HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 24 Relating to the establishment and operation of a state food resource development working group. 3:19:44 PM Representative Wilson MOVED to ADOPT the proposed committee substitute for HCR 24, Work Draft 27-LS1383/A (Bannister, 2/16/12) as a working document. Representative Doogan OBJECTED for the purpose of discussion. REPRESENTATIVE BILL STOLTZE, SPONSOR, explained that the resolution was a broad ranged approach that attempted to improve the local purchases of Alaskan wild caught seafood and agricultural products. He offered that although the legislation was only a resolution, it already had support within the administration. The legislation worked to encourage existing agencies to work together to enhance food security in order to improve the amount of wild Alaskan seafood and agricultural products that people were buying, without the creation of a lot of new programs. He opined that one of the failures of agriculture in Alaska had been too much innovation and expansion and offered that this was true of fish plants, dairies, and silos. He stated that Alaska had a lot of good, hard-working fisherman and farmers who knew how to harvest from the seas and land. The resolution was an attempt to encourage the state to do more with its resources. He discussed including nutritious food in classrooms and offered that the state had already "ceded" nutrition when Taco Bell and Pizza Hut were both accepted vendors in schools. He shared his view that Alaskan seafood should be served in schools as often as possible. He stated that Commissioner Bell from the Department of Commerce Community and Economic Development had indicated that the application of the resolution was doable. He suggested that due to the nature of bureaucracy, state agencies often did not communicate well with each other and that the legislation was an effort to develop and purchase more Alaskan products in order to get better food into the state's pantries, school programs, and food- security warehouses. He believed that the opportunities were "boundless" and pointed out that the legislation was not currently requesting any funding. 3:24:46 PM Co-Chair Stoltze related that he had benefited from serving on the Alaskan Seafood Marketing Institute for eight years, as well as from representing an agricultural district that contained large and small farmers. He discussed the high quality of agricultural products from his district and shared a personal story about a trip to Barrow. He observed that there was a possible market in Barrow for Alaskan- grown carrots during the winter. He discussed integrating Alaskan food with the Department of Corrections' dormitories and shared the value of the state buying its own products. He stated the importance of having an integrated plan that would get the state's commissioners to work together to promote Alaska's local seafood and produce. He observed that the larger amount of economic and year-round value would be in Alaskan seafood, but that the resolution would be a big win for the state's growers as well. He offered that the Alaskan agricultural industry could grow more, but that it needed to develop markets before it expanded. He concluded that Alaska had smart, capable, innovative, and productive fisherman and farmers, and that the state could do a lot more than it had in the past. He pointed out that he would like to see Alaskan seafood and agricultural products in the state's correctional facilities, universities, and school lunch programs and stated that he was willing to set aside money in the capital budget for the creation of a "commodities food bank." He reiterated displeasure that Taco Bell and Pizza Hut were served in Alaskan schools. 3:29:03 PM Representative Guttenberg supported the resolution. He discussed that in many ways, the state was at a critical point. He mentioned the loss of federal funding for Alaska's agricultural research and the "crisis" at the experimental farm at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He inquired how Alaska found itself in the position of a crisis and commented that the state used to have a robust agriculture industry. He recalled that mission schools used to have "huge gardens" and discussed greenhouses that used to be at various hot springs. Co-Chair Stoltze responded that he was unsure how the state had de-evolved to such poor food choices. He mused how society had gotten to the point where a raw carrot was often a "foreign substance" for a child. He offered that successful farmers in Alaska were successful not because of government, but in spite of it and opined that the Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) Division of Agriculture could use a lot of improvement. He furthered that the Division of Agriculture had carried some "political baggage" over the years and that it had internal issues. He stated that DNR was responsible for helping the state produce its minerals, oil, gas, as well as other land resources and that given those responsibilities, it had been difficult for the department to stay focused on