Your Food, Your Vote 2026 Candidate Questionnaire Responses

Learn Where Candidates Stand.

AFPC and our AK Food Vote partners sent questionnaires to every candidate running for office in Alaska, to help voters understand their positions and priorities around food policy.

Here are the questions we asked candidates:

Has food insecurity, in any form, ever touched your life, your family, or your community? How has that experience — or the absence of it — shaped how you think about hunger in Alaska?
What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?
When a family in Alaska is struggling to put food on the table, what do you believe are the most common underlying reasons — and what role, if any, should state government play in addressing them?
Around 130,000 students are enrolled in Alaska’s public schools. Alaska provides no dedicated state funding for school nutrition or local food purchasing by schools. What role, if any, should the state play in funding school meals and getting Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods into schools?
Food touches many areas of state policy, including agriculture, fisheries, subsistence, transportation, public health, education, and the budget. Where do you see the most urgent need for state action on food systems, and what specifically would you do about it?
What, if anything, should the State do to make sure future generations of Alaskans can still grow, catch, and harvest food here — including having access to the lands and waters that make that possible?
What’s your favorite local food?

The Alaska Food Policy Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We do not endorse specific candidates or political parties. Every candidate was provided with the opportunity to complete this survey so that we may share their views on various Alaska food system issues.

Not Sure What District You’re In?

You can use this interactive map to find what Senate and House Districts you’re in. Senate Districts are identified by letters (A through T) and House Districts are identified by numbers (1 through 40).

2026 Alaska Gubernatorial Candidates

Dave Bronson (R)

This candidate has not yet responded to the AK Food Vote candidate questionnaire. In the meantime, for information on this candidate’s priorities see https://www.davebronson.com/.

Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins (D)

“I think clearing the backlog in SNAP eligibility determinations is the first and most obvious thing the next governor must do to reduce food insecurity. As governor, I would support subsistence and access to personal use of fish and game. I would look for ways to increase state support to local food banks that can help plug the cracks in the system that Alaskans fall through.”

Full Survey Responses

Has food insecurity, in any form, ever touched your life, your family, or your community? How has that experience — or the absence of it — shaped how you think about hunger in Alaska?
Food insecurity, an official term from the USDA, is when a household has limited or uncertain access to adequate food. The most recent data show that more than 1 in 6 Alaskans—and 1 in 5 children—faced food insecurity in 2024 (Feeding America, Map the Meal Gap Report July 2026).

Yes — representing rural and coastal communities in the legislature, I’ve seen food insecurity up close. Alaska has some of the highest food costs in the country, and in many villages, a gallon of milk can cost much more than it does in Juneau or Anchorage. Hunger is not an abstract policy issue, but something tied directly to the cost of living, transportation, and access to traditional foods. As governor, I’d prioritize strengthening food banks, expanding SNAP outreach and reducing backlogs for eligibility determinations, and investing in local food production so no Alaskan has to choose between heat and groceries.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

In Sitka, my home town and one of the communities I represented in the legislature for a decade, there is an annual program called Fish to Schools, where locally-caught seafood is donated to local schools and served to students every Wednesday. Alaska’s seafood feeds the world, and every Sitka school district student once a week.

This program doesn’t eliminate food insecurity for Sitka’s children, but it is a bright spot. I want to bring this kind of creative and community-oriented thinking to the state government.

When a family in Alaska is struggling to put food on the table, what do you believe are the most common underlying reasons — and what role, if any, should state government play in addressing them?

Affordability is a concern for Alaskans across the state. Rising energy bills and the effects of inflation on prices at the grocery store are hitting pocketbooks hard, especially here at the end of the supply chain.

There is no excuse for current backlogs in eligibility determinations for SNAP. I will treat that backlog as an emergency operations problem from day one. Alaskans in need, who are eligible to receive benefits, should not starve because the state can’t handle the paperwork.

Beyond SNAP, I want to work with the Alaska Food Policy Council to identify creative ways to close gaps between the state’s capacity to fund relief and the needs of everyday Alaskans to put food on the table.

Around 130,000 students are enrolled in Alaska’s public schools. Alaska provides no dedicated state funding for school nutrition or local food purchasing by schools. What role, if any, should the state play in funding school meals and getting Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods into schools?

I’m compelled by legislation (HB 12) from Representative Maxine Dibert in the last legislative session that would have provided free school lunches for students who already qualified for reduced-price school lunches. The bill, as it left the House Education Committee, would have eliminated reduced price lunch co-pays for more than three thousand Alaskan students.

Food touches many areas of state policy, including agriculture, fisheries, subsistence, transportation, public health, education, and the budget. Where do you see the most urgent need for state action on food systems, and what specifically would you do about it?

As noted above, I think clearing the backlog in SNAP eligibility determinations is the first and most obvious thing the next governor must do to reduce food insecurity.

As governor, I would support subsistence and access to personal use of fish and game. I would look for ways to increase state support to local food banks that can help plug the cracks in the system that Alaskans fall through.

What, if anything, should the State do to make sure future generations of Alaskans can still grow, catch, and harvest food here — including having access to the lands and waters that make that possible?

I do not think that our fish and game are being managed well under the current administration. We have the natural resources to feed many Alaskans sustainably, but the governor plays politics with allocation decisions and allows out-of-state interests to take an unsustainable share of our resources.

This is especially egregious in our fisheries. Many of the most important decisions affecting our fisheries are made by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. For too long that Council has been controlled by Seattle-based trawl interests, and Alaskans’ voices have been sidelined. As governor, I will flip that dynamic, and nominate North Pacific Council members who will advance Alaska’s interests.

For most of my time in the legislature, I was the only legislator who took the time to testify and advocate in the North Pacific Council process, largely to support reductions in Chinook, chum, and halibut bycatch in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea. As governor, I’d nominate members to the council to make sure our interests — not Seattle’s — are represented.

What’s your favorite local food?

My mom’s raspberry jam.

Treg Taylor (R)

This candidate has not yet responded to the AK Food Vote candidate questionnaire. In the meantime, for information on this candidate’s priorities see https://tregforak.com/.

Bernadette Wilson (R)

This candidate has not yet responded to the AK Food Vote candidate questionnaire. In the meantime, for information on this candidate’s priorities see https://bernadetteforgovernor.com/.

2026 Alaska House Candidates

House District 1

Grant EchoHawk (NP)

“I will support policies that draw on the traditional knowledge of the people who have lived with the salmon for the last 20,000 years along with scientific data from specialized fields that study oceans, rivers and streams, habitat, and salmon habitat.”

Full Survey Responses

Absolutely. Although I did not experience it growing up in Alaska, for several years we lived in poverty after leaving Alaska in my early teen years and that experience has greatly shaped my perspective and desire to ensure everyone, especially children, have access to food.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

As of a recent community study, it was discovered that approximately 10% of or students are homeless (many couch surfing) and within that reality, we know there in an inordinate amount of young people who have limited access to resources which includes food. I bright spot is the strong network of non-profits in the community to work to try to reach those in need.

The most common underlying reason is poverty and our society regarding poverty as a character flaw rather than systemic shortcomings in our civilization and not appreciating how extraordinarily expensive poverty is nor the tremendous amount of trauma that poverty and food insecurity adds to individuals, families, and communities. The lack of understanding or lack of acknowledgment of the reality of poverty drives policy decisions that can be not helpful or even harmful to those in need. State legislators need to be well-informed in this topic and make policy decisions based on data and feedback from those doing the important work to deliver food to those in need.

By supporting Alaska-grown & Alaska-caught programs, the state can support local businesses and food producers which strengthens the local economy rather than using state funds for prepackaged and processed foods which are often less healthy and send funds to large out-of-state corporations. As a legislator, I would fully support using funds to support local food purchasing.

I am most concerned about our fisheries and the strain on our salmon stock from mismanagement, ecological pressure, and destruction of habitat. Salmon are a critical nutrition source for not only our communities but for a wide variety of other species from not only bears and eagles but even the lush trees of SE Alaska benefit from the nutrients that make its way into the soil. I will support policies that draw on the traditional knowledge of the people who have lived with the salmon for the last 20,000 years along with scientific data from specialized fields that study oceans, rivers and streams, habitat, and salmon habitat.

There appears to be a lot of effort to pave Alaska and many seem to see Alaska as only resources to be unleashed. To ensure that future generations have access to the lands and waters, we need to protect the lands and waters from corporate and industrial expansion that has made it near impossibly for people who live in other state to be able to use the land and water to live off of or feed their families.

What’s your favorite local food?

Salmon & Salmon berries.

House District 2

Rebecca Himschoot (NP)

“While funding universal school meals is one solution to battling hunger, another is to grow the economy so that Alaskans are better able to feed themselves. There is room for both of these solutions in our state.”

Full Survey Responses

While I have not faced food insecurity personally, I have seen it every day of every year of my 3 decade career in schools. A public school classroom is the face of the community: every social strata, every culture, every race, every value system finds its way into our schools. I was fortunate to be in a position to support our local Blessings in a Backpack program and to distribute the federally-funded fresh fruits and veggies to students experiencing hunger. Seeing the face of hunger in children is unforgettable, including the impacts to their social development and learning. I carry these lessons with me into my policy work.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

After years of SNAP distribution failures Alaskans have become accustomed to the situation: I no longer receive as many desperate emails and phone calls about delayed benefits. However, the state is still not keeping up with its responsibility to process these benefits timely. Many organizations in my region have stepped up to open food banks, which are incredibly helpful, but the cost of shipping remains a deterrent.

Locally, the Sitka Tribe of Alaska has used federal funds to support Indigenous fishermen and make seafood distributions to tribal citizens, and the Alaska Sustainable Fisheries Trust has also provided seafood to Sitkans in need. The most outstanding bright spot in my district is the Fish to Schools program here in Sitka, which has recently expanded to Petersburg. This year, every child in Petersburg’s schools will receive breakfast and lunch at no cost – including the weekly local fish entree!

Across Alaska, food is one of the biggest expenses families face. Because much of what Alaskans consume is shipped in, the increases in the price of fuel trickle into every household. Supporting local agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries is an appropriate role for all levels of government: local, state, federal and tribal. Ensuring state permitting and licensing offices are fully staffed and that university extension programs are funded are good examples of the appropriate government role in supporting local food production.

Food programs, such as SNAP, play a large role in local economies and reach every Alaskan, even those without access to food banks. Ensuring local fish and game resources are managed for the benefit of Alaskans is another role for government. Finally, state-supported transportation systems, such as airports and ferries, should be operated with maximum efficiency to ensure Alaskans are able to transport commodities affordably.

While funding universal school meals is one solution to battling hunger, another is to grow the economy so that Alaskans are better able to feed themselves. There is room for both of these solutions in our state.

The Alaska Seafood Marketing Association was successful in getting Alaskan-caught canned salmon into US international aid programs, which could be a model for getting this same salmon to the plates of our students. Local fishermen in Sitka, and now also in Petersburg, donate to the fish-to-schools program – in this case, a dedicated group of local citizens is making government intervention unnecessary.

We need to restore a defined benefit pension system for state employees and increase wages so we can retain eligibility technicians to distribute SNAP benefits on time. This system reaches the Alaskans who need assistance wherever they are, and regardless of whether they have access to a food bank. Food banks and pantries work miracles, but only if Alaskans have access to them.

Ensuring the Department of Fish and Game is funded and able to provide the research that supports local fisheries is an important step in my region. My House Bill 93, which would have set an enforceable standard for residency for hunting and fishing, was vetoed. Under our current system, Alaska residents can live out of state most of the year but harvest fish and game resources with higher local bag limits by maintaining a rented room as a domicile and claiming an intent to stay in the state. As our climate changes and the number of Alaskan workers who live out of state exceeds 25% of the total workforce it is increasingly important to protect local fish and game resources for the benefit of resident Alaskans. In my region, a freezer full of local fish and game can determine whether a family can stay here. We also need to address the migration of commercial fishing permits out of state.

What’s your favorite local food?

Without question Sitka spot shrimp.

House District 3

Annette Kreitzer (R)

“What the State can do is to continue to encourage farming, farm to market sales and highlight restaurants which serve local food. With more abundance and choice of produce and meat, prices should stabilize. The State already contributes through multiple programs such as SNAP, it’s important to see the effectiveness of State support and if that support should be increased or managed differently.”

Full Survey Responses

Although I grew up on small farms, we didn’t always have money for food outside of what we grew ourselves, or hogs that were slaughtered for bacon, sausage, hams and pork roasts. As a young adult, I had little money for food while out on my own and working – sometimes having one meal a day while waiting for my weekly pay. I understand the importance of saving up to be able to afford bulk flour, sugar, pasta, rice and other foods that last longer than partially prepared foods. I am glad to see more people interested in growing a portion of their food. This complements Alaska’s subsistence lifestyle of hunting, fishing and canning berries and other foods for the winter. My experience doesn’t necessarily translate to what others may experience in Alaska. Having eaten many “expired” foods, it’s frustrating when food banks can’t accept and clients reject any canned or unopened food that is past it’s best date.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The high cost of transportation of goods certainly impacts what households can afford. The fact that Alaska must import most of our food contributes to what households can afford. I am a big fan of the University’s Cooperative Extension Service. It is an incredibly important program as it helps with food preservation, coordination of 4-H clubs that assist youth with livestock, and the Master Gardener program.

Time and money. For many families making dinner or a healthy breakfast can be a challenge using components rather than partially prepared or wholly prepared meals – which are more expensive (generally) and take more time to prepare. What the State can do is to continue to encourage farming, farm to market sales and highlight restaurants which serve local food. With more abundance and choice of produce and meat, prices should stabilize. The State already contributes through multiple programs such as SNAP, it’s important to see the effectiveness of State support and if that support should be increased or managed differently.

In the past, the State has heavily encouraged Alaska-caught, Alaska-grown foods for prisons. Although you state that Alaska provides no dedicated state funding for school nutrition, I believe there are a number of programs that should be reviewed for what they contribute to school nutrition.

Continue to support and enhance Cooperative Extension Service efforts, highlight and encourage programs that show results in terms of better educated consumers. Staff the Division of Agriculture to promote and encourage growth of agriculture in Alaska (I do not support creating a new Department of Agriculture). I have reviewed the Task Force Recommendations and believe there is opportunity to move forward on ideas that will encourage personal responsibility as well as community action.

Recognize and support efforts to develop farm land. The State should work with farmers to ensure leases on State land are efficient, not cumbersome. Improve Paralytic Shellfish Testing – and work with Tribes on this issue. Legislature should ensure that appropriate access to State lands continues for the purpose of subsistence and personal use hunting. I worked to revise legislation in the Senate Resources Committee to ensure the use of ATV’s and other motorized vehicles would continue to be allowed where appropriate in Game Management Units.

What’s your favorite local food?

sour cherries from my trees for jam

House District 5

Kathy Simpler (NP)

“Ensuring that future generations have the same opportunities we have had to fish, hunt, grow food, and live off our lands and waters is incredibly important to me. I think something that the state can do is invest more in the infrastructure that helps food reach Alaskans, including ports, harbors, roads, and transportation.”

Full Survey Responses

Food insecurity has absolutely touched the communities I hope to serve. In coastal Alaska, especially in the most rural areas, even when food is available, the cost can put it out of reach. Groceries are expensive, transportation and healthcare costs are high, and families can be one unexpected bill away from struggling. As an educator, I know hungry students do not learn. I have helped restock our local food bank through Girl Scouts and food drives at the schools I’ve worked in. I believe no child should be hungry in a state as rich in natural resources as Alaska and I greatly appreciate every person, program, and initiative that’s working to combat this issue.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The cost of living is one of the biggest concerns I hear as I talk to people across the district, including the cost of groceries. In our coastal communities, nearly everything we buy has to travel a long way to reach us, and those transportation costs show up at the store. At the same time, our fishing communities are facing serious challenges. When our fishermen struggle, that affects the entire community. Protecting our fisheries is one of my top priorities if I’m elected to the legislature. One bright spot is how Alaskans, especially in our small towns, continue to take care of one another. Food banks, community organizations, tribes, and volunteers all step up when neighbors need help.

Usually, food insecurity is not happening in isolation. Families are also dealing with high housing costs, child care, health care, and wages that have not kept up with inflation. Our state should focus both on helping families when they need it such as SNAP benefits and addressing those underlying costs like lowering housing costs and helping create good-paying jobs.

I was a teacher for three decades and I strongly believe students need nutritious food in order to learn. A hungry child cannot be expected to focus in the classroom. I support state investment that helps schools provide nutritious meals and makes it easier for districts to purchase Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught food. We have incredible local seafood and produce and we should look for opportunities to serve more of them in our schools, which benefits not only our students but also the producers and their businesses.

For my district, the most urgent need is healthy fisheries and a viable seafood industry. I support stable funding for fisheries research and management, investments in infrastructure like ports and harbors, and policies that help Alaska processors and fishermen remain competitive. Statewide I would support ways in which our communities could grow and produce their own food, such as community gardens.

Ensuring that future generations have the same opportunities we have had to fish, hunt, grow food, and live off our lands and waters is incredibly important to me. I think something that the state can do is invest more in the infrastructure that helps food reach Alaskans, including ports, harbors, roads, and transportation. We are already doing good work through programs that support local production and I want to build on those efforts and ensure they are adequately funded.

What’s your favorite local food?

My favorite local food is halibut and salmon from the sea and rhubarb and berries from the land. Some years I have grown our own lettuce and root vegetables, but there’s nothing like eating berries ripe from the bush or a freshly caught fish from the ocean. My family supports local growers by purchasing greens from local farmers as much as possible.

House District 6

Brent Johnson (NP)

“I support scientific fisheries management and will look for ways for government to help farmers.”

