HB 298-ALASKA FOOD STRATEGY TASK FORCE  8:04:38 AM CO-CHAIR HANNAN announced that the first order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 298, An Act establishing the Alaska Food Strategy Task Force; and providing for an effective date." 8:05:10 AM REPRESENTATIVE LIZ SNYDER, Alaska State Legislature, as prime sponsor, presented HB 298. She shared her interest in the issue of food security. She talked about the unique challenges in Alaska, which imports approximately 95 percent of its commercial food at a cost of about $2 billion annually. She said Alaska has the resources to grow its food-related sectors and move toward self-reliance. She said HB 298 would establish an Alaska Food Strategy Task Force that would present state policy, legislation, and implementation strategy recommendations in six integrated focus areas: 1) sustainably growing the agriculture industry; 2) sustainably growing markets for locally grown, locally harvested, and locally processed foods; 3) enhancing the climate for food and beverage businesses; 4) minimizing food waste and diverting it from the waste stream; 5) improving connectivity, efficiencies, and outcomes in state-run programs affecting food availability and access; and 6) ensuring food security in rural and urban communities. She relayed that HB 298 was created in collaboration with stakeholders such as the Alaska Food Policy Council, the Alaska Farm Bureau, and the Food Bank of Alaska, whose feedback has been incorporated in the bill language. She spoke about the makeup of the Food Policy Council. She asked for support for the proposed legislation. 8:13:20 AM ARIELLE WIGGIN, Staff, Representative Liz Snyder, Alaska State Legislature, presented the sectional analysis for HB 298 [available in the committee packet] on behalf of Representative Snyder, prime sponsor. 8:16:02 AM REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER, in response to Representative McCabe, reviewed the makeup of the council. In response to a follow-up question, she noted that the council not only makes policy but also does fiscal sponsorship for other organizations, hosts a semi-annual conference, and engages in "a variety of other food- focused projects." REPRESENTATIVE MCCABE expressed concern that the issue of transportation has not been addressed. REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER responded that she agrees on the need to address infrastructure, and she said she would welcome an amendment to that effect. 8:20:53 AM CO-CHAIR HANNAN recommended including logistics in an amendment addressing transportation. 8:21:24 AM REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER, in response to Representative Prax, noted that in the committee packet, there is a letter of support from the Alaska Food Policy Council; the current members are listed in the lefthand column. In response to a follow-up question, she talked about the length of term of two years for the task force. She mentioned the Food Security and Independence Task Force created by the governor under Administrative Order 331, whose final report will be due September 2022. She said HB 298 would expand the range of expertise provided under the governor's taskforce, including focus on infrastructure, workforce development, agriculture, food waste, urban and rural issues, and improving efficiencies between government agencies. 8:27:18 AM REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY suggested sharing use of large facilities already in existence. REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER, in response to a question from Representative McCarty, said all the governing board members are volunteers; in the last year they have hired a part-time executive director. In response to further query, she indicated that response to recommendations of the task force can be from a combination of the legislature and non-legislative entities. She talked about fostering a healthy business environment so that those who want to support the local food economy can do so. 8:31:29 AM REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND agreed about the importance of addressing transportation. She said she is glad to see the Commissioner of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development will have a designee. She concurred with the idea of utilizing storage facilities already in existence. 8:34:22 AM REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER, in response to Representative Prax, said she anticipated that the members of the task force would appreciate the importance of having infrastructure and a centralized database. She said she would welcome additional language in the bill to support this topic. In response to a follow-up question, she said her 10 years' experience working with stakeholders on food security issues has shown there is no lack of enthusiasm for the issue. She said she thinks those legislators serving on the tax force may be able to designate funds at their discretion, and there is a zero fiscal note from the Legislative Affairs Agency. She indicated support from the administration. 8:38:23 AM REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER, in response to Co-Chair Hannan, said it may be true for many, but not all, on the task force that they work in industries that would support their involvement on the task force. 8:39:18 AM REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND directed attention to language on page 2, lines 5-11, which read: (2) four members of the Alaska State Legislature appointed as follows: (A) two members from the senate, appointed jointly by the president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives; (B) two members from the house of representatives, appointed jointly by the president of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives; (C) at least one member from the minority caucus of the senate or house of representatives. REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND noted that subparagraph (C) is written in a way that indicates a fifth legislative member, and she recommended the language be amended. REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER agreed the language was unclear. 8:40:50 AM REPRESENTATIVE MCCARTY pointed out that potentially there are three task forces: the Food Policy Council, the governor's task force, and the task force proposed under HB 298. He questioned how this might be streamlined to avoid the duplication of efforts and suggested a member of the other task forces could also serve on the one proposed under HB 298. REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER responded that she does not think it "fair" to call the Food Policy Council a task force, and HB 298 proposes a narrow focus on "developing a statewide food strategy." She also noted that the proposed task force would pick up from where the administrative task force ends. The work could overlap, and that could be adjusted, she concluded. 8:43:42 AM REPRESENTATIVE PATKOTAK said he would entertain the idea of putting money "behind this" so as not to "hamstring the process right out of the gate." He directed attention to language on page 2, lines 29-30, which read: (8) two members from Alaska Native or intertribal organizations addressing 30 food sovereignty or Alaska tribal governments; REPRESENTATIVE PATKOTAK asked the bill sponsor to speak to that language. REPRESENTATIVE SNYDER replied that HB 298 was written with feedback from the Alaska Food Policy Council, including conversation with those members of the council that represent organizations with relationships with tribal governments and tribal organizations focused on rural areas of the state. She said she tried to be responsive to their input to ensure broad representation on the proposed task force. REPRESENTATIVE PATKOTAK noted that he had recently addressed the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission. He said food sovereignty and food access come under the umbrella of food security, and he indicated that he may offer an amendment relating to consideration of a member of the commission sitting on the proposed task force. [HB 298 was held over.]