agriculture; the difficulties within the department regarding the promotion of the state's agriculture was one of the reasons the sponsor had brought up the resolution. He reiterated that he was pleased that the administration had embraced the resolution and mentioned that while it might not be very substantive, it was a good place to start. The resolution attempted to get agencies involved and working together. He concluded that the legislation was not a perfect document, but that it was a best effort to examine who was involved; furthermore, it had been successful as a talking point and a working document. Representative Edgmon indicated that he would be happy to work with Co-Chair Stoltze on the resolution. He stated that he would like regional non-profit associations to be listed somewhere in the legislation. He mentioned the Bristol Bay Native Association's work with the local food bank and nearby schools and talked of trading local foods within the areas of Alaska. He related that his local school district had initiated a program whereby local fisherman donated fresh salmon to local processers, which was then served every Friday in school. He offered that the resolution would help promote other programs that were similar to the fish program in his constituency's school district. Co-Chair Stoltze agreed that Representative Edgmon's region gave a lot of good ideas in regard to what works locally. He discussed visiting with fish processors from Togiak and spoke of the value of using local facilities and people in Togiak, rather than building a new fish plant in Anchorage. He offered that it was a good idea to give regional producers the economic opportunity of producing a product. 3:35:39 PM Representative Doogan WITHDREW his OBJECTION. There being NO further OBJECTION, Work Draft 27-LS1383/A was ADOPTED. Vice-Chair Fairclough commented that the locally-grown carrots from Co-Chair Stoltze's district were some of the sweetest and most nutritious carrots that could be found in America. She noted that the local growers were doing a fabulous job producing carrots. She referenced Alaska's high rates of obesity, particularly in schools, and opined that the resolution was a creative idea that would benefit students, farmers, and fishermen. 3:36:54 PM BARRY CREIGHTON, PRESIDENT, IONIA, INC., KENAI, spoke in support of the resolution. He explained that Ionia Inc. was a non-profit organization that consisted of a group of 25 families who all had history of behavioral health problems; the families had banded together for peer support and quickly realized that food was the foundation of their world. He related that Iona Inc. used simple food, such as grains, vegetables, or seaweed. He shared that Ionia Inc. had applied for a grant through the Alaska Science and Technology and the Alaska Conservation Foundations to find grain that would grow in Alaska. Through the grant, Ionia had purchased a tractor and had cleared land. Ionia had found 40 different heirloom seeds from around the world, one of which was a barley seed from the Himalayas. The Himalayan barley had a very short growing season, grew in poor soil, and flourished in turned-over muskeg without any assistance. The term "heirloom" meant that a seed had not been hybridized. He explained that Iona Inc. had produced over 1,000 lbs. of seed from one seed packet, consumed 800 lbs. of whole grain per month, had cleared 30 acres of land, and were in the process of building a 12,000 square foot barn. He furthered that Ionia Inc. had 2,000 feet of raised garden beds, as well as three 50-foot-long greenhouses. He related that the group had about 15-20 children in the Connections Homeschool Program. He pointed out that he had been on the board of the federal health clinic in Soldotna for the last 10 years and that over that period, the rates of diabetes and obesity in Alaska had risen drastically. He offered that food could be used as a frame of reference to countermeasure some of society's problems, particularly in the area of mental health. He shared that many of Ionia Inc. families had used heavy psychotropic drugs prior to joining the group, but that after adopting a "food frame of reference", the families had been drug free for 25 years. He stated that using food did not cure anything, but that it brought the "symptoms down the pendulum to idiosyncratic behavior, instead of socio." He stated that from a fiscal perspective, not one member of Ionia Inc. spent time at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute, which had a cost to the state of $1,200 per day. He offered that Ionia Inc.'s peer support and food had provided its members with a foundational frame of reference to approach their problems and achieve a restorative life. 3:40:38 PM CATHY CREIGHTON, IONIA, INC., KENAI, testified in support of the resolution and related that Ionia had a dedicated website. She stated that Ionia Inc. had been growing healthy food for 25 years in Alaska. She related that the group had been mostly isolated, but that over the past year people from the state had been coming to Ionia Inc. desiring