Full Survey Responses

I grew up on a homestead in Clam Gulch where my parents raised huge gardens and harvested salmon, spruce hens, moose and wild berries. I’ve never known hunger. But in state house D6 people are way more dependent on imported food and supply lines.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is making it harder for some people in D6. On Oct 3 I’ll be the auctioneer for the “Saturday Lunch Program,” which provides pre-K through 6th-grade students in Ninilchik with weekend food bags. I was the auctioneer a year ago and it was hugely successful and warmly received. The Homer Community Food Pantry, the Anchor Point Community Food Pantry, the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank Ninilchik Tribe Food Distribution Program, the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank, and the Food Bank at Kasilof Community Church are all bright spots.

Poverty, loss of a job, drug & alcohol addiction, hospitalization of a family supporter. Government should be responsible to assist in all these cases. Children shouldn’t go hungry because parents are sick.

Alaskans are the responsibility of Alaska government. No one should go hungry while engaged as a student. The Alaska Legislature needs to address this issue. And Alaska-grown or Alaska-caught foods should be a priority.

Fisheries are suffering from mismanagement and seafood historically has been a source of abundant nutrients for Alaskans. Farming in Alaska is increasing and offers Alaskans a local source of grains and vegetables. I support scientific fisheries management and will look for ways for government to help farmers. About 66% of Alaskans are over-weight. Eating Alaska-grown or harvested products, and taking part in growing and harvesting local foods will lead to healthier people.

Continue with the Agricultural Revolving Loan Fund, the USDA Farm Service Agency programs, Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Agricultural Management Assistance. Alaska is turning to the sea to grow kelp, seaweed, geoducks, clams, mussels, and oysters. The state should help with offering science for pest control. My family raised large gardens when I grew up in Clam Gulch. Now slugs are a huge problem, discouraging us from big gardens.

What’s your favorite local food?

Potatoes.

House District 7

Kate Veh (D)

“AK needs to stop just reacting to problems & start protecting our land & water before things get worse. That way, future Alaskans will always have food on the table.”

Full Survey Responses

My mother was born to Mid-West farmers during the Dust Bowl & knew hunger as a child. In the late ’60s, she & dad moved to AK & dove into local foods (fishing, gardening, gathering forest & beach edibles). Because of her, I never went hungry.

I’ve lived in a time of abundance, yet the Dust Bowl & Irish Famine still echo in my bones. I brace for lean times, watching for them every hundred years. Truth is, I’m a productive gardener in search of an accomplished chef . . . that’s where the magic happens. Local food culture rests on a deep history of cultivation, cooperation, kitchen alchemy.

No one in AK should go hungry. Our Kenai soil is rich & generous. I see promise in every wasted patch & wonder, “Am I the only one who sees community gardens in abandoned lots?” Surely I’m not alone.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

AK has only a week’s worth of food inventory. We simply don’t have a stash set aside for emergencies or supply line disruptions. Most adults carry 20 extra pounds of body weight they could afford to lose, but hunger hits kids harder.

The War in Iran drove up fuel costs, which drove up food costs. Add federal cuts to SNAP, & food banks are stretched thin. Housing, energy, groceries are all up, & family budgets are maxed out.

The bright spot? A growing hunger for a real local foods industry. Folks are catching on to backyard growing. Grocers & politicians are starting to see the value too. But this farm-to-table movement needs to move faster . . . yesterday, really. AK’s potential for growing her own food is limitless, yet we still import the vast majority from the Lower 48.

Why can’t folks put food on the table? Blame inflation, driven by rising oil prices. Groceries are climbing faster than wages. Toss in AI anxiety (will it take your job?) plus a country without health care, & you’ve got a recipe for stress on top of hunger. Yuck!

Cheap foods (fast food) harm you. Nutritious foods (fruits & veggies) cost a fortune. Meanwhile, glyphosate, a cancer-causing chemical is headed for our food chain, the market has been flooded with mystery beef, & food-poisoning surveillance has been cut.

AK can fix this by investing in food sovereignty. Boost local farms, build regional storage, protect subsistence rights. Open land for community gardens & commercial growing. Teach people how to grow food. Most importantly, make sure AK kids have enough to eat by funding SNAP, food banks, school lunch programs & food pantries. This is how we’ll feed AK.

The AK Legislature has a responsibility to bring AK public schools back to life & I think they should do that by investing in a state-wide local foods curriculum.

Local food production, preservation, & cooking classes would be the most amazing curriculum our schools ever develop. History, science, math, & language all fit inside it, along with business & trade skills. Our school culture could revolve around learning to cultivate & cook local cuisine.

When schools embrace local foods, no kid goes without lunch because a ticket went unpaid. Kids cook for each other, so lower-income students escape the humiliation of poverty-related hunger. Students learn to compost, build soil, & grow seeds to their fullest potential, & by doing so, they will bring AK’s food production to its fullest potential too.

The most urgent fix we need is in our fisheries. Industrial trawlers are scraping AK’s fish right off the ocean floor, with no federal oversight, & they still get access to 6% of our state’s seafloor. That’s why I’m voting for new Congressional reps with experience in the fishing industry, & why the AK Legislature needs to implement a 100% ban on industrial trawling.

Next, let’s get a complete local food curriculum into every AK school. Imagine classrooms where kids dig in the dirt, grow their own food, & share it together. No kid goes hungry. Schools come alive again, buzzing with purpose & connection. Most importantly, we grow a generation of food-literate young folks who will graduate ready to revitalize our local foods industry & carry that knowledge & love of good food into government, business, public health, education, fisheries, subsistence, & beyond.

AK needs to stop just reacting to problems & start protecting our land & water before things get worse. That way, future Alaskans will always have food on the table.

Here’s a start:

1. Ban industrial trawling in state waters, & elect Congressional reps who’ll stand up to the commercial trawling industry.

2. Keep public lands & waters open to everyone. Regular folks (hunters, berry pickers, subsistence fishers) need access to state lands & navigable waters. Let’s resist the pressure to privatize these areas & sell them off. Locking up public lands shuts out local families who depend on them for food.

3. Give Tribes seats on the AK Board of Fisheries. With real representation, Indigenous traditional knowledge & wisdom will help guide decisions, shifting the focus from “How much money can we make this year?” to “How do we keep a sustainable AK fishery for the long haul?”

What’s your favorite local food?

I am in love with the lowly potato.

House District 9

Ky Holland (NP)

“Alaska’s agriculture policy should be built around investing in arctic agtech, controlled-environment agriculture, and value-added processing of growth and harvested food resources, and around making Alaskan food competitive in our own market.”

Full Survey Responses

Food insecurity is a pressing issue in Alaska, and a clear example of how economic policies shape people’s daily lives.

I’ve helped support the Lutheran Social Services Food Pantry for years through our “Beer and Hymns” program at my local church, raising over $200K to support this essential program. I’ve also worked with Alaskan food startups like Far North Fungi, Alaska Natural Organics, and Heather’s Choice and with food incubators like Anchorage Commercial Kitchen that host local food businesses. I’ve also partnered with organizations like Seeds of Change, which sits at the intersection of behavioral health, vocational training, and growing food.

Those experiences taught me there is no single fix for hunger. When one in five Alaskan children faces food insecurity, this is not a personal failing or a local problem. It’s a systemic challenge, and it will take industry incentives, state programs, and Alaskan innovation together to meet it.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

While not salient in my district, rural food access stands out as one of the most important challenges in Alaska. When communities have to rely solely on barges and planes, a missed shipment can lead to hunger and malnourishment. That’s why it’s been so exciting to see the new opportunities in hydroponic systems that can grow fresh produce year-round in the most remote arctic communities. There is also great opportunity in expanding our agricultural industry, and connecting domestic food production with community retailers.

Food insecurity looks different across Alaska, but two root causes show up almost everywhere.

First, food costs more when it has to be shipped in. As long as our produce, meat, and dairy arrive by sea and plane, Alaskans will pay a premium for them.

Second, wages haven’t kept up with housing, energy, and fuel costs. That leaves less room in a monthly budget for the grocery store.

The state has a clear role in both. We need a diverse, resilient economy that creates real opportunity for Alaskans, and agriculture and food production belong at the center of that agenda. That means expanding local food production — including hydroponic growing in Arctic communities — and incentivizing a circular economy that keeps dollars in local communities.

The state should absolutely play a role in providing school meal support. Our students are already learning in overcrowded classrooms, they shouldn’t have to do so on an empty stomach. I would love to see more Alaskan-grown, caught, and harvested foods in our schools. A direct, local-purchase incentive for school districts would make our children healthier and give farmers, fisherman, and processors a stable, reliable market they can plan their businesses around.

Improving this connection will make our children healthier, and provide a stable, reliable market to encourage food production, and inspire them to pursue careers supporting Alaskan food systems and the local economy.

Subsistence food systems remain a vital part of Alaskan communities, culture, and economies and should remain a focus of strong foundation, whether for urban dipnetters storing up a year-long supply of salmon, or rural communities providing a majority of their nutritional needs from locally harvested and grown food.

We should also modernize the Division of Agriculture to reflect what is now a real growth industry. Alaska’s agriculture policy should be built around investing in arctic agtech, controlled-environment agriculture, and value-added processing of growth and harvested food resources, and around making Alaskan food competitive in our own market.
The opportunity in rural Alaska is immediate. A container growing produce in Kotzebue in January can deliver food security, STEM education opportunities, and local jobs simultaneously. And as climate change accelerates in the Interior, local food growing options are changing and growing.

Alaska should protect the lands, waters, fish and wildlife that allow Alaskans to feed themselves—and ensure future generations have meaningful access to them.

I strongly support protecting subsistence opportunities, particularly for rural and Alaska Native communities where harvesting wild foods is essential to food security, culture, and community. State policy should support sustainable fish and wildlife populations and work constructively with federal, Tribal, and local partners to protect subsistence access when resources are scarce.

We should also protect productive agricultural lands, healthy fisheries and watersheds, and public access for hunting, fishing, gathering, and personal-use harvests. At the same time, Alaska should invest in infrastructure, research, mariculture, controlled-environment agriculture, and other technologies that can expand sustainable local food production.

Food security ultimately means maintaining both the resources and Alaskans’ ability to access them.

What’s your favorite local food?

Red Salmon cooked with Summit Spice’s “Halibut Cove” seasoning, and locally grown basil on a local tomato caprese salad.

House District 11

Danni Hall (D)

“I think the most urgent need for state action is to ensure that the Department of Health is properly staffed so that assistance applications can be processed in a reasonable timeframe to meet federal qualification requirements and the basic needs of Alaskans. I am very concerned with the impacts of federal legislation that will cause changes in SNAP eligibility and I would like to see the state anticipate these impacts before they become an emergency.”

Full Survey Responses

I have been very fortunate that my family and I have experienced food security my whole life.

Alaskans find themselves at the end of the food chain and with some of the highest food insecurity rates in the nation. I know that a neighbor experiencing food insecurity may not be too far away. Even in Anchorage, the most populated part of Alaska, there are neighborhoods considered food deserts. Growing up in the lower 48, there were almost always multiple grocery stores to choose from. When I moved to Alaska, I thought about how reliant we are on the few grocery stores in the state, and how delicate those food supply chains can be. I’ve seen subsistence ways of life face environmental and political threats which is why I know how important it is to give food a voice in the capitol.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

South Anchorage is not the first place many people think of when they think about food insecurity. However, we know that food insecurity can quietly work its way into the homes of aging seniors, families on fixed incomes who are struggling to keep up with inflation, and folks who may need, but do not qualify, for federal assistance.

I’ve seen and heard from many folks that the rising cost of energy is directly, and drastically, increasing the cost of food all across Alaska but is having especially dire impacts in rural communities. I’m very concerned about that. A bright spot I have been learning about is the Food is Medicine movement, and that Alaska is working to expand on that program to help improve and prevent health issues through access to nutritious food.

I believe the biggest issue with Alaskans putting food on the table is rising costs. Rising costs due to geographical location, inflation, and the rising cost of energy. There are also Alaskans whose wages are not keeping up with the rising cost of living in the state, and a decline in access to subsistence hunting and fishing.

The first thing I would like to see the state do is address the gaps in policy that are leading to many issues with SNAP and other state programs. For years under the Dunleavy administration, the Department of Health has struggled to keep up with applications when many applicants are in dire need of these services. The department has reported that their shortage of staff is what is causing delays. Recent changes in federal policy will reach Alaska in the coming years and will greatly affect who qualifies for federal benefits which could leave many Alaskans without coverage. These are the priorities I think we need to be looking at first.

It would be wonderful to see Alaska offer free school lunches to all students. With the state’s fiscal restraints, I see this as a challenge. However, it’s the direction I would like to see the state moving – dedicating funding to schools to ensure every child is fed and eating locally purchased products as often as possible. I would like to see policies passed that would incentivize local purchasing for schools

I think the most urgent need for state action is to ensure that the Department of Health is properly staffed so that assistance applications can be processed in a reasonable timeframe to meet federal qualification requirements and the basic needs of Alaskans. I am very concerned with the impacts of federal legislation that will cause changes in SNAP eligibility and I would like to see the state anticipate these impacts before they become an emergency.

The state should be protecting subsistence and commercial fishing access, ensuring that state lands can be available for farming, and that resource extraction is not serving as a barrier to our world class salmon runs, fishing, and hunting opportunities. Alaska has some of the best opportunities for harvesting our own food and I believe it is the duty of the state to uphold those opportunities for residents.

What’s your favorite local food?

Salmon that my family and I fish for together in the summer. If my husband gets a caribou, I enjoy that as my favorite meat.

House District 12

Calvin Schrage (NP)

“In the wake of recent federal changes to SNAP that will likely impact thousands of Alaskans and create barriers to essential food‑security services, the state will need to step in and fill the gap. There are several direct policies I support and will work to advance to address this shortfall. These include investing in food banks across Alaska, ensuring the Division of Public Assistance is adequately funded and staffed so applications and benefits are processed in a timely manner, and expanding access to school meals. Together, these steps can help stabilize families and strengthen food security statewide.”

Full Survey Responses

Food insecurity hits close to home. My mother grew up in a household of seven, regularly facing food insecurity throughout her childhood. My wife’s family also relied on food stamps to get by during her youth. Hearing their stories, and learning how critical programs like SNAP allowed them to survive and ultimately lift themselves out of poverty, has profoundly shaped my perspective.

Seeing the direct, positive impact of public assistance on my own family instills a deep appreciation for my responsibility as a policymaker. In Alaska, where geography and high costs compound access issues, the state plays a critical role. No family should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from. These lived experiences drive my commitment to supporting strong, effective nutrition programs that ensure every Alaskan family has the opportunity to thrive.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Food security is a serious and growing challenge in our community. The strain intensified during the COVID‑19 pandemic and has continued in recent years as inflation rises and essential supports like SNAP and other social services face significant cuts. I’ve heard from countless Alaskans who are struggling to afford basic necessities, forced to make difficult choices between food, energy, and housing.

Amid these challenges, there are bright spots. The Legislature has taken meaningful steps to strengthen in‑state food security and expand access, including securing capital funding to continue the SNAP Token Doubling program for locally produced food. This effort supports Alaskan families while also investing in our farmers and local food systems.

In my conversations with neighbors, the most common driver of food insecurity is the inability to afford healthy, reliable food, a challenge made worse when state and federal services are delayed or difficult to access. The state has an important role to play here. That includes fostering a strong economy with real career opportunities, and ensuring that Alaskan families facing food insecurity have timely support, effective services, and the resources they need to stay fed and stable.

For far too many Alaskan students, school meals may be the only reliable food they receive in a day. During COVID‑19, federal funding ensured that every student, regardless of income, had access to free meals at school. While asking the state to take on that responsibility alone would require a significant financial investment, it would also deliver meaningful benefits and ultimately support stronger educational outcomes. I also support incorporating Alaska‑grown and Alaska‑caught foods into school meals, and I’m encouraged to see school districts across the state beginning to do this on their own.

In the wake of recent federal changes to SNAP that will likely impact thousands of Alaskans and create barriers to essential food‑security services, the state will need to step in and fill the gap. There are several direct policies I support and will work to advance to address this shortfall. These include investing in food banks across Alaska, ensuring the Division of Public Assistance is adequately funded and staffed so applications and benefits are processed in a timely manner, and expanding access to school meals. Together, these steps can help stabilize families and strengthen food security statewide.

Protecting subsistence rights and Alaska’s pristine environment is essential to ensuring that future generations can continue to access fish and game. Subsistence is foundational to our Alaskan way of life, our food security, and cultural identity. I also strongly support efforts to promote in‑state farming, which can expand local food production, strengthen our economy, and reduce reliance on imports. Together, safeguarding subsistence and investing in Alaska‑grown food will help build a more resilient and sustainable food system for our state.

What’s your favorite local food?

Salmon!

House District 13

Lisa Keller (D)

“My legislative experience taught me that these issues are connected. Energy policy affects grocery prices. Transportation affects whether local products can reach consumers. University research and education support our farmers, fisheries, and workforce. Fisheries management affects both our food supply and our economy. We need to think about food security as a system and make long-term investments that strengthen that entire system.”

Full Survey Responses

I have been fortunate that I have never personally experienced food insecurity. But I have seen how quickly circumstances can change for people and how difficult it can be to regain stability once it is lost. For more than a decade, I’ve worked with women at Hiland Mountain Correctional Center through Running Free Alaska, first as a volunteer coach and now as executive director. Our work continues after women leave Hiland, when they are rebuilding their lives and navigating housing, employment, transportation, health, and other basic needs. That experience has reinforced something I learned long ago as a coach: people need a strong foundation to thrive. Nutritious food is part of that foundation. Whether it is a child trying to learn or an adult trying to rebuild her life, hunger makes every other challenge harder.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The biggest challenge I see is affordability. Food prices don’t exist in a vacuum. Families are paying more for housing, energy, transportation, health care, child care, and other necessities at the same time they are trying to afford groceries.

I saw one piece of this firsthand while working for Rep. Andy Josephson, when I worked on and presented legislation addressing residential rent increases. When housing consumes more and more of a family’s income, there is simply less left for food and everything else.

When a family is struggling to put food on the table, food is often only one of the pressures they are facing. Housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, child care, and health care all compete for the same household income, and for too many Alaska families, those basic expenses are becoming harder to afford.

