market, and Vice
President, Alaska Farmers Market Association, said he farms
vegetables and hay near Fairbanks. He provided a brief history
of the farmers market in Fairbanks that was founded in the mid-
1970's and which has grown to house over 100 vendors on its
improved property. Mr. St. Pierre said hundreds of thousands of
pounds of vegetables have been sold at the Fairbanks farmers
market. The Alaska Farmers Market Association has nearly 40
members who work to help all its vendors become strong economic
drivers for the state. In fact, the Fairbanks farmers market
sold $1.2 million of local Alaska Grown/Made products last
season. Mr. St. Pierre said most of the money from the sale of
Alaska Grown/Made products stays in Alaska. The bill would
align Alaska's value of local products and show the state is
supporting its farmers. He pointed out implementation of the
federal Food Safety Modernization Act means that farming has
advanced from a zero-regulated to a strictly regulated industry,
but states that have food freedom legislation support the direct
sales of unadulterated farm products to educated consumers.
Further, the absence of statewide regulation inhibits emerging
food production, and contributes to the lack of new and young
farmers who need a clear path through state regulation.
3:25:28 PM
MR. ST. PIERRE opined the increase in the allowed procurement
preference within HB 217 is an economic initiative that would
make local products more attractive to state entities and the
profits would be earned by Alaska companies. Also, the bill
would enable the Division of Agriculture, DNR, to market the
Alaska Grown logo and earn revenue. He reported the bill has
support from the Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce, and gave
examples of businesses that originated at the farmers market and
transitioned to permanent locations. Mr. St. Pierre clarified
that the Alaska Farmers Market Association supports HB 217
without the provision related to milk.
3:29:21 PM
ROBBI MIXON, Director, Homer Farmers Market, the Kenai and
Anchorage Food Hub, and the Alaska Farmers Market Association,
informed the committee she has been an Alaska resident for nine
years. She advised online farmers markets are also known as
food hubs, and are increasing in popularity nationwide. In
Alaska, there are three food hubs: one in Homer, serving Homer,
Soldotna, Seldovia, and Anchorage, one in the Matanuska-Susitna
valley, and one in Southeast. She explained a food hub offers
growers and value-added producers a virtual stall for posting
information and their products; customers place orders online
and collect desired products from a designated location. Ms.
Mixon further described the growth of food hubs that benefit
clients of the private sector and federal programs. She pointed
out the bill would allow cottage foods to be sold by online
farmers markets, which is currently not allowed by DEC; cottage
foods are made in nonregulated kitchens and are products with a
low probability of bacterial growth like jams, breads, and
pickles. Ms. Mixon urged support for HB 217 and assured the
committee the issue of traceability is addressed by information
recorded by online sales and labeling requirements.
3:34:08 PM
MS. MIXON continued to explain the Kenai and Anchorage Food Hub
does not own the products it offers but provides virtual space
for vendors, and collects operational costs as farmers markets
normally do. She pointed out in Alaska an online farmers market
is allowed to market a limited amount of home-processed poultry;
however, marketing homemade bread or jam is not allowed, and she
urged for a loosening of regulations in Alaska. Furthermore,
the bill would not preclude an investigation by DEC of any food
borne illness. She urged for support of a more secure food
system by expanding cottage foods regulations to include online
farmers markets, and to provide small-scale business
opportunities. Ms. Mixon also expressed support for the
provisions in HB 217 that allow DNR to charge a fee for the use
of the popular and valuable Alaska Grown trademark, and for the
increase in the procurement preference.
[HB 217 was held over.]
3:40:12 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Resources Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 3:40 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB217 Ver A 4.7.17.PDF |
HRES 1/31/2018 1:00:00 PM |
HB 217 |
| HB217 New Sponsor Statement - Alaska Food Freedom 1.30.18.pdf |
HRES 1/31/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/7/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/14/2018 1:00:00 PM |
HB 217 |
| HB217 Fiscal Note - DEC-EHL 1.26.18.pdf |
HRES 1/31/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/7/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/14/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/16/2018 1:00:00 PM |
HB 217 |
| HB217 Fiscal Note - DEC-EH 1.26.18.pdf |
HRES 1/31/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/7/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/14/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/16/2018 1:00:00 PM |
HB 217 |
| HB217 Supporting Document - Alaska Chamber Endorses Food Freedom 10.12.17.pdf |
HRES 1/31/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/7/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/14/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/16/2018 1:00:00 PM |
HB 217 |
| HB217 Supporting Document - Article Natural News 4.16.17.pdf |
HRES 1/31/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/7/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/14/2018 1:00:00 PM |
HB 217 |
| HB217 Supporting Document - Benefits of Farmers Markets 2017 1.30.18.pdf |
HRES 1/31/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/7/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/14/2018 1:00:00 PM |
HB 217 |
| HB217 Supporting Document - Sponsor Presentation - Alaska Food Freedom 1-31-18.pdf |
HRES 1/31/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/7/2018 1:00:00 PM HRES 2/14/2018 1:00:00 PM |
HB 217 |