information and cooking classes. She shared that all the local health organizations were interested in healthy food, as well as gardening clubs and related that Iona was no longer alone in its desire for healthy foods. She opined that Alaskan-grown vegetables were strong, sweet, and nutritious and had very special qualities. She discussed Alaska's grass-roots appetite and related that having the partnership of the government would be encouraging and beneficial to "this movement." She furthered that the legislation would be beneficial to health organizations, the state's economics, as well as children in schools. She added that Diane Peck, who was the chair of the Alaska Food Policy Council and an employee of Department of Health and Social Services, had requested that the Department of Environmental Conservation be added to the resolution's list of state organizations. Co-Chair Stoltze replied that he would take a look at the resolution. Mr. Creighton stated that the prior year, the Rasmussen Foundation had started the Health Food Initiative, which would serve as a means to deal with health issues across the state, and related that the foundation was willing to "pour money" into the initiative. 3:44:23 PM DARREN SNYDER, BOARD MEMBER, ALASKA FOOD POLICY COUNCIL, voiced strong support for the resolution. He related that the resolution recognized the importance of developing a strong and secure food system that could provide jobs, support healthy communities, and increase food security to feed the hungry and insulate the state from potential disruptions in food supply. Currently, over 130 Alaskans had joined the Alaska Food Policy Council due to concerns they had over the food challenges facing Alaska. He shared that the council consisted of farmers, fisherman, food banks, subsistence users, school districts, food safety regulators, processors, educators, families, as well as others and that the members had realized that more progress could be made towards healthy Alaska communities by working together. The Alaska Food Policy Council had developed a strategic plan to guide positive actions towards strengthening Alaska's food systems. He shared that HCR 24 and the proposed State Food Resource Work Group were perfectly aligned with the vision, mission, goals, and strategies of the Alaska Food Policy Council. He related that the council was pleased with the inclusion of each of the departments that were in the legislation, but requested that the Department of Environmental Conservation be added because it played a key role within Alaska's food system. He addressed an earlier question from Representative Guttenberg regarding how the state had found itself in the position it was in. He discussed America's lower cost of food since the 1950s and explained that the Lower 48 had "priced out" Alaska's ability to compete. He related that part of the Alaska Food Policy Council's strategic plan involved strengthening enforcement language in the local agriculture and fisheries product preference statute, AS 36.15.050; strengthening this statute would incentivize people to purchase Alaskan products. He related a story about the famous and successful Anway strawberry, which had been developed in Haines. He related that the Anway strawberry had diminished partly because people did not recognize the importance of a tasty, delicious, and fresh product and because purchasers had opted for the convenience of frozen strawberries. He addressed Representative Edgmon's question regarding the inclusion of some Native corporations and health consortiums in the resolution and related that he fully supported that concept. He concluded that the Alaska Food Policy Council had worked hard to make sure it had representation for everyone on its governing board. 3:49:29 PM LESLIE HOUSTON, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, expressed the Department of Correction's (DOC) support of the resolution. She discussed that the department had tracked its Alaskan grown purchases at the end of FY 08 and that the number of purchases was "not that great," being anywhere from 30,000 to 60,000. She related that in FY 10, Representative Stoltze had brought DNR, DOC, and some of the Mat-Su Valley farmers into discussions regarding Alaska purchases; the meeting had been an education process for DOC, as well as the farmers regarding the best way to sell products to the state under DOC's procurement code. After the meeting was held, the next year's purchasing in FY 11 increased from 30,000 to 60,000 per year; currently, the number of purchases was at 105,000 per year and the department expected FY 12's purchases to exceed that number. She mentioned that the effort to buy local foods had been successful, the nutritional value of the food was high, and that inmates within DOC had commented on the quality of the food. She pointed out that DOC had worked closely with DNR on local purchasing and that currently, DOC was in the process of working with the Matanuska Creamery to purchase cheese. She stated that she was also initiating a process to start the purchasing of local seafood and concluded that DOC was fully supportive of the resolution. Co-Chair Stoltze observed that the state's departments had been very cooperative in getting the resolution to this point. 