My work in the Legislature reinforced for me how connected these issues are. I worked on housing legislation with Rep. Andy Josephson and later on state budgets with Rep. Alyse Galvin. You quickly see that housing, education, energy, health, and economic security cannot be separated into neat boxes.

The state should maintain a strong safety net so children, seniors, and families don’t go hungry. But we also need to address the underlying costs that are stretching family budgets and build an Alaska where working families can afford the basics and build a secure future.

I’ve spent decades as a coach, and one thing you learn quickly is that nutrition matters. You cannot ask a body to perform without giving it fuel. We shouldn’t expect something different from a child sitting in a classroom.

I believe the state has a role in making sure hunger is not a barrier to learning. During my time working for Rep. Alyse Galvin, I worked directly on education budgets, and I understand how many competing needs our schools are trying to meet with limited resources.

I also think we should look for practical ways to put more Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught food on Alaska students’ plates. When we can connect schools with Alaska farmers, fishermen, and food producers, we can support student health while creating stronger local markets and keeping more of our food dollars circulating in Alaska.

Alaska needs to become more resilient and less vulnerable to forces outside our control. We live in a state with extraordinary natural resources, yet much of what we eat travels thousands of miles before reaching our communities.

I would focus on the barriers that make it difficult and expensive to produce and distribute food in Alaska: energy, transportation, processing, storage, infrastructure, and access to markets. We should also look for sensible opportunities for schools and other public institutions to purchase more Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught food.

My legislative experience taught me that these issues are connected. Energy policy affects grocery prices. Transportation affects whether local products can reach consumers. University research and education support our farmers, fisheries, and workforce. Fisheries management affects both our food supply and our economy.

We need to think about food security as a system and make long-term investments that strengthen that entire system.

I was born and raised in Alaska, and I want future generations to inherit the same extraordinary opportunity to gather, grow, fish, hunt, and feed their families from this place.

That starts with healthy lands and waters. Fishing is the backbone of many Alaska communities, and protecting that resource requires good science, healthy habitat, clean water, responsible management, and serious efforts to reduce bycatch and waste.

But stewardship also means making sure the next generation can afford to stay here. We need young Alaskans who can become farmers, fishermen, scientists, processors, small-business owners, and responsible stewards of our resources.

What’s your favorite local food?

The food I harvest from my own backyard – raspberries, strawberries, and rhubarb.

House District 16

Carolyn Hall (D)

“I would support investments in processing, storage, distribution, and transportation infrastructure; expand opportunities for schools and other public institutions to purchase Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods; and support agricultural education and training through resources such as the UAF Cooperative Extension.”

Full Survey Responses

My understanding of food insecurity has been shaped by years of spending Saturday mornings volunteering at a Food Bank of Alaska mobile food pantry. I’ve gotten to know the volunteers, staff, and many of the people who rely on that assistance, and that has shown me that hunger doesn’t always look the way people expect.

A job loss, illness, unexpected expense, or the rising costs of housing, utilities, and groceries can quickly leave a family struggling to put food on the table. I’ve seen firsthand how important our food banks are, but I’ve also learned that charity alone cannot solve food insecurity.

Those experiences have made this issue deeply important to me. Access to healthy, affordable food is fundamental to healthy families and strong communities. In a state as resourceful as Alaska, no child, senior, or family should have to wonder where their next meal will come from.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The biggest challenge I hear about is affordability. Grocery prices have risen dramatically while families are also paying more for housing, utilities, child care, health care, and other necessities. Even households that once felt financially secure are being squeezed. The need is real, and it does not fit neatly into stereotypes about who experiences food insecurity.

When an Alaska family is struggling to put food on the table, it’s rarely because of one thing. High grocery, housing, utility, child care, health care, and transportation costs all contribute, especially when wages haven’t kept pace. A job loss, illness, or unexpected bill can quickly push a family that was getting by into food insecurity.

State government cannot control every factor driving food prices, but it can help address the underlying, systemic pressures. We should protect programs that help children, seniors, and families access nutritious food; ensure eligible Alaskans can access assistance; support food banks and local food systems; and tackle the broader affordability challenges facing Alaska families.

We should also invest in increasing Alaska’s capacity to produce more of our own food. Addressing hunger requires meeting immediate needs while building a stronger, more affordable, and resilient food system for the future.

No child should have to learn on an empty stomach. Adequately funding public education has always been one of my highest priorities, and that includes making sure students have the nutrition they need to learn and succeed.

I support a stronger state role in school nutrition and believe we should look at specific funding to help schools provide healthy meals. We should also use those investments to strengthen Alaska’s food system by getting more Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods into our schools.

This means building stronger connections among school districts, farmers, fishermen, and Alaska food producers, and addressing barriers that make local purchasing difficult. When we serve Alaska food in Alaska schools, we can improve student nutrition while supporting local businesses, creating economic opportunities, and keeping more of our food dollars here. It is an investment in both our children and Alaska’s long-term food security.

The most urgent need is making food more affordable today while strengthening Alaska’s ability to feed ourselves tomorrow. Our dependence on food shipped from Outside makes families vulnerable to high transportation costs and supply chain disruptions, while Alaska’s food producers face significant barriers to getting their goods to local consumers.

I would support investments in processing, storage, distribution, and transportation infrastructure; expand opportunities for schools and other public institutions to purchase Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods; and support agricultural education and training through resources such as the UAF Cooperative Extension.

We should also strengthen opportunities for Alaska farmers, fishermen, farmers’ markets, and other local producers to reach consumers. My work on KTVA’s Harvesting Alaska, a television series I co-created, showed me how much innovation already exists here. State government should help remove barriers and build on that work so more of the food dollars Alaskans spend support Alaskans.

Growing, catching, gathering, hunting, and harvesting food is fundamental to life in Alaska. The state has a duty to responsibly manage our fisheries, wildlife, lands, and waters so they remain healthy and productive for future generations—and to protect Alaskans’ ability to access them.

For many communities, particularly in rural Alaska, subsistence is essential not only to food security but to culture, tradition, and community. Those opportunities must be protected.

We should also help the next generation of Alaska farmers, fishermen, and food producers to succeed by addressing barriers to land, training, infrastructure, processing, and markets. Programs such as the UAF Cooperative Extension can play an important role in passing along the knowledge and skills needed to produce food here. Alaska’s lands and waters are an extraordinary resource, and we have a responsibility to manage them so future generations can continue feeding their families.

What’s your favorite local food?

Jakalof Bay oysters

Phil Isley (Undeclared)

“I would like to see something supported by business, (like oil companies, native corporations, and other corporations), working with local food suppliers and farmers. It would give them a tax write off while supporting local businesses. The current food in the school systems in the U.S. is terrible for our children and local suppliers could high light the improved quality.”

Full Survey Responses

Yes, when I was very young, there were times when food was very scarce at times. My parents did the best they could and my grandparents helped when needed. I find that an empty stomach encourages and motivates most people to be more productive.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Being in an urban area, there seems to be many to get food. They’re food banks, Snap cards, and organizations to keep people from being hungry for for very long.

Having in Alaska before oil money, struggling families were assisted by churches and fraternal organizations like the Elks, Moose, Eagles, Redmans, etc. When a government gets involved, the problem seems to grow while the government organization continues to need more money to do less.

The school system does not do well at solving problems. If it did, our third grade students would not be 49 out of 50 in reading for the last decade. I would like to see something supported by business, (like oil companies, native corporations, and other corporations), working with local food suppliers and farmers. It would give them a tax write off while supporting local businesses. The current food in the school systems in the U.S. is terrible for our children and local suppliers could high light the improved quality

In a study of capitalism, it is best left to businessmen than politicians. The Alaska Legislative caucuses have closed meetings which can make or break companies depending on the party in power.

I don’t think a person can make a blanket statement on this subject. The state could find a way to reduce fuel costs when necessary, but it is up to the producers continue their vocation into the future.

What’s your favorite local food?

I try to eat as close to natural as possible. I catch salmon, hunt, and sometimes buy at the farmers market.

House District 18

Cliff Groh (D)

“The State of Alaska should do everything in its power to protect the subsistence priority. I would oppose any nominee to the Board of Fisheries or Board of Game who would undermine the subsistence priority.”

Full Survey Responses

Unfortunately, food insecurity is something many of my neighbors in HD-18 face everyday. This district is one of the lowest-income in the state, and I have met many people while knocking on doors who are clearly struggling financially. Too often, families are forced to make tough decisions about where to spend their tight budgets. This district is also home to many of Anchorage’s unhoused, who don’t have reliable access to food or shelter.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Affordability and food access are some of the top challenges in my district. This district has the third lowest median household income of all 40 Alaska State House districts according to the latest U.S. Census figures. Reliable transportation to grocery stores is also a challenge. There are no full-service grocery stores in the civilian portion of my district, and a number of the residents who don’t own motor vehicles have miles to travel to get to an affordable grocery store outside a military base.

My understanding is that when families in Alaska struggle to put food on the table — at least in urban Alaska — it’s generally because of competing expenses. The cost of rent or fuel are two major competing expenses most of my neighbors in HD-18 have to contend with month over month. Prices are rising in both categories, and the cost of fuel is also pushing up the cost of groceries across the state.

There’s another important factor here, which is low wages. As prices go up in Alaska, wages need to match them. For shift workers earning minimum wage, those wages aren’t enough to manage these competing and rising expenses. I’m glad Alaska was able to pass a raise to the minimum wage through the ballot box. In the Legislature, I would fight to protect the will of the voters by resisting any clawbacks of the policy passed by voters.

I strongly support state funding for school nutrition. No child should go to school hungry or leave school hungry. For too many children in ASD, the food they get at school is their most reliable meal of the day — and the school district does an admirable job getting food to kids year round.

School nutrition funding is usually funded at the federal level. But adding school nutrition to the Base Student Allocation could be a good way to attach guaranteed nutrition funding to each student, especially in districts with fewer resources. To make this attainable, we desperately need a permanent, inflation-adjusted increase to the BSA.

We should also do our part to support Alaska food systems by giving incentives to school districts to buy Alaska grown when possible.

When I think about food systems in my district, I think about the grocery store. I was deeply concerned a few years ago about a proposed Kroger-Albertson’s merger that would have ratcheted up costs even further for Alaska residents. We need to build out the state’s antitrust and consumer protection capacities to have the right mechanisms to push back on bad corporate policy that increases costs for Alaskans. The departments that handle these cases are desperately under-staffed and under-funded. We need to invest greater resources into these areas, and we need to grow our state revenue to make it happen.

The State of Alaska should do everything in its power to protect the subsistence priority. I would oppose any nominee to the Board of Fisheries or Board of Game who would undermine the subsistence priority.

The State should also invest in growing systems across the state, from funding research at the University of Alaska to developing storage, slaughter, and processing capacity in private-public partnerships.

What’s your favorite local food?

Alaska Salmon!

Dan Sager (R)

“I would support state monies going to provide some Alaska Grown products in our school cafeterias. It would keep funding circulating in state and go directly to our local farmers while also providing nutritious food for our children. I try and live by ‘pay your farmer now or your doctor later!'”

Full Survey Responses

Growing up, there were several periods where we were food insecure. Judging from the outside, no one would have guessed that was the case. When someone is truly hungry, that is a very desperate position to be in and desperation can drive risky behavior. From a community perspective, its always a better idea to try and head it off before it gets to the point that someone is hungry.

Just as we invest in many types of prevention programs, we should continue investing in hunger prevention as well as nutritional food for K-12 schools where children spend the majority of their time.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Many people are struggling with the cost of food that has increased by an average of nearly 40% since 2020. The state SNAP backlog is a big problem but recent reporting indicates that that is getting worked through.

I support the state working with local farmers, ranchers and the fishing industry to increase local access to our products that would strengthen food security so we aren’t as dependent on imports.

Alaskans will be best served by a state government that creates a stable environment for the economy to grow. While government assistance serves as a critical lifeline and should be protected, the goal should be to create high paying jobs so that Alaskans can prosper.

I would support state monies going to provide some Alaska Grown products in our school cafeterias. It would keep funding circulating in state and go directly to our local farmers while also providing nutritious food for our children. I try and live by “pay your farmer now or your doctor later!”

Alaska only supplies about 5% of its own food which is very worrying. Everyone reading this likely knows that the state only has, on average, several days worth of food on the shelf at the grocery store at any given time. I worry about natural disasters cutting off supply (the Port modernization cant get completed quick enough).

I agree with the AFPC recommendations in the 2026 policy framework of continuing to grow processing and cold storage infrastructure and establishing a state food security and manufacturing officer.

The state needs a defined road map of where we want to be in five and ten years and a a path to get there.

We can provide infrastructure to access more land for farming and raising livestock and continuing a science based approach to fisheries and game management. The government should be fostering the environment for farmers and ranchers to succeed.

What’s your favorite local food?

Copper River Reds and carrots from my mother in law’s greenhouse in North Pole.

House District 20

Paul Bauer (NP)

“I believe Alaska should start by preparing the next generation to grow, harvest, process, and market food here. High schools should expand career and technical education in agriculture, fisheries, controlled-environment growing, food processing, and related trades, with stronger university and vocational pathways to continue that training.”

Full Survey Responses

Yes. Food insecurity has touched people in my family and community, particularly during periods of unemployment, financial hardship, and other barriers that make it difficult to obtain steady employment or maintain sufficient household income. In those circumstances, food pantries and public or charitable food assistance can become an essential bridge. These experiences have shaped my view that hunger is not simply a matter of personal responsibility. Illness, job loss, disability, transportation challenges, unexpected family circumstances, and Alaska’s high cost of living can quickly place otherwise self-sufficient people in need. When food prices rise faster than available assistance, families can fall further behind.I believe Alaska should maintain a strong safety net for people facing legitimate hardship while also strengthening local agriculture, fisheries, food production, distribution, and employment opportunities

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The greatest challenges are the high cost of groceries, transportation and freight costs, and the difficulty our families and seniors face making household income stretch far enough. We are forced to balance food costs against housing, utilities, transportation, and medical expenses. Rural and remote communities face even greater challenges because of distance and limited access.

What I hear is simple: groceries cost more, budgets are tighter, and assistance does not always keep pace with need.
Alaska’s food banks, local food pantries, farmers markets, fisheries, and growing agricultural sector are strengthening local access to food. I also see opportunity in expanding Alaska-grown products, food rescue, community partnerships, and local production so we become less dependent on outside supply chains.

Families struggle with food insecurity because of unemployment, underemployment, high housing and utility costs, illness, disability, transportation barriers, and Alaska’s unusually high food and fuel costs.

I believe state government should provide a responsible safety net when people genuinely need help, while making independence the long-term goal whenever reasonably possible. Able-bodied adults capable of employment, assistance should generally be temporary and accompanied by clear criteria, employment assistance, training, education, or other pathways toward self-sufficiency.

Alaskan government programs should also recognize that seniors, people with disabilities, caregivers, and families facing serious hardship may require longer-term assistance.

Help Alaskans through difficult periods, remove barriers to employment and opportunity, and provide people with the tools to regain financial independence rather than creating permanent dependence.

I support food assistance that is targeted to actual need rather than automatically providing the same benefit to every household. Alaska should first maximize available federal school nutrition programs and provide temporary or extended state assistance where family income, disability, unemployment, medical hardship, or unusually high food costs demonstrate a legitimate need.

Families able to provide for their children should remain primarily responsible for school meals. I also support protecting the PFD so families can decide how best to use their household resources, including food and school expenses.

Families needing additional assistance, the state could establish clear income and hardship criteria, require an application or enrollment process, and periodically review eligibility. Assistance should protect children from hunger while encouraging capable households toward greater financial independence and responsible family budgeting

My most urgent priority is increasing Alaska’s ability to produce, process, market, and distribute more of its own food. I support evaluating a separate Department of Agriculture or cabinet-level position dedicated to food security, agricultural development, and coordination across agencies.

Alaska should invest strategically in year-round growing facilities, including greenhouses and controlled-environment agriculture, to expand winter production and create a new agricultural industry and jobs.

I also support stronger markets for Alaska-grown food and Alaska seafood, including better connections among producers, processors, schools, institutions, retailers, and consumers.

WE should have greater food independence and resilience. Alaska will always depend partly on outside transportation, but expanding local agriculture, fisheries markets, storage, processing, and distribution can reduce that dependence and strengthen our economy at the same time.

I believe Alaska should start by preparing the next generation to grow, harvest, process, and market food here. High schools should expand career and technical education in agriculture, fisheries, controlled-environment growing, food processing, and related trades, with stronger university and vocational pathways to continue that training.

The state should also protect reasonable access to agricultural lands, fisheries, subsistence resources, and productive waters while managing them for long-term sustainability.

A major priority should be year-round food production. Alaska should aggressively research and invest in greenhouses, hydroponics, controlled-environment agriculture, energy-efficient growing systems, and other technologies that can produce food through the winter.

The objective is to build the knowledge, infrastructure, and access future Alaskans will need to produce more food locally and reduce our dependence on outside supply chains.

What’s your favorite local food?

Pacific halibut, shimp, and Alaska grown vegies.

Andrew Gray (D)

“In short, families struggling to put food on the table have too much of their income going to rent/mortgage, heating/electricity, healthcare premiums and other expenses. The state should be incentivizing more housing and more energy options to allow for more affordable housing and energy.”

Full Survey Responses

I personally have never experienced food insecurity, but I know that many of my constituents have. This has had a profound impact on me and the way I choose to legislate. I want all my constituents to be able to afford adequate food for their families.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

My district is a grocery store desert. Folks must travel to another district to buy fresh produce; all we have are convenience stores at gas stations. The bright spots would be the presence of more farmers markets in the summer — several of which are very close to my district. People love their farmers’ markets.

In short, families struggling to put food on the table have too much of their income going to rent/mortgage, heating/electricity, healthcare premiums and other expenses. The state should be incentivizing more housing and more energy options to allow for more affordable housing and energy. Alaska must address its ballooning health care costs — the state definitely has a role to play here.