3:51:47 PM JOE BALASH, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, voiced the department's strong support for the resolution. He discussed the economical value and food supply that came with a strong agricultural sector and related that the department would assist with the resolution's effort in anyway it could. RAY RIUTTA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALASKA SEAFOOD MARKETING INSTITUTE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, vocalized the institute's support for the resolution. He shared that seafood was a "brain food." He related that there was an increasing trend to buy local and that the timing for the resolution was right. He stated that Alaska had great products and that the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) was committed to work together with all the parties that were involved with the resolution. He pointed out that ASMI was serving 90 lbs. of Mat-Su Valley carrots at the Boston Seafood Show, where ASMI would serve seafood to 800 to 900 of Alaska's best customers. Representative Wilson asked whether ASMI had sales through the schools or whether local districts made that complicated. Mr. Riutta responded that the sales were primarily handled on a local level, but that ASMI was currently working on a national level school feeding program, which would serve Pollock. Representative Wilson wondered whether the national level program included Alaskan schools. Mr. Riutta responded that it should include all schools. 3:54:43 PM Representative Gara pointed to the less than desirable school lunches and asked Mr. Riutta to take the issue to the ASMI board. He related that he would like to see ASMI file school nutrition legislation in order to have some real guidelines for food in Alaskan schools. Mr. Riutta replied that he would take the issue to the board. 3:55:39 PM BRYCE WRIGLEY, ALASKA FARM BUREAU, DELTA JUNCTION (via teleconference), expressed the bureau's support of the resolution and related that it offered a collaborative and comprehensive effort to address food security in Alaska. He reported that Alaska imported about 95 percent of the food it consumed and that the state had a three-day to one-week supply of food if a transportation breakdown occurred. He explained that agriculture and fishing were the only two industries in Alaska that produced food. He related that the resolution encouraged a collaborative effort between the Alaska Food Policy Council, the Division of Agriculture, the Department of Fish and Game, the Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development, the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Education and Early Development. The legislation also encouraged participation from 4-H, the Future Farmers of America, the Alaska Farm Bureau, as well as encouraging research by the University of Alaska. He furthered that the resolution was an effort to secure food, improve health, and strengthen Alaska's economy. He directed the committee's attention to page 1, lines 8 through 10, which showed that Alaska spends $1.5 billion annually on food; if the amount that Alaska produced increased by 30 percent, it would represent almost $500 million in additional sales and at least $2 billion of increased economic activity to the state. He shared that in 2011, the state's oil revenue had been about $5.3 billion and that $2 billion would represent almost 40 percent of Alaska unrestricted oil revenue from the prior year. He opined that the state had focused for a long time on keeping oil flowing in the pipeline and that it had forgotten about the importance of producing its own food. DANNY CONSENSTEIN, STATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FARM SERVICE AGENCY, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGGRICULTURE, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference), voiced the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) support for the resolution and mentioned that he was also a member of the governing board of the Alaska Food Policy Council, which also supported the resolution. He offered that the USDA was excited about being a partner in the resolution and that local food production was a priority for the department because it benefited local communities by helping to create jobs, improving nutrition, and increasing food security. He added that Alaska was vulnerable to disruptions in its food supply and related that he was looking forward to being a partner with the state and its agencies to improve and strengthen Alaska's food systems. 