Well, we have attempted to pass free lunch programs for Alaska school kids, but politics has prevented that from going forward. Hopefully in the coming legislative session, we can pass a universal free lunch program. As far as incentivizing Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods — like what you see in DOC with the Farm near Goose Creek in the MatSu — I think these decisions need to be up to the local school districts, but every effort should be made for the state to incentivize local school districts taking advantage of locally grown and caught foods.

Alaska’s bypass mail program allows for perishable food to rot while other classes of mail take priority. I absolutely wish there were a way to have perishable food take priority over other classes of mail when the products in those other classes of mail are non-perishable. I have explored solutions with Amazon; I will revisit this issue.

I’m reluctant to add another mandate to our public school system; however, there are many kids who grow up in Alaska with parents who are not from here. It would be good to incorporate some basic skills for growing, catching, and harvesting Alaska foods into our K12 system.

What’s your favorite local food?

Rhubarb

House District 22

Jose Roel Tagle (R)

“The bright spots lie in grassroots community resilience. Local farmers markets, neighborhood pantries, and tribal sovereignty efforts around traditional harvesting demonstrate remarkable local leadership. People across Anchorage step up every day to share harvests and support neighbors in need. Community goodwill is inspiring, but state infrastructure must support and match these local efforts.”

Full Survey Responses

Running a small business and raising a family in Anchorage, I’ve seen firsthand how high living costs impact local households. Elevated freight costs, fuel prices, and sudden financial hiccups routinely force families to choose between filling a gas tank, paying utility bills, or purchasing healthy food. Across our community, food insecurity affects working parents stretching paychecks and seniors on fixed incomes facing rising shelf prices.
Living in Alaska means recognizing how vulnerable our supply chains are to shipping delays and price shocks. Knowing that 1 in 6 Alaskans faces food insecurity highlights that reliable food access isn’t just a charitable issue—it is a cornerstone of public health, local economic stability, and community resilience in District 22.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The immediate challenge facing District 22 and communities statewide is inflation compounded by high transportation and freight costs. Families consistently share that basic staples—milk, produce, meat—have reached difficult prices. Administrative delays in state benefit processing, such as SNAP backlogs, have further strained households already on tight budgets.

The bright spots lie in grassroots community resilience. Local farmers markets, neighborhood pantries, and tribal sovereignty efforts around traditional harvesting demonstrate remarkable local leadership. People across Anchorage step up every day to share harvests and support neighbors in need. Community goodwill is inspiring, but state infrastructure must support and match these local efforts.

The root causes of food insecurity in Alaska stem from high energy costs, steep transportation logistics, and wage growth that lags behind the cost of living. Because Alaska imports over 90% of its food, any shipping disruption or energy spike directly hits local household budgets.State government must play a targeted, effective role: clearing administrative backlogs so benefit programs process efficiently, supporting regional transportation cost reductions, and reducing unnecessary regulatory hurdles for local producers. Strengthening the local business environment and building local agricultural capability helps prevent families from reaching a financial crisis.

Ensuring students have consistent access to nutritious food directly impacts health and classroom performance.
The state should actively support partnerships between local school districts, agricultural producers, and commercial fisheries to integrate Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods into school meal programs. Farm-to-school and sea-to-school initiatives accomplish two vital goals: keeping state dollars circulating within the local economy by supporting Alaskan farmers and fishermen, and providing students with high-quality, nutrient-dense meals. Investing in regional food storage infrastructure helps bridge the gap between local producers and local schools, strengthening our statewide food chain.

The most urgent need is strengthening supply chain resilience and expanding regional storage. Relying overwhelmingly on out-of-state food imports leaves Alaska vulnerable to logistics delays and price volatility.
I support state policy that invests in essential local food infrastructure—such as regional cold storage, distribution networks, and processing facilities—that enables local farmers, ranchers, and fishermen to store and transport products efficiently across the state. Streamlining agricultural land access and simplifying regulatory pathways for small processors will empower local businesses to grow and keep food dollars within Alaska.

Protecting our ability to grow, catch, and harvest food requires sustainable resource management, habitat stewardship, and guaranteed access to public lands and waters. Subsistence harvesting, sports fishing, and commercial food production are core components of Alaska’s economy and culture

What’s your favorite local food?

Wild Alaskan salmon—fresh or smoked—along with Southcentral-grown root vegetables and fresh wild berries.

House District 23

Ruby Jones (R)

“The most urgent need is strengthening Alaska’s ability to feed Alaskans. We produce extraordinary food here, yet too much of our food system depends on long, expensive supply chains while Alaska agriculture, fisheries, subsistence, transportation, and institutional purchasing are often treated as separate policy issues. I would focus on connecting those pieces.”

Full Survey Responses

I have been extremely fortunate. I have experienced periods of financial hardship, but I have always had enough food, and I don’t take that for granted.

Through more than a decade working throughout rural Alaska, including my years with Life Below Zero, I worked closely with families and individuals for whom food insecurity was a real part of life. Many genuinely relied on hunting, fishing, gathering, and sharing within their communities to feed their families. I saw how access to food could be affected by fuel prices, transportation costs, weather, availability, and the success or failure of a subsistence season.

Those experiences shaped my understanding that hunger in Alaska looks different depending on where you live. Addressing it requires both a reliable safety net and attention to the underlying conditions that make food inaccessible or unaffordable, including protecting the subsistence resources many Alaskans depend on.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The biggest challenge I see is affordability, particularly access to healthy, fresh food. Alaska families are paying more for groceries while also managing high costs for housing, energy, childcare, transportation, and healthcare. In rural communities, distance and transportation make that challenge even greater.

I saw the pressure firsthand while serving on the board of my children’s childcare center. When we struggled to find a cook to operate our food program, we realized how many children and staff depended on those meals. We stepped in to make lunches and created an informal food pantry in our entryway. Even though the meal program is operating again, the pantry remains.

That is also a bright spot. Alaskans are remarkably willing to take care of one another. But charity alone isn’t the solution. We need to make nutritious food more affordable and accessible, particularly for children, families, and communities with limited access to healthcare.

When an Alaska family struggles to put food on the table, I rarely think food is the only problem. High housing, energy, childcare, healthcare, and transportation costs all compete for the same household budget. A job loss, illness, reduced hours, or unexpected expense can quickly push a family that was getting by into crisis. In rural Alaska, extraordinarily high food and transportation costs add another layer.

I believe the state has responsibilities on both ends of this problem. We should maintain an effective safety net so Alaskans, especially children, do not go hungry. But we should also be asking why families need that safety net and addressing the underlying costs.

That means reliable administration of nutrition programs, supporting local food production and traditional food systems, and pursuing policies that reduce the cost of energy, housing, childcare, and doing business in Alaska. Success should ultimately mean fewer Alaskans need emergency food assistance.

I believe the state should play a role. If we are spending public dollars to feed Alaska children, we should be looking seriously at how more of those dollars can purchase nutritious food produced here.

I would like to see more Alaska-grown produce and Alaska-caught seafood in our schools, including exploring whether suitable, legally available seafood that might otherwise go unused can be directed into school meal programs. We should also make it easier for schools to purchase from Alaska farmers, fishermen, processors, and local or regional suppliers rather than relying almost exclusively on large national distributors.

There are real challenges involving cost, processing, storage, transportation, and consistent supply, particularly in rural Alaska. State policy can help solve those barriers.

Done well, school nutrition funding can accomplish several things at once: feed children better, reduce waste, strengthen Alaska producers, build our food infrastructure, and keep more public dollars circulating in Alaska.

The most urgent need is strengthening Alaska’s ability to feed Alaskans. We produce extraordinary food here, yet too much of our food system depends on long, expensive supply chains while Alaska agriculture, fisheries, subsistence, transportation, and institutional purchasing are often treated as separate policy issues.

I would focus on connecting those pieces. That means expanding opportunities for schools and other state-supported institutions to purchase Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught food, investing strategically in the processing, cold storage, distribution, and transportation infrastructure needed to make local food competitive, and protecting subsistence access and the resources communities depend on.

I would also look for ways to put nutritious, legally available Alaska seafood that might otherwise be underutilized to productive use.

Alaska will always import food, but we can become more resilient. State dollars should help build markets and infrastructure that make Alaska food more available and affordable while strengthening our own producers and communities.

The ability to grow, catch, hunt, fish, and harvest food is fundamental to Alaska’s self-sufficiency and way of life. I believe the state has a responsibility to protect the lands, waters, fisheries, wildlife, and agricultural resources that make that possible for future generations.

That means protecting reasonable public access, maintaining healthy and sustainable fish and wildlife populations, supporting working agricultural lands, and making sure development decisions consider long-term impacts on food resources.

I also believe strongly in local control. The people who live closest to these resources often have generations of knowledge about them, and their experience should have meaningful influence over decisions affecting access and management.

Alaska should be working toward greater self-sufficiency, not greater dependence. Protecting our ability to produce and harvest food locally strengthens families, rural communities, our economy, and our resilience when outside supply chains are disrupted.

What’s your favorite local food?

Agutaq

House District 24

Ken McCarty (R)

“We need to promote young farmers by promoting the trade in secondary education. We need to promote our farms and farmers through availing fertilizer options, co-op farming equipment, storage facilities, and effective infrastructure to move goods inside and out (export) of Alaska.”

Full Survey Responses

My experience with food insecurity has occurred due to major earthquakes and storms which stores and utilities were down for days. As a backpacking enthusiast I am use to rationing food; therefore, I have never experienced situations with absolutely no food for multiple days. As one who has experienced natural disasters, I have witnessed the quick depletion of food in stores in a short time.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Alaska is dependent upon barges to supply food. If a barge is down or looses containers than supply is greatly challenged. The bright spot of Alaska is food is plentiful in the form of fishing, hunting, and berry picking; however, it must be process (canned) to maintain security.

The cost of food for an Alaska family is a major struggle. Government influence in multiple means of infrastructure in moving goods can reduce costs. Another intervention by government is to promote local farming.

The nutrition of students to effectively neurologically process their academia is important. First is the education of parents / families on a healthy diets. Second is to differentiate those students who have economic challenges to receive a healthy diet.

Food security in Alaska is vitally important. We have only a few days of food in the stores. Anchorage’s port supposedly imports 80% of good to Alaska. We need multiple ports to secure reliability outside of Anchorage alone. In addition, we have 6 hatcheries in the Cook Inlet that are not being operated rather managed in a mothball state. Why? We can increase the fisheries of Alaska through opening up Cook hatcheries. Also, we have many potential farms that are being paid to remain dormant. Why? We need food for livestock and well as vegetables. Last, we need storage facilities, which the State has buildings available for such purpose yet not being used but maintained. Why?

We need to promote young farmers by promoting the trade in secondary education. We need to promote our farms and farmers through availing fertilizer options, co-op farming equipment, storage facilities, and effective infrastructure to move goods inside and out (export) of Alaska.

What’s your favorite local food?

Moose, salmon, potatoes, and pickled fiddle head ferns

Gina Wall (R)

“I think that strengthening Alaska’s supply chain is important. To address this, I would prioritize state incentives for investment in hub infrastructure, specifically climate-controlled storage and food distribution facilities. Additionally, I would support legislative policy to establish an Alaska Department of Agriculture, expand access to local producers via the Agricultural Revolving Loan Fund, and explore using state land for agricultural leasing. Finally, I would fully support funding state nutrition programs, such as Nutritional Alaskan Foods for Schools, to bolster local markets while expanding access to fresh food for families.”

Full Survey Responses

I have just started my 18th year as a high school counselor with the Anchorage School District, and during that time, I have seen many students and families struggle with food insecurity. When a student’s basic need for food is not met, it can lead to challenges such as chronic absenteeism, disruptive behavior, chronic stress, and difficulty focusing in school. It is nearly impossible for students to learn, grow, and thrive when they are experiencing hunger.

This issue is also personal for my family. I have nephews who were adopted through the Office of Children’s Services and experienced food insecurity early in their lives. I have seen firsthand how the long-term effects of that trauma can make life more challenging well beyond childhood. These experiences have reinforced for me the importance of meeting children’s basic needs and providing support as early as possible.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

I think that affordability is creating major challenges for many families. Nutritious, high quality food has gotten more expensive. Highly processed, low-quality food can sometimes seem affordable. I think bright spots are the increased availability of Alaska grown produce. Two days a week in my community of Eagle River people can find high quality, reasonably priced Alaska grown produce and food. Seeing so many of my neighbors at the Eagle River Farmers Market tells me this is a bright spot.

I believe life has gotten really challenging for working families. The cost of housing, energy, fuel for our vehicles has all increased. These pressures make it harder to put food on the table. I think that state government can help support families and Alaskan farmers by creating opportunities to supplement food budgets with Alaska grown produce. In addition, I think that means tested opportunities to support families with SNAP benefits are important.

I think that the state should provide state funding for school nutrition. Proposals like Rep. Dibert’s HB 12 make sense to support student success. In addition, supporting school purchases of Alaska grown and Alaska caught is a common sense win win for student nutrition and the Alaska economy.

I think that strengthening Alaska’s supply chain is important. To address this, I would prioritize state incentives for investment in hub infrastructure, specifically climate-controlled storage and food distribution facilities. Additionally, I would support legislative policy to establish an Alaska Department of Agriculture, expand access to local producers via the Agricultural Revolving Loan Fund, and explore using state land for agricultural leasing. Finally, I would fully support funding state nutrition programs, such as Nutritional Alaskan Foods for Schools, to bolster local markets while expanding access to fresh food for families.

The State should protect the land and waters that support our critical fisheries and marine habitats. To make land accessible for local agriculture, the State should expand long-term leasing of state-owned agricultural lands, lower entry barriers for new farmers through the Agricultural Revolving Loan Fund, and incentivize community-scale farming.

We must protect our wild harvest by supporting sustainable, science-based fisheries management and investing in regional processing and cold-storage infrastructure. Ensuring Alaskans can feed themselves means removing regulatory hurdles for local distribution while maintaining our ecosystems so our farms, fisheries, and traditional harvest grounds remain abundant and accessible for decades to come.

What’s your favorite local food?

My favorite local food is Kenai River red salmon, especially all the many ways my husband, Doug, prepares it!

House District 25

Steven Merritt (NP)

“The state’s public assistance challenges are well-documented, and that inadequacy needs to change. Staffing and proper training have been mentioned to me as a priority. Qualifying Alaskans should be able to rely on state government to deliver public assistance services in a timely, efficient manner.”

Full Survey Responses

It has not affected my family per se, but here in Palmer, one has to go no further than the brand new, spacious food bank and see it cleaned out every week due to the pressing need and food insecurity in this community. Folks are hurting.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Cost-of-living issues across the board are affecting residents of my district, and the cost of food and fuel is at the top of that list. Our bright spot is the Palmer Food Bank, its staff and leadership, and a community that steps up to take care of its neighbors.

The state’s public assistance challenges are well-documented, and that inadequacy needs to change. Staffing and proper training have been mentioned to me as a priority. Qualifying Alaskans should be able to rely on state government to deliver public assistance services in a timely, efficient manner.

Along with fully funding public education, the state can make strides toward getting these types of programs into the brick-and-mortar, neighborhood schools and work with charter schools to offer potential matching grant funding for these programs as well. The Valley is the agricultural hub of the state and should play a role in leading the way in locally grown programs.

The state should strive to create more food independence for all sectors and residents.

Offering more state land for dedicated agriculture, creating robust markets for locally-grown products and keeping subsistence harvesting alive for future generations is vital.

What’s your favorite local food?

A salmon that goes straight from the water to the grill!

House District 26

Steve St. Clair (R)

“The state needs to get out of the way of the private sector and allow them to address the issues with our food system. Non profits and charitable organizations can assist, but until the root problem is addressed this will always be a problem.”

Full Survey Responses

Yes, even though as a family we make sure we have food as a back up, ie canned salmon, moose and salmon the in freezer, we make sure our friends and family are taken care of. Proper planning decreases concerns of food security.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The salmon runs have been in decline. Many people I know depend on some salmon during the winter. Food panty’s and charitable organizations have stepped up to fill this void.

The states responsibility is to help in time of need. This isn’t for the long term, just in emergencies. The state should assist in helping a family by showing them how to provide for themselves. This may be involvement in a work program to gain necessary skills or direct them to a Non Profit that can assist.

It is not the schools responsibility to feed students it is the responsibility of the family. If a family is unable to provide meals for students we need to find the root problem and address it. There are non profits and other organizations that can donate Alaska Grown products

The state needs to get out of the way of the private sector and allow them to address the issues with our food system. Non profits and charitable organizations can assist, but until the root problem is addressed this will always be a problem

Get the land we were promised at statehood and it needs to be in the hands of Alaskans. Government is no the answer to all of our problems. Private sector and Alaskan’s know what is best for themselves, not a cookie cutter program established by bureaucrats.

What’s your favorite local food?

Carrots

Jeanne Troshynski (D)

“Education for pre-K through graduate programs is my number one priority. As a retired teacher, I assure you, hungry children cannot concentrate enough to learn. But education does not stop at the school door, we must be educating people about everything from the challenges we face in our food sources to how to grow your own food.”

Full Survey Responses

I am the oldest daughter of nine children. I have many memories of sitting at the table with my mother as she cried because she couldn’t figure out how to stretch a dollar one cent further. We had a garden, raised animals for food, and had chickens for eggs, it was ALWAYS a struggle. We did not use a food bank. My parents had a running account at the grocery store which the store allowed them to pay as they could. One time we had a babysitter who ate an entire box of Bugles. We were shocked. We didn’t know a person could do that. That was supposed to be for six of our lunches for a week. In college I knew how to make a one dollar meal of ramen noodles and green beans.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

I just heard last week that the Mat-Su Food Bank has seen a 400% increase in demand for food since the federal cuts have been coming down. The senior center in Palmer lost a grant for Meals on Wheels so Wasilla Area Senior Center has taken over getting meals to folks in Palmer- but only for seniors 80 and older. I’m really concerned about the cuts to SNAP and school lunch programs.

Food is too expensive right now. EVERYTHING is to expensive. I can’t imagine how a family can negotiate these costs. The state must find ways to address these food challenges. I am curious about successful programs in other states. We need to offer some type of financial support to assure folks are able to eat.

This is really important. We as a state are going to have to fill the gap as the federal government cuts these vital programs. Use of Alaska grown food is a win – win.

Education for pre-K through graduate programs is my number one priority. As a retired teacher, I assure you, hungry children cannot concentrate enough to learn. But education does not stop at the school door, we must be educating people about everything from the challenges we face in our food sources to how to grow your own food.

We have to work to protect our environment. This means NO Data Centers. Every impact on the health of our rivers, lakes, streams impacts wildlife. We need better regulations to assure the salmon are getting back to the streams and birds and mammals have healthy habitat. Alaskans are amazing at hunting and gathering, but if we don’t protect the environment there will nothing to hunt and gather.

What’s your favorite local food?

Salmon, specifically Copper River Reds

House District 28

Kit Kennedy (D)

“Unemployment, homelessness, increase in gas prices, rent and healthcare costs contribute to food insecurity. In the bush, subsistence is impacted by the increase in gas as the villagers use atvs to get to moose camp and haul the meat back home. Same with fishing, it takes gas to fuel a boat to get out in the ocean to fish. We need to ensure that our SNAP offices process applicants quickly. Churches and ministries already provide holiday meals and take home food, but it should not all fall on them. The state needs to provide funding for food banks.”

Full Survey Responses

I have been fortunate to have food on the table. When I was growing up, it was not always what I wanted, we often ate fish sticks or hot dogs, but we had food. Many Alaskan families go hungry, because of the reduction in SNAP benefits; for that reason, I donate food regularly to our food bank. I believe that we should help each other, no one should go hungry, no child should go to school wondering where their next meal will come from. How can kids learn when their belly is empty? I belong to a food coop, one year I ordered extra red peppers and romaine lettuce. I took the extras to the food bank and the staff were so excited! Fresh vegetables are not often donated in the winter so this was a great bonus.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

People are relying more and more on food banks to feed their families. Gas in one of the remote villages is $26 a gallon, which takes food off the table. How does one decide whether to buy gas, foos or baby formula? That should not happen in America!! Unemployment and social security checks are not sufficient to feed a family, and with the reduction in SNAP benefits, food banks are impacted as the need for their services increases. Many local organizations and charities have food drives for food banks. Three days during the AK State Fair, you can receive discounted admission when you donate a specific number of food products. Alaskans are generous and donate literally tons of food during the fair. Especially when they get discounted fair admission!!

Unemployment, homelessness, increase in gas prices, rent and healthcare costs contribute to food insecurity. In the bush, subsistence is impacted by the increase in gas as the villagers use atvs to get to moose camp and haul the meat back home. Same with fishing, it takes gas to fuel a boat to get out in the ocean to fish. We need to ensure that our SNAP offices process applicants quickly. Churches and ministries already provide holiday meals and take home food, but it should not all fall on them. The state needs to provide funding for food banks.

The state should fund school nutrition, at least one hot meal a day. There are also tons of grants available for donations of excess food and it is simply a matter of applying for them. A migrant ed friend in Fairbanks applies for these grants and cooks a hot lunch every day for anyone who needs it in her high school, this could be implemented state wide or borough wide and supplemented by state funding to provide a complete meal. This woman often makes seafood chowder, the state could fund purchase of bread or crackers, milk and fruit to make a healthier meal.

I think the fisheries are seriously impacted currently. The state needs to protect our fisheries which will help subsistence in the bush and throughout the state. Climate chanage is affecting the fisheries too and we need to look at ways to protect our oceans from heating up. We also need to prohibit off shore drilling which will negatively impact fisheries.

Pause construction of data centers that impact our water and electric grid until there is more information on the impacts. Carefully assess where new homes should be built and provide adequate infrastructure for them so as not to impact access to our state recreational land. Block drilling in the ANWR. Protect our oceans and rivers from unnecessary construction of homes and data centers.

What’s your favorite local food?

Halibut!

Elexie Moore (R)

“I would continue working to remove barriers to agricultural development, improve access to agricultural land, support infrastructure that helps Alaska producers get food to market, and ensure state regulations do not unnecessarily stand in the way of farmers, fishermen, processors, and small businesses.”

Full Survey Responses

I grew up on a farm, so my earliest understanding of food security came from knowing where our food came from and how much work it took to put it on the table. Growing, raising, preserving, and providing food taught me that access to food should never be taken for granted.

That experience shaped how I think about hunger in Alaska. Distance, transportation costs, weather, and our dependence on food shipped from Outside can make families especially vulnerable. It is one reason I care deeply about strengthening Alaska agriculture and supporting our farmers, producers, and local food systems. Addressing hunger means helping families in immediate need while also building a more resilient Alaska where we are better able to feed ourselves and our children.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The challenge I hear about most is simple: groceries are expensive, and families are feeling it. In Alaska, those costs are compounded by transportation, distance, and our dependence on food shipped from Outside. For families already stretching a household budget, increases in the cost of basic staples matter. But I’m also seeing reasons for optimism. Across the Mat Su, local farmers, producers, markets, and small businesses are working to grow more of what we consume right here at home. I’ve visited with farmers and producers and heard both their challenges and excitement about the future. Strengthening Alaska agriculture and improving access to agricultural land strengthens our economy, improves food security, and makes Alaska more resilient.

When an Alaska family is struggling to put food on the table, there is rarely just one reason. High grocery and housing costs, transportation, childcare, limited employment opportunities, and unexpected hardships can quickly overwhelm a household budget.

I believe state government has a role, but our goal should be more than treating the symptom. We should maintain a safety net for Alaskans who truly need it while addressing the costs and barriers that create dependency. That means supporting good paying jobs, lowering energy costs, strengthening local agriculture and food production, and ensuring assistance programs are efficient and reach those they are intended to serve. Success means more families have the opportunity and resources to provide for themselves.

No child should be sitting in a classroom trying to learn while they are hungry. Whatever our political philosophy, I believe we can agree on that.

The state should be thoughtful about where it invests limited dollars, and any funding for school nutrition should be targeted, accountable, and focused on students who truly need it. I would rather see resources reaching a hungry child than being absorbed by unnecessary administrative costs.

I also see an opportunity to connect school nutrition with another priority: strengthening Alaska’s food independence. When practical and cost-effective, schools should have greater opportunities to purchase Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods. That keeps dollars in our state, supports our farmers, fishermen, and producers, and gives students access to nutritious local food.

We can protect taxpayers, support Alaska industries, and make sure children have the nourishment they need to learn and succeed.

The most urgent need is reducing Alaska’s vulnerability by strengthening our ability to feed ourselves. We are heavily dependent on food transported thousands of miles, which leaves families exposed to high costs and supply disruptions. For a resource-rich state, we should be producing more of what we consume.

I would continue working to remove barriers to agricultural development, improve access to agricultural land, support infrastructure that helps Alaska producers get food to market, and ensure state regulations do not unnecessarily stand in the way of farmers, fishermen, processors, and small businesses.

We should also look for practical ways to connect Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught products with schools and other public institutions, particularly when doing so is competitive and responsible with taxpayer dollars.

Growing, catching, and harvesting our own food is part of who we are as Alaskans, and I believe the state has a responsibility to protect those opportunities for future generations.

That means maintaining access to public lands and waters, responsibly managing our fish and wildlife resources, protecting working agricultural lands, and ensuring Alaskans have opportunities to put state agricultural land into production. We should be cautious of policies that unnecessarily restrict traditional access or make it harder for families and small producers to harvest and provide food.

I want my children and grandchildren to inherit an Alaska where they can hunt, fish, farm, gather, and provide for their families just as generations of Alaskans have before them. Just as they are being raised now.

What’s your favorite local food?

Pam’s carrots! They’re sold at Bushes Bunches farm Market, and are hands down one of my favorite parts of fall in Alaska. They are so sweet and crunchy that we eat them like candy. We buy them in 50 pound bags every year and eat them fresh, can them, and pickle them for later. There is just something special about food grown right here at home. If you’ve ever had one of Pam’s carrots fresh and crunchy, you know exactly what I mean. So good!

House District 29

Jessica Kusner-Kalarchik (NP)

“I think that we have learned that we cannot depend on the federal government to provide reliable food aid. It has been used as a partisan tool to bend the will of politicians. Our state government needs address public systems with this knowledge in mind. there is no one solution, but I would start by addressing the shortfalls created by reduction of federal snap benefits, and development of a food shortage monitoring program accountable to the state.”

Full Survey Responses

As a young soldier in Alaska, our family at times were dependent upon the kindness of others in order to put food on the table for our small children. The thing that sticks in my mind was the lack of options as far as food options when you are receiving donated food. This experience shaped my relationship with food and my ability to harvest Alaska’s natural resources to feed my family.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The cost of almost all groceries in my district are leading people to go hungry. Alaskans are hardy folks and are able to supplement their supplies with salmon and wild game. Not every part of America has this opportunity. We as a community need to put aside partisan bickering and serve the people of our communities.

We in Alaska, not only are subject to extremely high grocery costs, but also in some areas and during some times of the year, we find ourselves in a food desert. Our elected officials have depended on the market economy to resolve these issues, but only those who can afford fresh foods are benefiting from this. The vast majority of Alaskans are left with less options. Our rail and freight infrastructure needs to work for all Alaskans, not just for insiders in the oil/gas and mineral extraction industries.

I don’t think anyone debates that children require and deserve a healthy meal while in school. As a child in a struggling family, I was a recipient of free lunch. It was a humiliating experience that no child should have to bear. All children should have lunch available to them at no cost. Our legislature needs to find a solution to this that works within our budget constraints.

I think that we have learned that we cannot depend on the federal govornment to provide reliable food aid. It has been used as a partisan tool to bend the will of politicians. Our state govornment needs address public systems with this knowledge in mind. there is no one solution, but I would start by addressing the shortfalls created by reduction of federal snap benefits, and development of a food shortage monitoring program accountable to the state.

The state needs to make access and availability of public lands to hunt and fish from easier for subsistence alaskans. I have been on hunts where sport trophy hunters are leaving the field from the upper yukon with half dozen rotting caribou, because they are only legally required to pack the meat out, not in a timely manner. this serves nobody but wealthy outsiders, leaving alaskans holding the check. This abuse happens in every corner of alaska, and needs to stop.

What’s your favorite local food?

Copper river Silver and Red Salmon

House District 30

Sandra Loomis (D)

“Alaska kids should never go hungry. Local foods are the best foods for us all. The state should support these programs. Safe housing and food security are the two things any decent society would ensure for the citizenry.”

Full Survey Responses

Yes, we were low income when we first arrived to Alaska. Then when I was a young mother, I could not have made it without WIC. And, I have volunteered many hours with our local food pantry and witnessed the despair when there is not enough money to put food on the table.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Low access to fresh food. Long travel times to get groceries, and can be extremely challenging with weather and conditions and extremely costly with the high cost of gas.

Income Inequity and the lack of a fair share of the wealth of this country. Better wages, less spread between a CEO’s income and the regular folks who work at the company. Better opportunities for education. Higher education is priced out for many.

Alaska kids should never go hungry. Local foods are the best foods for us all. The state should support these programs. Safe housing and food security are the two things any decent society would ensure for the citizenry.

Sustainability for the State. Support local farmers so that the amount we import goes down as low as possible.

Encourage our governor to coordinate the board of fisheries and NPFMC to ensure a balance of representation and to reduce bycatch. Require USE of ALL bycatch.

What’s your favorite local food?

SO MANY! Moose & Berries <3

House District 31

Maxine Dibert (D)

“I am encouraged by efforts to get more Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught food into our schools. I would love to see more Alaskan fish, locally grown vegetables, and other healthy local foods served in our cafeterias and I would support funding to make this connection to nourish our students and strengthen local producers and our economy.”

Full Survey Responses

As a teacher for more than 20 years, I know firsthand how important it is for our students to be well-nourished. We know children learn better when they are fed and ready to learn. There should be no place for hunger in a classroom, and teachers and parents should never have to worry about whether a child had breakfast or will have enough to eat at lunch. I never want teachers or parents to be worried about whether their students had breakfast or if they have a good lunch. This is why I introduced HB 12 to provide free breakfast and lunch to Alaska students.

I also grew up connected to subsistence. My grandparents fished the Yukon River, as our people have for generations, and fish has always been an important part of our lives. Seeing the collapse of Yukon salmon runs deeply concerns me, especially because of what it means for food security in rural Alaska. Addressing this issue will continue to be a top priority for me.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The biggest challenge I hear about is cost. In Fairbanks, families are already dealing with some of the highest utility costs in the country, and groceries are expensive too. That puts real pressure on household budgets.

At the same time, Fairbanks is one of the strongest communities I know. People look out for one another and step up when their neighbors need help, whether through Bread Line, local churches, or foodbanks. I feel incredibly fortunate to have grown up here, and it is truly an honor to represent this community.

While some rising costs that we see are driven by national and international politics, it is absolutely true that our state government still has a responsibility to protect Alaskans’ quality of life and make it easier for families to get by. There are practical things we can do: create more good-paying jobs, increase housing supply, expand access to childcare and healthcare, and lower energy costs, especially here in Fairbanks. Food insecurity is often connected to all of these pressures at once. The Legislature can and should help by lowering those everyday costs and making it easier for families to afford the food they need. Additionally any state funding we can prioritize for food banks and locally produced food providers would be helpful.

I am encouraged by efforts to get more Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught food into our schools. I would love to see more Alaskan fish, locally grown vegetables, and other healthy local foods served in our cafeterias and I would support funding to make this connection to nourish our students and strengthen local producers and our economy. I also support increasing the income limits so that more students can qualify for breakfast and lunch cost reductions.

We need to invest in the transportation and storage infrastructure that helps get food to communities without unnecessary waste or added costs. We should also be doing more to support Alaska farmers and make it easier to grow and produce food here at home. We need to find ways to incentivize locally produced food. That means more local jobs, more money staying in our communities, and a stronger, more reliable food system for Alaskans.

As a proud Koyukon Athabascan, hunting, fishing, and subsistence were part of how my family stayed connected to our culture and each other. I want future generations to have those same opportunities.

I support science-based management that also respects Indigenous knowledge, protecting access for subsistence users, and addressing declining fish stocks. We also need to support the next generation of Alaska farmers and producers by protecting productive land and investing in the infrastructure they need to succeed.

What’s your favorite local food?

Alaska salmon! I also enjoy any fresh fruits and vegetables from our local farmers markets.

House District 33

Barbara Haney (R)

“A policy that lowers the cost of moving and storing food improves food security in every community at once — urban, Interior, and rural — without creating a new program to administer.”

Full Survey Responses

Yes. After my late husband’s stroke, he needed full-time care, and neither of us could work. We were on public assistance then, and food boxes were essential to us.

That experience taught me two things. First, food insecurity is usually not a story about people who won’t work. It is a story about a household that was managing until something happened — an illness, an injury, a layoff — and then everything happened at once. Anyone can end up there. Second, the people handing out those boxes were mostly volunteers and neighbors, and they treated us with dignity when we had very little. That matters as much as the food.

It is also why I’ve said publicly that food security is one issue I would work across party lines on. When it became urgent in Alaska, legislators from both parties worked on it together. That is the right model.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Cost, first and foremost. In North Pole and the Interior, families are paying for groceries twice: once at the register, and again in the heating and fuel bills that eat the same paycheck. When energy costs spike, the grocery budget is what gives. I hear it constantly at the doors — people describing which aisles they’ve stopped walking down.

Distance compounds it. We are at the end of a long and expensive supply chain, and every disruption upstream shows up in Interior prices within weeks.

The bright spots are local and largely volunteer-driven: our farmers markets, the growth in local producers willing to farm in a short season, church and community pantries, and neighbors who quietly share moose and salmon. Alaskans solve this for each other before government ever arrives. That instinct is worth protecting.

The most common reason is that the cost of living has outrun household income — and in the Interior, the biggest driver of that is energy. Heat, fuel, and electricity are not separate from the food budget; they compete with it directly. Add transportation costs into a remote state and you have families who are working and still short at the end of the month.

The state’s most useful role is lowering those structural costs rather than only treating the symptom. Get affordable gas to the Railbelt, fix property tax statutes that price families out of their homes, and pay the Permanent Fund dividend — which for many households is the single largest direct help the state provides.

Emergency food assistance matters and should function reliably. But the durable fix is an economy where a working family isn’t choosing between the fuel tank and the grocery cart.

I’m open to it, and I’d want it done in a way that survives a tight budget year rather than becoming another program that gets cut first.

A child who is hungry cannot learn, and academic achievement is my central education priority — so this isn’t separate from my education agenda, it’s part of it. Where the state can help schools buy Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught food, there’s a double return: children eat better, and the money stays with Alaska farmers and fishermen instead of leaving the state.

I’d want to see the actual numbers before committing to a specific funding mechanism — that’s the economist in me. But I’d start by looking at whether existing federal nutrition dollars are being fully drawn down, since money Alaska leaves on the table is the cheapest place to begin.

Transportation and energy costs, because they sit underneath every other food problem in Alaska. A policy that lowers the cost of moving and storing food improves food security in every community at once — urban, Interior, and rural — without creating a new program to administer.

Specifically: secure firm, affordable gas to the Railbelt, which lowers the cost of heating a greenhouse, running a freezer, and trucking a pallet. Support the Interior’s fish hatcheries, which keep local stocks healthy and put protein directly in Alaskan freezers. Manage coastal fisheries on the biology rather than politics — I’m on record supporting restrictions in Area M based on the science, because when salmon don’t reach the Yukon and Tanana, Interior families pay for it at the table.

Protect access, manage on the science, and keep farmland viable.