4:00:20 PM Co-Chair Stoltze thanked the committee and the public for suggestions regarding the resolution. He noted that he tried to be as inclusive as possible when selecting the legislation's participants and that he appreciated Representative Edgmon's suggestion. He explained that any omissions were not intentional and stated that he wanted to include the Department of Environmental Conservation in the resolution for the areas that it had a constructive role in, while still acknowledging that the department had implemented policies that were not always popular. He mentioned that he would work to add provisions to the resolution and would bring it back before the committee at a future date. He related that he was pleased to see more people discussing Alaskan fisheries and agriculture together and offered that there was a constructive spirit of cooperation towards the goals of better food security and increasing local, nutritious purchases. He agreed that Alaskan salmon was a brain food and that Pollock would be a preferable alternative to serve in tacos for school lunches. Vice-Chair Fairclough CLOSED public testimony. 4:03:23 PM Representative Joule shared that he was excited about the resolution. He recalled a personal story about living in the Alaskan communities and related that the community he was living in would take one day a month in its schools "to be Inupiat people;" during this time, one of the things the community brought into the schools was local food. He shared that families had worked together during the harvest times and that it was fun to watch families, the community, and the schools to be able to enjoy the good food. He related that there were nutritional issues in Alaska's schools, jails, residential facilities, state hospitals, and other facilities and that the discussion surrounding the resolution was great. He stated that years prior, there had been a funding request for a pilot program that would have replicated blueberries in Alaska, but that that it had been vetoed. He related that he often wondered what possibilities Alaska had lost as a result of the veto. He observed that he managed the Department of Health and Social Services' budget and that obesity cost Alaskans somewhere between $459 million to $477 million per year; the state's investment to fight that issue was $400,000. Representative Guttenberg mentioned that there was a new strain of blueberries that grew in clumps like grapes. He offered that normally, the problem with harvesting commercial blueberries was that they fruited in a sparse pattern; however, an experimental farm in Fairbanks was working with local farmers on the new blueberries. He related that there was a lot of research being conducted on and off university campuses regarding the benefits of Alaskan blueberries and mentioned that the state's blueberries contained incredibly high levels of antioxidants. He shared that agricultural programs outside of Alaska were requesting samples of the state's blueberries in order to try to grow them elsewhere. He stated that hopefully, the secret to Alaska's blueberries was the state's extended periods of light during the growing season. 4:07:46 PM Representative Wilson remarked on the importance of nutrition in the state's schools. She observed that the state spent a considerable amount of money on serving breakfasts and lunches in schools, but that the meals had very little nutritional value. She offered that the value in healthy food was found not only in eating well, but also in learning and teaching others to grow their own food. She mentioned that the school in Tok already had a greenhouse on location and that the middle school in North Pole, which was in her district, was making efforts in that regard. She concluded that time spent with family and having nutritional food could not be replaced by a can from a store. Representative Gara believed that one of his failings as a legislator had been that he had never introduced a school nutrition bill. He opined that if the state was serious about fighting obesity and creating a market for local foods, part of the solution had to be standards for school lunches. He pointed out that school lunches contained simple carbohydrates, high amounts of saturated fats, and sometimes trans fats, all of which caused obesity. He expressed regret that he never carried a bill with better standards for school lunches and hoped that someone would introduce such a bill in the future. Vice-Chair Fairclough discussed a zero fiscal note from the Legislature. She requested that amendments for the resolution be submitted to Co-Chair Stoltze's office. Co-Chair Stoltze requested that suggestions for the resolution come in the form of concepts or ideas, rather than amendments. He opined that it would be more efficient to incorporate changes into a committee substitute. He reiterated that he was open for ideas and that the resolution was an inclusive document; however, it would probably not be quite as open to all comers as the Alaska Food Policy Council due to certain restrictions and efforts to keep the document focused. He stated that his office could figure out how integrate the changes with the existing language of the resolution. Vice-Chair Fairclough noted that the Alaska Food Policy Council's strategic plan was included in member's packets. 4:11:24 PM HCR 24 was HEARD and HELD in Committee for further consideration. Vice-Chair Fairclough discussed the following meeting's agenda.