Access first: Alaskans need to reach the lands and waters where they hunt, fish, and gather. Federal closures and permitting obstacles that lock Alaskans out of their own country threaten how families here feed themselves.

Science second: fisheries decisions should follow the biology, not whichever user group lobbies hardest.

Third, the tax code. In February 2024 I organized advocacy urging support for SB 161, the farm tax provisions later folded into SB 179. That December, on the Assembly, I co-sponsored Ordinance 2024-48 bringing borough code into compliance with the state’s expanded preferential assessment for farm land and farm structures. Advocate for it at the state level, then implement it locally.

Fourth, I want to examine covenants so marginal lands can be repurposed for agricultural use. That issue is one mentioned repeatedly by the farm community

What’s your favorite local food?

It is a tie between Halibut and Moose meat burgers.

Pepper McFarland (Undeclared)

“Unemployment, underemployment and substance abuse are probably the largest barriers to making sure that families have enough quality food. Healthy food is especially expensive. State government can supplement SNAP benefits and sponsor programs that allow people to extend their benefits. As a state we need to do better at supporting the working family in multiple ways to improve their health, their education, and their job prospects.”

Full Survey Responses

I personally have never experienced food insecurity. However, as a teacher, I have experienced the outcome of students who struggle with hunger. When I taught at Tanana Middle School and Lathrop High School, I always kept granola bars in my desk. Some students would arrive too late to get breakfast, and knowing that students can’t learn if they are hungry, I would share it with them to help get their day started. A simple act but I feel it made a difference. Food insecurity affects many families in our community and has so many impacts, learning being one of them.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Cost is the biggest barrier to many families in North Pole. Fortunately, we do have two grocery stores, but the rise in food costs is making their limited income not go as far. The cost of fuel to get to and from jobs is further reducing the amount of money available for food. The Chamber of Commerce in North Pole has created a Friday Market where locals can buy local fresh food, but it is still very limited. Our local food bank has a constant need for more support.

Unemployment, underemployment and substance abuse are probably the largest barriers to making sure that families have enough quality food. Healthy food is especially expensive. State government can supplement SNAP benefits and sponsor programs that allow people to extend their benefits. As a state we need to do better at supporting the working family in multiple ways to improve their health, their education, and their job prospects.

State and federal governments should be funding school breakfasts and lunches. There should not be hungry children anywhere in the United States. Healthy local foods should be available and the rules and regulations that are prohibiting local schools from taking advantage should be adjusted to allow access by schools.

I will admit that I have a lot to learn about food security in Alaska. But, I am willing to learn, and I will support legislation that improves access to healthy food as well as any policies that promote healthy lifestyles for the people of Alaska. I got into this race because I want to help people. If elected, my goal will be to focus on legislation that helps families, children, and elders. I want Alaska to be a place where everyone can thrive.

The legislature needs to protect subsistence opportunities for all Alaskans. We need to limit by catch and limit out of state sport hunting and fishing. The state needs to tie in-state licensure to the PFD. If you don’t receive a PFD, you cannot hunt or fish on an in-state license. Expanding the cooperative extension training on growing and harvesting food might help folks be more successful at growing food locally too.

What’s your favorite local food?

Halibut and wild blueberries.

Mike Prax (R)

“In many cases, it appears that people are unwilling to forego current consumption patterns or accept an entry level employment position is order to afford food. (There appears to be plenty of food available and entry level employment positions that are going unfilled.)”

Full Survey Responses

I ran out of money to purchase food when I was in my early 20s while attending college. I accepted a job bussing tables at the Black Angus restaurant – which was not the type of job I wanted or had been seeking, but enabled me to get back on my feet.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

In many cases, it appears that people are unwilling to forego current consumption patterns or accept an entry level employmnet position is order to afford food. (There appears to be plenty of food available and entry level employment positions that are going unfilled.)

The most common problem seems to be that people are unwilling to accept a less than desireable employment situation.

N/A.

That would depend on where we are willing to reduce spending on other state programs so funds are available to meet this need.

Encourage fin-fish farming to reduce pressure on ocean raised fish. Encourage preditor control to reduce pressure on wild game species. Encourage gardening in rural and bush communities.

What’s your favorite local food?

Potatoes

House District 34

Joy Beth Cottle (NP)

“In Fairbanks, we have churches, the Food bank, Stone Soup and other agencies to aid in food insecurity and if elected, I want to make sure the organizations around the state have the resources needed to assist their communities.“

Full Survey Responses

Growing up, we always lived frugally, with my mom baking bread, canning, freezing, and drying foods to be cooked for a family of nine. Even so, we had WIC benefits when she was pregnant and nursing.

When I found myself suddenly responsible for two of my teenage brothers at the age of 19, there was no way I’d be capable of keeping food on the table without the help of state assistance and the Food Bank. Teenage boys eat a lot, and I was grateful they found jobs with meal benefits while they were in high school.

In Fairbanks, we have churches, the Food bank, Stone Soup and other agencies to aid in food insecurity and if elected, I want to make sure the organizations around the state have the resources needed to assist their communities.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The challenges I have heard from people in Fairbanks include a combination of unhoused citizens who are hungry and children arriving at school hungry and families lining up at the foodbank. Due to the Iran war and inflation, food, utilities and gas have increased, and I see food insecurity becoming more prominent. Some of the bright spots are the Food Bank, Stone Soup and local churches. They will need more resources from the state and federal level and I am looking forward to assisting.

Families struggling this year are tied to increase in heating, utilities, groceries, housing, tariffs, the big, beautiful bill and a lot of self-inflicted wounds. Alaskans are blessed to receive a dividend which helps a little, but the state must be ready to assist. Again, looking at grants to assist the food assistance providers and any other resources we can provide will be vital to get our citizens through this upcoming winter.

I believe the state should continue using federal funds for school meals and continue working with statewide agriculture programs to use Alaska grown products. If the budget allows, I would be interested in seeing a statewide task force to look at the needs and how the legislature can properly address them.

I want to advocate for the state funded doubling of SNAP benefits at local farmers markets and CSA’s. Food is the fuel and the building blocks which influence our health the most, and getting fresh local produce into the hands of people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford fresh food is imperative. I would want to review what programs are currently in place, talk to stakeholders and look at what options are available to the legislature. If elected, I look forward to the challenge.

I believe the state should continue funding its agriculture programs, continue funding options like the 4 H clubs and continue to look at our resources to decide how the state can parcel out land that will be suitable for Alaskans to grow their own food and utilize the abundance Alaska has to offer. While it may prove to be challenging in Fairbanks, I’d love to see more backyard gardens and chickens in the state. It’s mind-boggling how many eggs just one or two chickens can lay.

What’s your favorite local food?

Oh that’s a tough one – fresh from the garden, I would say Nantes carrots, just rinsed off with the hose. My first job was working at a carrot farm in Delta Junction, and crunching into a sweet carrot is nostalgic for me. For processed foods, I think it’s a toss up between my dry brine smoked sockeye and the maple-chili caribou jerky I smoke. A loaf of my sourdough with butter is a close third And for a sweet treat, Northern Lights Dairy vanilla ice cream. I grew up in Delta Junction and we would go to the farm itself after church, put money on the freezer and take a half gallon home to enjoy as a family.

Harmony Tomaszewski (R)

“I believe one of our most urgent needs is producing more food here in Alaska. As someone who has grown, processed, packaged, and sold an Alaska food product, I know growing the food is only part of the challenge. Producers also face costs for energy, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, and getting products to market.”

Full Survey Responses

For nearly a decade, I’ve seen food insecurity firsthand through a local food pantry I helped start. I’ve met seniors, families, and working people who needed a little help putting food on the table. Sometimes it was an unexpected expense, a change in circumstances, or simply the rising cost of everyday necessities.

That experience has shown me how many different people can face food insecurity. Our friends, neighbors, seniors, and working families can all go through a difficult season when a little help makes a real difference.

I’ve also seen the generosity of our community. With food from the Food Bank and donations from local businesses and neighbors, volunteers show up week after week to make sure that food reaches people who need it.

Hunger in Alaska isn’t abstract to me. I’ve seen the need firsthand, but I’ve also seen what happens when a community works together to help.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The cost of groceries is one of the big concerns I hear from families. From my years around local producers, I know many of the same high costs, especially packaging, energy, and transportation, also affect the people growing and producing our food.

One of the bright spots is the growing interest in Alaska Grown food. I sold my birch syrup products at the Tanana Valley Farmers Market for years, and I know many of our local farmers, beekeepers, and producers. I’ve seen firsthand how hard they work and how much our community values what they produce.

I love seeing people shop at our farmer’s markets, visit local farms, and buy food grown here. Alaska has tremendous potential for more farms and more locally produced food. Supporting local agriculture strengthens our food security, creates opportunities for producers, and keeps more of our food dollars in Alaska.

There are many reasons a family may struggle to put food on the table. A lost job, unexpected expense, or rising costs for housing, energy, groceries, and other necessities can quickly stretch a budget. From my years at the food pantry, I know every family’s circumstances are different.

I believe the state should address both immediate needs and underlying causes. We need an effective safety net for Alaskans who need help while also making Alaska more affordable. That means lowering energy costs, supporting good jobs, strengthening local food production, and removing unnecessary barriers that make it more expensive to run a business or farm here.

Government is only one part of the solution. Food banks, nonprofits, businesses, and farmers already do tremendous work in our communities. The state should work alongside them while focusing on solutions that help families become more financially secure and better able to provide for themselves.

I want our students to have healthy, tasty food they will actually enjoy eating. I support getting more Alaska grown and Alaska caught food into our schools through programs like Farm to School. I especially like that traditional Alaska foods, including donated fish and wild game, can be served when food safety requirements are met. Every school is different. Kitchens, equipment, staffing, and the ability to prepare fresh food vary, so we need flexibility.

We should first use available federal resources effectively and understand where real gaps remain before committing additional state dollars. Where state support makes sense, it should be targeted, accountable, and focused on results. When practical, I would like more school food dollars spent on food grown, caught, and produced in Alaska. Done well, we can provide good food for our children while strengthening markets for Alaska farmers, fishermen, and food producers.

I believe one of our most urgent needs is producing more food here in Alaska. As someone who has grown, processed, packaged, and sold an Alaska food product, I know growing the food is only part of the challenge. Producers also face costs for energy, processing, packaging, storage, transportation, and getting products to market.

We should make more suitable agricultural land available, reduce unnecessary barriers, improve access to markets, and work toward affordable, reliable energy for our farmers and producers.

I also support giving agriculture greater priority within state government. I believe we should evaluate establishing a Department of Agriculture, including whether we can better coordinate existing agricultural programs and resources without unnecessarily growing government or costs.

Alaska has tremendous agricultural potential. I want to help create the conditions for more farms, stronger producers, and more Alaska food on Alaska tables.

Growing, hunting, fishing, and harvesting food are part of life in Alaska, and I want future generations to have those same opportunities. My family has gardened, hunted, fished, preserved food, and filled our freezer with food harvested here. I know the value of having that connection to where our food comes from.

Protecting that opportunity requires protecting both our resources and access to them. I am deeply concerned about declining salmon runs and communities that have gone years with severely limited opportunities to harvest fish. We need to understand and address all factors affecting our fisheries, including habitat, changing conditions, and the impacts of bycatch.

The state should protect access to public lands and waters, responsibly manage fish and wildlife, and increase productive agricultural land available for farming. Future generations should have the opportunity to grow a garden, hunt, fish, and harvest the foods that have sustained Alaskans for generations.

What’s your favorite local food?

That’s a hard choice! I almost have to say moose. I’ve cooked it just about every way possible, including corning and canning it. But in the end, I have to choose birch syrup. After producing and selling birch syrup products for more than a decade, it will always have a special place on my list of favorite Alaska foods.

House District 35

Ashley Carrick (D)

“We need to ensure that state land that is used for agricultural purposes is developed responsibly. Additionally, I believe subsistence hunting and fishing followed closely by personal use fishing by Alaskans should be our top allocation priorities for fish and wildlife resources in Alaska.”

Full Survey Responses

Yes, I grew up food insecure. That experience gives me a greater ability to empathize with food insecure Alaskans and a stronger drive to advocate for those vulnerable Alaskans.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Back-to-back SNAP benefit backlogs between 2022 and 2024 left thousands of Alaskans hungry. Raising food prices this year are going to put even more strain on our food bank network and anti-hunger organizations. This session, I was able to secure $300,000 for SNAP benefit usage at farmers markets, which helps vulnerable Alaskans access quality local food and supports our local agricultural industry.

Each family has different reasons for being food insecure. As a Representative, I have been proud to support the SNAP program and our local food banks to ensure that vulnerable Alaskans can get the support they need.

During the pandemic, the state had free breakfast and lunch for all students. During the 34th Legislature, HB 12 would have leveraged federal funding to provide free breakfast and lunch for all students in Alaska. Although that bill did not pass, it highlighted an important issue and I hope it gains traction in 2027.

We need to protect investments in SNAP to ensure that vulnerable Alaskans have access to food. Additionally, we need to support our local agricultural industry so we can have a more secure food supply. I’ve supported policies to reduce barriers on local farmers through property tax relief, cutting red tape, opening opportunities for capital investment, and opening up state land for development. I also represent the West Fairbanks House District that includes Alaska’s Agricultural College (UAF) and I believe we need additional agricultural programs and grants to support Ag. development.

We need to ensure that state land that is used for agricultural purposes is developed responsibly. Additionally, I believe subsistence hunting and fishing followed closely by personal use fishing by Alaskans should be our top allocation priorities for fish and wildlife resources in Alaska.

What’s your favorite local food?

Morell mushrooms from Boreal Woods Mushroom Farm in Ester Alaska. They are AMAZING!

House District 36

Crystal Jones (NP)

“The most urgent need is treating food access as infrastructure, the same way we treat roads, power, and broadband. For District 36 and rural Alaska generally, that means investing in transportation and energy reliability that keeps food costs from spiking every time weather or fuel prices shift, and it means real support for local agriculture and fisheries so more food is grown and caught here instead of shipped in.”

Full Survey Responses

Yes, deeply. I grew up poor, and food insecurity was a constant in my childhood; food stamps and other government programs are the reason my family made it through. I know what it feels like to wonder if there will be enough at the end of the month, and I carry that with me into every conversation about hunger policy. Kodiak, where I spent most of my childhood, taught me early how remoteness multiplies the problem: when the barge is late or the weather turns, prices spike and shelves empty, no matter how much money is in your pocket. That combination, poverty and remoteness, shaped how I think about hunger in Alaska. It is not a moral failing; it is a systems failure, and support programs are not a handout. They are what let kids grow up to become taxpayers, workers, and candidates for office.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Across District 36, the biggest challenge is remoteness stacked on rising costs: fuel and freight prices ripple straight into grocery prices in places like Glennallen, Tok, and Delta Junction, where the nearest big store can be hours away. I have heard from elders and young families who are leaning harder on subsistence hunting and fishing just to keep freezers full, and who worry about continued access to those lands and waters. A bright spot: I am seeing more interest in home gardening, food preservation, and community food-sharing networks than I have in years, partly born out of necessity. Food banks and mutual aid networks in our communities are stretched thin but still showing up. Alaskans are resourceful; they always have been. What is missing is state-level support that matches that resourcefulness instead of leaving communities to shoulder the whole burden alone.

The most common reasons are the ones I lived: low or unstable wages, high cost of living, and the added tax remoteness places on every gallon of milk and gas. In much of Alaska, and especially District 36, food has to travel hundreds of miles before it reaches a shelf, so any disruption, weather, fuel prices, supply chains, hits families first and hardest. State government cannot fix every cause, but it can stop making things worse and start making them better: protecting the PFD Alaskans depend on, investing in rural infrastructure and energy relief so more income goes toward food instead of heat and power, and supporting local food production and distribution networks so communities are less dependent on the barge and the truck. Government’s role is not to dictate solutions from our legislature; it is to build the conditions where Alaskan families can solve hunger themselves.

With no dedicated state funding for school nutrition, Alaska is asking already-stretched school districts to cover a basic need for 130,000 kids, including the 1 in 5 who are food insecure. That is a gap our legislature should close. I support dedicated state funding for school meals, paired with incentives for districts to purchase Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods first. That does double duty: it feeds kids well, and it strengthens local farmers, fishermen, and food producers instead of sending those dollars out of state. In a district covering communities from Glennallen to the Yukon River, I would push for funding structures flexible enough to work for rural and remote schools, not just road-system districts with easy supplier access. No child should sit in a classroom hungry because of where in Alaska they were born; that is a solvable problem.

The most urgent need is treating food access as infrastructure, the same way we treat roads, power, and broadband. For District 36 and rural Alaska generally, that means investing in transportation and energy reliability that keeps food costs from spiking every time weather or fuel prices shift, and it means real support for local agriculture and fisheries so more food is grown and caught here instead of shipped in. Specifically, I would push for expanding rural energy cost relief through the PCE program, supporting food storage and preservation infrastructure in remote communities, and directing state investment toward local food production rather than programs like AIDEA that have delivered weak returns. Food security, energy security, and economic security are the same fight in rural Alaska; solving one strengthens the others.

Protecting future Alaskans’ ability to grow, catch, and harvest food starts with protecting the lands and waters that make it possible. I support strong tribal co-management and subsistence rights protections under ANILCA, and I oppose resource decisions, like the current terms around Pebble Mine, that put short-term industry gain ahead of long-term food security and healthy ecosystems. I also support banning trawling in state waters to protect fish stocks that families and commercial fishermen depend on. Beyond protecting access, the state should actively support small-scale agriculture, homesteading, and local food production through better rural infrastructure and streamlined support for new growers and harvesters. I am building my own home in Nelchina by hand, hauling my own water; I know firsthand what it takes to feed a family close to the land here, and future generations deserve that option too.

What’s your favorite local food?

Homemade halibut fish and chips, and perok.

Rebecca Schwanke (R)

“The State must maintain control over our state/private lands and waters for the purpose of growing/managing wild fish and game, and push back on federal management that does not share the same constitutional requirement to develop wild fish and game populations for harvest.”

Full Survey Responses

As a child, I was graced by a family with strong ties to hunting, fishing, and gardening to put food on my table, traditions I have continued to this day with my own family. I have witnessed food insecurity in my community amongst elders who can no longer subsist off the land/water, and who’s families have lost the tradition. Living in Alaska, the vast majority of us have opportunities to put wild foods on our table, in our pantry, and in our freezers, if we put in the time and effort to learn about subsistence and work to bring these opportunities to fruition. Sadly, subsistence is not free, it takes transportation and appropriate gear. It also takes active fish and wildlife management to ensure abundant populations. In the absence of subsistence opportunities, Alaskans have tremendous opportunity to grow foods at home or take part in collective agricultural organizations. This again though, is not free, it takes land, time, and financial resources. Alaskans must work to help others to better understand all the opportunities available to find, collect, grow and secure natural foods.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Rural communities have extremely low availability of affordable fresh produce, and many more have limited fishing seasons due to conservation concerns. The bright spots have been efforts by TCC and others to encourage greenhouses and hydroponics, as well as sharing abundant fish from other regions. I am heartened by the RHTP program putting support into new hydroponic and rural gardening/processing program opportunities. Our elder meal programs are very helpful but funding has been variable. I would much prefer communities band together to provide wild food harvesting, processing, and distribution. This way, youth learn where and how to help, not just elders, but themselves.

Every struggling family has a different story. Many have lost employment or don’t make enough to cover grocery bills in the absence of subsistence activities. Many have recurring costs for technology and other household needs that cut into food budgets. Many live in areas where grocery prices are simply exorbitant, and flight costs are rising creating more difficulties getting bulk foods flown out. The State will always play a role in offering public assistance when families need a helping hand to make ends meet. This assistance cannot be permanent though. The State should continue efforts to encourage healthy and traditional activities, possibly providing incentives for families to re-engage with cultural food collection/preservation. Young people must be helping elders, whether family or otherwise. The State should play a continued role in ensuring payment of Senior benefits and ensuring available grant opportunities make their way to benefit Seniors in need.

A bill last year came forth to provide full funding for every school lunch to the tune of $28 million. This is not sustainable nor is it necessary. Alaskan schools receive significant federal funding for school lunches under many different grants, largely for individual students that are financially insecure, but also for migratory students. These are good programs, but the State should continue to pull away when and where we can, to get away from federal oversight. This would decrease waste from poor-tasting meals thrown away and allow more schools to take, process, and use wild Alaskan foods. Individual Alaskans should continue to donate to school lunch programs when and where they can, and communities should play a bigger role. If the government pays to always fill the gap, community members turn a blind eye to what’s generally a local problem.

There are many places the State could work more pro-actively to improve food security, this is my #1 issue. Initially, the State needs to push back against federal overreach into our fisheries and wildlife hunting regulatory system and demand active management across all federal lands to ensure more abundant fisheries and game instead of just allowing federal managers to consistently close areas to harvest. I would like to see the State be more aggressive with offering agricultural land sales with low interest loan opportunities, land sales are too little and too separated when we have active interest now in expanding Alaskan agriculture. Our state will last 3 days if our shipping/air food supply chain goes down. We can change this. The State should work closely with regional partners around the state to improve storage options for dry and processed foods. We also need to support broad infrastructure development to help our agricultural community engage in value-added activities, improving food security and our economy.

The State must maintain control over our state/private lands and waters for the purpose of growing/managing wild fish and game, and push back on federal management that does not share the same constitutional requirement to develop wild fish and game populations for harvest. The State will always work to develop and improve our resources for Alaskans while variable and competing federal objectives often look good on the surface (greater subsistence opportunity whenever requested by rural hunters/fishermen), but eventually conservation problems catch up, and active predator and habitat management is needed – yet federal managers cannot implement these programs. Maintaining public access through RS2477 and federal 17b easements is equally important to access public fish and game, and Alaska’s State Defense Fund should be maintained as we must remain vigilant to encroachment on our access rights. All Alaskans must work together to ensure our collective food security needs are met.

What’s your favorite local food?

Dall sheep

House District 37

Mark Smith (NP)

“Poverty correllates with lack of purchasing power at the grocery store AND poorly equiped to successfully hunt. Proxy hunting is a help and low income permits would be helpful.”

Full Survey Responses

Yes. In remote Alaska financial poverty is the norm, not the exception. Grocery stores sell some of the highest priced food in the US. Even with super premium pricing, shipping interruptions are common. Subsistance foods are often regulated by state and federal regulations and are not always legally allowed.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Some regions had exceptional salmon runs, some regions had no subsistence openings. Moose hunting success is often subject to having enough mobility and money to hunt. Ironically subsistance is most successful if you are wealthy.

Poverty correllates with lack of purchasing power at the grocery store AND poorly equiped to successfully hunt. Proxy hunting is a help and low income permits would be helpful.

State and related entities has, and should continue, to source Alaska based food for schools.

In rural areas subsistance should be ‘always an option’ for the financially distressed.

Ensure subsistance preference is always the resource policy.

What’s your favorite local food?

Salmon Berries

Evelynn Trefon (D)

“For my region, we need more representation from our regions on board of fish. I feel this is the most urgent need on food systems in my region. I would work with local communities and the governor to see who could be put into these positions. Another urgent need is to have reliable education funding. With forward funding of education, school districts will be able to make informed decisions early on they can afford for school lunch costs, staff, curriculum, and more.”

Full Survey Responses

Food insecurity has touched every stage of my life. Growing up, my parents worked multiple jobs to keep food on our table. After moving to Newhalen, I saw firsthand how difficult it was to access fresh fruits and vegetables. When my daughter was almost one, I started a produce business—strapping her into her car seat with a banana and selling produce door to door. Twelve years later, that effort has grown into a local farmers market-style produce market.

In 2024, our school district stopped funding food and freight for breakfast and lunch programs, leaving communities to raise money and find donations to feed our students. For some children, school meals are their most reliable source of food. When SNAP benefits faced uncertainty last fall and winter, I advocated through multiple channels to bring additional food into our communities. Ensuring families and children have access to food remains deeply personal to me.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Statewide the most food related challenges have been the cost of food and freight. It has risen over 115% in our village over the past 5 years. Also the underfunding of our schools have caused continued cuts to our school programs and activities. Three budget cycles ago, the funding for our school lunch program was eliminated. The only bright spot to this situation has been the support from people all across out nation through donations to feed our kids.

The most common underlying issues for families to put food on the table is a lack of good paying jobs in rural Alaska. Sometimes families have to make the hard choice to move out of their home villages to seek a better job for themselves and their families. Another struggle is the delay of renewing families food stamp applications. Underfunding of this department has created massive backlogs of applications and actually created penalties against the state. If a candidate for hire can’t be located in an urban community, perhaps it needs to be transitioned into a remote position and have a worker with in Alaska take on this task.

Alaska educational funding needs to cover a free breakfast and lunch program for all Alaskan enrolled children in our public schools. The state should provide local food procurement funding to not only support our kiddos eating some of the best things that Alaska has to offer but also to support our Alaskan businesses, farmers and fisher people. Local food is fresher, better, and a more positive choice to cut back on environmental impacts.

For my region, we need more representation from our regions on board of fish. I feel this is the most urgent need on food systems in my region. I would work with local communities and the governor to see who could be put into these positions. Another urgent need is to have reliable education funding. With forward funding of education, school districts will be able to make informed decisions early on they can afford for school lunch costs, staff, curriculum, and more.

The State should protect Alaskans’ ability to grow and subsist food from our lands for generations to come. This means protecting access to public lands and waters, responsibly managing fish and wildlife for sustained yield, and preserving productive agricultural land.

We should also make agricultural land more accessible and affordable for Alaskans who want to produce food. The State currently offers agricultural land through sales and leases, but leasing can involve significant appraisal, survey, insurance, bonding, and other costs.

Food security is about more than grocery stores. It is about maintaining healthy lands and waters, protecting access, supporting farmers and local producers, and ensuring future generations can continue the hunting, fishing, gathering, and growing traditions that have sustained Alaskans for generations.

What’s your favorite local food?

Alaskan grown carrots

Brenda Wilson (R)

“We need more frequent freight boats for the store! We need to continue bypass mail and support for air carriers who fly freight to the region.”

Full Survey Responses

Yes we have worked hard in putting up sea food! But with our mail system going weeks without mail and our store with limited food items we sometimes have limited food stuffs, cleaning supplies, and paper products such as toilet paper.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

We have no bright spots, freight boats with supplies out of Seattle for the store are monthly, mail is mostly once a month and we have had limited caribou and no moose!

We need more frequent freight boats for the store! We need to continue bypass mail and support for air carriers who fly freight to the region.

There are federal grants but also the state has the number one priority of educating students and they need nutrition to achieve that so should also fund hot lunch!

First the food needs to get to rural Alaska!

Tribes, Corporations, Cities should all come together and create coops that support fresh vegetables and fruit for healthy families! By Alaskan produced but also learn to grow our own!

What’s your favorite local food?

Octopus

House District 38

CJ McCormick (D)

“The most urgent need is protecting subsistence while lowering the cost of getting food onto people’s tables in rural Alaska. State law already requires the boards to provide for subsistence uses first when allocating harvestable fish and game. I want our management decisions to live up to that priority in practice.”

Full Survey Responses

Food insecurity has touched my community. In 2025, our region’s tribes though AVCP called for the YK Delta to be recognized as a food desert, and AFN later passed a resolution calling for rural Alaska communities to be recognized as food deserts.

Living here in the YK Delta, groceries can be extraordinarily expensive, while access to fish, game, berries and other traditional foods is never something we should take for granted. Subsistence for many families is fundamental to food security.

This has shaped how I think about hunger in Alaska. In The YK Delta, food security comes down to whether families can afford groceries and fuel, whether transportation systems are reliable, and whether people can continue accessing the traditional foods that have sustained our region for generations.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The biggest challenges I hear about are high grocery prices, the cost of fuel needed to hunt and fish, and declining access to subsistence foods. In rural Alaska, these pressures compound each other.

One bright spot has been the work of the local food bank and its partners to expand food access in rural communities, along with other programs that help make sure kids have access to food when school is out. I am also encouraged by tribes and regional organizations treating food security as a serious policy issue.

Our communities share food and look after one another. The state should build on that strength while addressing the underlying costs and protecting subsistence access.

The biggest underlying problem is that food costs too much while many families do not have access to stable, high-paying work. In rural Alaska, groceries, fuel, freight, housing and other basic expenses all compete for the same limited household income.

Subsistence helps fill that gap, but hunting and fishing also require fuel, equipment and access to healthy fish and game populations.

The State of Alaska should address both sides of this equation. We need to lower underlying costs of living through better transportation, energy and fuel infrastructure, while protecting subsistence access and supporting programs that help families afford food when they need it.

Hunger is too often a policy failure, not simply a result of food scarcity. When food exists but families cannot afford it or reliably access it, government has a responsibility to address the conditions creating that insecurity.

No child should have to learn or grow while hungry. If we expect students to succeed in school, making sure they have enough to eat has to be part of how we support education. I support dedicated state funding for school meals so districts are not left entirely dependent on federal funding or stretched local budgets.

I also want more Alaska-grown, harvested and caught foods served in our schools, especially traditional foods that students already know from home and their communities. School meals should reflect the places our students come from and help keep traditional foods present in their lives.

In rural communities especially, school meals can be an important part of a child’s food security. The state should treat school nutrition as part of providing every student a real opportunity to learn.

The most urgent need is protecting subsistence while lowering the cost of getting food onto people’s tables in rural Alaska. State law already requires the boards to provide for subsistence uses first when allocating harvestable fish and game. I want our management decisions to live up to that priority in practice.

I would push for stronger rural and tribal representation in fish and game decision-making, work to end trawling in state waters, and advocate for stronger protections at the federal level.

We need better transportation, energy and fuel infrastructure so families are not paying so much to buy groceries or access subsistence foods.

Food security in the YK Delta means affordable store food and reliable access to traditional foods.

Future generations need healthy lands and waters and the ability to actually access them. The state should treat subsistence and traditional food access as part of our long-term food security, not as an afterthought.

That means protecting fish and game populations, preserving access to hunting and fishing areas for subsistence, and being cautious about development that could permanently damage the resources communities depend on. It also means giving tribes and rural communities a real role in decisions affecting the lands, waters and food sources.

I would continue to push to end trawling in state waters and oppose projects like Donlin Gold where I believe the risks to water and traditional food sources are too great.

Future generations should inherit the same opportunity to feed themselves from this land and water that generations before them had.

What’s your favorite local food?

Salmonberry akutaq, preferably made with whitefish.

House District 40

Robyn Frier (D)

“In my district, there’s three key causes: exposed food supply chains, high energy costs, and diminishing access to traditional food sources.

The state has a role in all three: lowering rural energy costs, improving transportation infrastructure, and managing fish and game so subsistence users come first.”

Full Survey Responses

I am from Utqaigvik, and represent some of the most rural communities in Alaska. Food insecurity is one of the most prevalent and consistent issues facing our people. Our people subsistence hunt like we have done for thousands of years, our diets are still centered around the caribou and whale that we share. Overpermitting and climate change has endangered these practices, and in Utqiagivik, we brought in only one whale during the Fall season last year.

What we cannot catch, we have to import through barge and plane. This exposed and unreliable supply chain leaves wilted by the time it gets to our shelves and grocery prices exorbitantly high. If a shipment is delayed or cancelled, that has immediate impacts on families in my district.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Diminishing caribou herds. Arctic herds have fallen to some of the lowest-recorded levels, and overpermitting to tourists is one of the most commonly-cited causes.

Cost is always a pressing issue. When milk sells for over $10 a gallon, that affects everyone.

However, I’m grounded in optimism by how our communities gather around food. Whales are still dispersed amongst the whole community, and freezer programs and sharing networks reliably get food to those who need it.

In my district, there’s three key causes: exposed food supply chains, high energy costs, and diminishing access to traditional food sources.

The state has a role in all three: lowering rural energy costs, improving transportation infrastructure, and managing fish and game so subsistence users come first.

I served on the North Slope Borough School Board before my election to the state legislature. Students can’t learn when they’re hungry. Improving our education system is my top priority as a legislator, and that includes delivering meals for students.

Our state has no dedicated support for school nutrition. That leaves districts like mine, covering expensive food costs on already-tight budgets. I will co-sponsored legislation that would directly support getting Alaska foods into our schools, which includes traditional foods. This feeds our kids better, honors our traditions, and keeps food dollars in Alaska.

The most urgent need is to improve how food gets to rural communities. We should be investing in the transportation and storage infrastructure to limit disruptions and reduce waste. We should also be doing more to support local food production in arctic communities, like supporting hydroponic systems that can grow produce year-round.

I want my children, and theirs, to hunt and fish in this region.

We need to protect subsistence priority in law and practice, so our people have access to the food they rely on. We should be managing our biomes. with science, in conversation with Indigenous knowledge. We should be protecting our Caribou herds and whale pods so they can continue to be a part of Indigenous culture for generations to come.

What’s your favorite local food?

100% Tuttu (Caribou) Soup

2026 Alaska Senate Candidates

Senate District E

Cathy Giessel (R)

“The cost of the food is the barrier, in my opinion. Since 95% of our food is shipped in, there’s not a lot of places to adjust the price. However, we have farmers who could produce a lot more food, if there were Alaskans buying it (creating more demand).”

Full Survey Responses

My family has not been touched since 1986, when my husband had no work, so we had no income. Our church had a food pantry that helped us. As we raised our kids and continuing now, I always shop the marked down produce, meat, and dairy.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

While my Senate District E is statistically the wealthiest in Alaska, it is not homogenous. Yes, there are folks in my district that have challenges accessing sufficient food. I volunteer in my capacity as a nurse practitioner in public school school-based clinics. Many of my young clients say that having enough food at home is a challenge. I’m delighted to offer the resources our public schools provide for families.

The cost of the food is the barrier, in my opinion. Since 95% of our food is shipped in, there’s not a lot of places to adjust the price. However, we have farmers who could produce a lot more food, if there were Alaskans buying it (creating more demand). The State has done some things – Legislature recently passed legislation that gives property tax reduction for farmers selling at least $2500 of food products annually. We also worked on legislation to reduce the cost to lease land for farming. I am interested in policy that would motivate local stores to sell Alaska Grown produce.

There have been many intiatives in the past that required or at least encouraged public schools to use locally produced foods. Constraints are cost, procurement policies, preparation costs on limited budgets and staffing. All these can be addressed.

Over the years the Legislature has taken many actions related to agriculture land, Alaska Grown produce, fish stocks, public health related to food, and a lot more. As the chair of Senate Resources committee for the last 10 years, i’ve sponsored or co-sponsored many of these policies. More is needed.

Future Farmers of America and 4-H programs are a huge asset in Alaska. These programs let kids try many projects to produce food – from animal husbandry, agriculture, food preparation, food storage, and more.

What’s your favorite local food?

VanderWeel Farm’s Kale and Kolrabi

Senate District G

Nicholas Danger (NP)

“The state should make sure the food banks and churches have food to give.”

Full Survey Responses

Never personally had it , but I worked in bars in the past that had meals for people in need

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The homeless street people are always in need but the people of spenard are very generous to them

Lack of work, child care , too many kids
The state should make sure the food banks and churches have food to give

Making sure the schools get food from local groups

Villages need help with food , i would talk with the large native corporations to help pitch in

manage these areas so everyone gets what they need

What’s your favorite local food?

Hawaiian food

Elvi Gray-Jackson (D)

“State government has an important role, but it should address both immediate needs and underlying causes.”

Full Survey Responses

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The biggest challenge I hear is the rising cost of groceries. Families, seniors on fixed incomes, and working Alaskans are having to stretch their dollars further, and the challenge is even greater in rural communities where transportation costs can make basic foods extremely expensive.

There are bright spots. Food banks, local pantries, schools, Tribes, nonprofits, and volunteers continue to step up. Programs that provide summer meals to children in rural communities and efforts to strengthen local food production are encouraging. I believe Alaska must continue building a stronger local food system while ensuring families can afford healthy food today. Hopefully, during the next legislative session, we can continue to find ways to ensure that no Alaskan has to struggle with food insecurity.

When an Alaska family struggles to put food on the table, the problem is rarely just the price of food. It is often the result of several pressures at once: high housing and utility costs, childcare, transportation, health expenses, and wages that simply do not stretch far enough. In rural Alaska, high freight and fuel costs make the challenge even greater. Alaska’s own programs recognize these geographic differences, including higher SNAP benefit levels for rural communities.

State government has an important role, but it should address both immediate needs and underlying causes. We must administer SNAP efficiently, support food banks and nutrition programs, protect assistance for seniors and vulnerable Alaskans, and strengthen opportunities for families to become economically secure. We should also invest in local agriculture, fisheries, food processing and infrastructure so Alaska becomes less dependent on food shipped thousands of miles to reach our communities.

The state should play a role in ensuring students have access to nutritious meals because children cannot learn when they are hungry. State support could also help schools purchase more Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods. This would provide students with healthy local food while supporting Alaska’s farmers, fishermen, processors, and local economies. Investing in school nutrition and Alaska food producers is an investment in both our children and our state.

The most urgent need is making food more affordable and accessible for Alaskans. Our high transportation and energy costs affect everything from grocery prices to local food production, particularly in rural communities. I would focus on strengthening Alaska’s food supply by supporting farmers, fishermen and processors, improving transportation and storage infrastructure, and increasing opportunities for schools and other state-supported programs to purchase Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods. We should also protect nutrition assistance for families, seniors and other Alaskans who need it. A stronger local food system means greater food security, healthier communities and more dollars staying in Alaska.

The State has a responsibility to protect the lands and waters that Alaskans depend on for food. That means maintaining access to fishing, hunting, subsistence, and agricultural lands while managing these resources responsibly, so they remain available for future generations. We should also support young farmers, fishermen, and food producers and protect productive agricultural land. Alaska’s ability to feed itself is directly connected to how well we care for our natural resources today.

What’s your favorite local food?

Fresh Vegetables

Senate District M

Ryan Berry (R)

“Government too often looks for a home run. I would rather hit base hits every year. Bring the experts together, identify the barriers, and establish measurable SMART goals.”

Full Survey Responses

I have been fortunate that food insecurity has not directly affected my household, but I have seen how quickly the cost of living can put Alaska families in difficult situations. Through my work in the mortgage industry and conversations with families across the Mat-Su, I see household budgets every day. Housing, heating, electricity, transportation, childcare, and groceries all compete for the same limited dollars.

Food insecurity is often connected to that larger affordability challenge. A family may be working, paying its bills, and still find that an unexpected expense leaves too little for groceries.

That is why I believe addressing hunger requires both helping Alaskans who need immediate assistance and addressing the underlying cost pressures that make families vulnerable in the first place. Alaska should be a place where working families can afford housing, energy, transportation, and nutritious food without constantly having to choose between necessities.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The biggest challenge I hear is affordability. Groceries are expensive, but families are also dealing with high housing, energy, and transportation costs. When all of those expenses rise together, something has to give.

Alaska’s dependence on food shipped from outside the state also leaves us vulnerable to high freight costs and supply disruptions.

One bright spot is the continued growth and interest in Alaska agriculture. Here in the Mat-Su, we have farmers and producers who want to grow more and sell more locally. I think there is a real opportunity to strengthen that industry, improve distribution, and get more Alaska-grown food into our stores, schools, and homes.

Food security isn’t just about assistance programs. It’s also about affordability, local production, and making Alaska more self-reliant.

For many families, it isn’t one thing. It’s the combined cost of housing, groceries, childcare, transportation, healthcare, and energy. Nearly 60% of Americans cannot cover an unexpected $1,000 expense from savings. That means the majority of families are a new set of tires or a blown transmission away from choosing between a working vehicle and putting food on the table.

State government has a role in providing a safety net, but also in addressing why families struggle. That includes affordable energy and housing, good paying jobs, and growing more food in Alaska.

It also starts with education. We have a responsibility to make sure students graduate with the knowledge and skills to support themselves, whether their path is college, a trade, the military, or directly into the workforce. The goal should always be fewer families needing assistance in the first place.

First and most importantly, no child should sit in a classroom hungry. We cannot expect a child to focus on learning when they are worried about their next meal.

We should also focus on fresh, minimally processed, locally grown and Alaska caught food whenever practical. We can feed our kids better while supporting Alaska farmers, fishermen, and communities at the same time.

I also believe zero bycatch should be the goal. When fish are caught, we should do everything possible to make sure those calories reach a dinner table, school cafeteria, or an Alaskan struggling with food insecurity rather than being wasted.

Alaska is blessed with incredible agricultural land and some of the richest fisheries in the world. We should be asking how we use those resources to feed more Alaskans, keep more food dollars here, and become more food secure.

I think the most urgent need is getting the right people in the room and then actually acting on what they tell us. Farmers, fishermen, processors, grocers, schools, food banks, transportation experts, and rural communities understand these problems better than government ever will.

Government too often looks for a home run. I would rather hit base hits every year. Bring the experts together, identify the barriers, and establish measurable SMART goals. Maybe the goal is increasing Alaska food production or local purchasing by 5% each year. Measure it, report it, adjust what is not working, and keep moving forward.

Five percent may not sound revolutionary, but incremental improvements compound year after year. We need measurable progress and accountability, or we end up with empty legislation and ten years from now wonder why the problem never got any better.

Access to land and water is fundamental to Alaska’s future. Less than 1% of Alaska’s land is privately owned by individuals. In a state this enormous, we need to get more land into the hands of everyday Alaskans.

Community gardens work. Why not make suitable state land available where families could farm 1,000 square feet, grow vegetables, and provide some of their own food?

That education should start in our schools. Alaska is the end of the road, and many communities are the last mile of that road. We are uniquely vulnerable to disruptions. Self sufficiency matters here.

Food is one of the most basic human needs. Government should protect our ability to hunt, fish, farm, and harvest, preserve access to the lands and waters that make it possible, remove unnecessary barriers, and then get out of the way. Alaskans have fed themselves for generations. Government should make that easier, not harder.

What’s your favorite local food?

Wild golden raspberries growing in my backyard garden. It doesn’t get much more local than walking into your own backyard and picking breakfast.

Patricia Chesbro (D)

“It is difficult to point to one area of need, as systems are interactive. There should be a systemic approach to long term food security while providing for the immediate needs of families.”

Full Survey Responses

I recently spoke with a school secretary from Newhalen AK. She explained that their district no longer receives federal nutrition moneys for school lunch and breakfast programs. She told me that the funding has remained stagnant and districts need to fill the gaps created by increased costs. Their district no longer has free and reduced lunches and breakfasts. They are trying to raise money and are rationing whatever food they can. She schedules fruit a couple of days, vegetables a couple of days and protein whenever she can acquire it. This is a result of our state education funding practices.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The Palmer Food Bank has recently expanded their storage and distribution services. They report that clients have better service, but remark that there is more need. The MatSu Food Bank often reports receiving produce and other goods from farmers and local community groups.

Struggling families bear the brunt of food costs. Often, they cannot take advantage of buying in bulk or even shopping sales. Food should be available to everyone. One good method is ensuring kids in schools have breakfast and lunch as well as sometimes providing food for children on weekends.

Please see the information above regarding one remote district. I believe we should choose our children first. That includes ensuring schools have adequate nutrition services.

It is difficult to point to one area of need, as systems are interactive. There should be a systemic approach to long term food security while providing for the immediate needs of families.

Food security must be prioritized over other issues. Helping people to help themselves by providing food and education about growing, catching, harvesting, preserving and preparing food can help the need and make our system more sustainable. (We have over-reliance on importing food, too)

What’s your favorite local food?

Vegetables…

Cathy Tilton (R)

“Hunger here is real—especially for children and seniors—and is often tied to high costs and limited access to fresh local food. That reality drives me to support practical, community-based solutions.”

Full Survey Responses

While I have been fortunate never to go truly hungry, I have known what it feels like to have only a few coins left in my pocket and no food in the cupboard. None of us knows when a job loss, illness, or other sudden hardship might put our own family in that position. That experience, along with what I see in the Mat-Su Valley, has shaped how I think about food insecurity in Alaska. Just last week at the Palmer Food Bank I learned that the need is up by 64 percent. I donate to the Mat-Su Food Bank, Palmer Food Bank, Frontline Missions, WASI, etc. because I know how many of our neighbors rely on them. Hunger here is real—especially for children and seniors—and is often tied to high costs and limited access to fresh local food. That reality drives me to support practical, community-based solutions.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The biggest challenges right now are the high cost of groceries, transportation, energy, and limited access to affordable fresh produce in parts of the district, and the continued pressure on working families. I hear it constantly from constituents at the grocery store and at community events. Bright spots include the strong local response from our food banks and the success of the three-year, $3 million grant I worked on with Brandy Jo that allowed SNAP purchases at local farmers markets. That program put more Alaska-grown food into the hands of families who needed it and supported our farmers at the same time. Those kinds of local partnerships are what work best.

The biggest challenges right now are the high cost of groceries, limited access to affordable fresh produce in parts of the district, and the continued pressure on working families. I hear it constantly from constituents at the grocery store and at community events. Bright spots include the strong local response from our food banks and the success of the three-year, $3 million grant I worked on with Brandy Jo that allowed SNAP purchases at local farmers markets. That program put more Alaska-grown food into the hands of families who needed it and supported our farmers at the same time. Those kinds of local partnerships are what work best.

I believe the state can play a constructive role by creating incentives to help schools purchase more Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught food. Dedicated state funding should be carefully targeted and paired with local control. Expanding farm-to-school and fish-to-school opportunities strengthens our agricultural and fishing economies while giving kids better nutrition. We should also look at ways to reduce regulatory hurdles that currently make it difficult for small producers to sell directly to school districts, and explore opportunities to process value-added items—such as tater tots made from locally grown potatoes—so more of what we produce stays in Alaska and reaches our students.

The most urgent need is strengthening the connection between Alaska producers and Alaska consumers—especially lower-income families and schools. Specifically, I would work to restore and expand the ability of farmers markets to accept SNAP and to create a simple grant mechanism that helps markets donate leftover produce to food banks while fairly compensating the farmer. That single step reduces waste, supports local growers, and gets more healthy food to people who need it. Pairing that with continued support for transportation and infrastructure that lowers the cost of moving food around the state would make a real difference.

The State must fiercely protect access to lands and waters under the Alaska Constitution’s common-use clause. That means defending hunting, fishing, trapping, and subsistence opportunities against federal overreach and against policies that lock Alaskans out of traditional food sources. We should also support practical agriculture and aquaculture development, reduce unnecessary regulatory barriers for small producers, and invest in the infrastructure that keeps rural and Mat-Su communities connected to the resources they depend on. If the next generation loses access to the land and water, we lose far more than food security—we lose part of what it means to be Alaskan.

What’s your favorite local food?

Fresh Mat-Su Valley produce—especially the potatoes, carrots, and berries that come straight from local farms and gardens. There’s nothing better.

Senate District O

Peter Bauer (D)

“Revitalizing Alaska’s public educational system is among my top priorities. Nutritional and delicious hot meals ought to be provided for all students until high school graduation.”

Full Survey Responses

Personally, no. But I worry for a relative in another state who is disabled by a chronic disease and relies for her life on SSDI/Medicaid/SNAP. When the work provisions of the Big Ugly Bill go into effect at the end of this year, frequent re-application for benefits (as often as every six months) will be required even for those who obviously cannot work. She then will be one administrative error away from not having life-saving medication or any money to buy food.

Thousands of Alaskans face a similar challenge. This is a federal wrong that needs to be righted, but until that happens our state legislature and new governor will have no choice but to enable additional assistance.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

That Alaska does not produce the amount and variety of foods to sustain our whole population is no secret; we all know that sustained disruptions in the supply chain would be catastrophic.

During my brief deployment to Antarctica years ago, I was impressed by McMurdo Station’s ability to provide tasty and nutritious hot meals throughout the year despite a very short resupply season for ships and only a few months in which cargo aircraft can safely operate.

The scale of Alaska’s need without outside supplies is immensely larger. But we should improve upon our “on need” food supply chain before an eventual disaster forces us to make our food supply stretch for weeks without resupply.

Cost of living. Inflation has been running far above pay raises for years. That means Alaskans are getting poorer. Many people simply cannot afford to fill the grocery cart.

The state already has problems balancing its budget, yet where federal policies are failing, we must step up to make sure everyone in our state can eat and stay warm.

Energy drives the economy. We are bluntly told that fossil fuels will not get cheaper even if we get new sources. We MUST diversify wherever possible and include all renewables, which are generally already at parity with natural gas.

The state can and should partner with local communities to open land for the building of affordable homes in places where people want to live and work.

Revitalizing Alaska’s public educational system is among my top priorities. Nutritional and delicious hot meals ought to be provided for all students until high school graduation.

There is plenty of room for debate on how the legislature should best abide by Article VII of our State Constitution in providing public education, promotion of public health, and public welfare.

There are those who actually say out loud that if a kid can’t pay for lunch, too bad. I believe that we serve our kids, their education, and our shared future better by ensuring every child has nutritious, appetizing food. No child should sit in class hungry, nor should they be stigmatized in front of their peers for not being able to buy a lunch.

In the short term, we need to buffer our supply chain to tolerate disruption. That will involve the state working with the major food suppliers, both in state and Outside.

In the longer term, we need to expand our agricultural base, which I realize is neither a new idea nor one with an easy solution. I look forward to working with farmers, fishermen, and the Alaska Food Policy Council.

The world does not stand still, and neither will Alaska. Previously fertile lands get developed, towns sprawl, new industry replaces old. By what process will that happen here?

Our state government now seems to be all about platting out new industrial sites and projects by way of opaque deals. Yes, we need industry. But I think we need as much – if not more – emphasis on agricultural growth AND a commitment to choosing which lands will remain forever wild, unpolluted, and abundant.

Unfortunately, there seems to be no clearly defined public process in Alaska to promote that kind of “big picture” state-wide long-range vision and planning. I’m not running for office to stop progress, but rather to build a plan along with my fellow Alaskans for an abundant future well beyond our lifetimes.

What’s your favorite local food?

Salmon

George Rauscher (R)

“The Legislative Food and Farm Caucus is a great asset to the states food security endeavors. We interview and ralley the legislature to take action on agriculture issues. Make sure the loan programs have enough money to accommodate the loans and grants applied for. Create legislation to promote buying local.”

Full Survey Responses

I have lived in Alaska for approx.48 years. I that time I have lived through 7 different events (storms, strikes, COVID and other that have left the shelves barren of the necessities (like food) which people need to survive. May family went was prepared in some ways, I hunt and fish and have well water on site, but so many families in my
district were less fortunate. They were not as prepared. Seniors especially were hit very hard. It is one of the reasons we worked hard to pass the Legislative Food Security Task Force bill 6 years ago. We needed to understand how to prepare our communities from a legislative standpoint, as well as the state of Alaska for these types of situations. The
main element we found was the need for education to the public, (and the legislature) which is where we should concentrate our efforts.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The food challenges Alaska faces are many. After years of growing food to be sold in Alaska, our local producers have been told these box stores are now going overseas for produce and canned or jarred items. To have 10,000 of your product which you’ve grown now, without a market is a major problem. When the state of Alaska is cut off
from the lower 48 due to a disaster or strike, food is not like turning on a water spicket. Farmers need to buy seed, fertilizer, plant, grow and harvest before they can ship to market. Farmland being sold to housing developers can be a problem as Alaska eliminates future. Fish are disappearing in the interior as well as substance. Bright spots
are the Future Farmers of Alaska (FFA), 4-H, the Farm Bureau, the Legislative Food and Farm Caucus, and the Food Policy Council are working together for the past 8 years.

There are so many reasons why family’s struggle to put food on the table. Jobs in Alaska are not paying a wage large enough to cover their expenses here. The price of food, their electric bill, their heating bill, their property taxes, their cost of rent or a mortgage, shipping costs, their medical bills, their car payment, the list goes on. Young
people are not making it in this state and there is an exodus. Government needs to get rid of over burdensome regulations Affordable low interest loans is a big help.

There are no line items for school lunch nutrition or local purchasing by schools in the budget. Though I think there is a need to address buying local but as Co-Chair of the Food and Farm Caucus, we looked into it and the added cost for such a program is not available, which makes it hard to include without more data.

As a Co-chair of the Legislator Task Force and Co-Chair of the Legislative Food and Farm Caucus we see education is the most important need for both the Legislature and the Community. Informing the public on readiness, for disaster. Keep dry goods like: flour, sugar, rice, oatmeal, etc. stored in waterproof containers incase of high water.
Freeze dried items, canned foods, water, paper goods, make sure you have enough to weather the storm. Farmland Trust is working to ensure farmland stays available for future use. The Legislature has been doing an excellent job writing legislation to help the farmers. Like providing low-cost loan options, Helping Mariculture and that sector is
now growing, last year lowering the cost of farm land purchases by lowing the survey and appraisal costs, I wrote and passed the cottage industry bill few years ago, and so many other ways we’ve helped.

The Legislative Food and Farm Caucus is a great asset to the states food security endeavors. We interview and ralley the legislature to take action on agriculture issues. Make sure the loan programs have enough money to accommodate the loans and grants applied for. Create legislation to promote buying local. When our local stores stop selling local produce and buy them overseas to retail here, we are causing our local farmers to go out of business. We are cutting our throats.

What’s your favorite local food?

The state vegetable: the giant cabbage and carrots

Ryan Sheldon (R)

“With the cost of energy rising (with no end in sight), families are beginning to have to choose between heating their home and putting food on the table.”

Full Survey Responses

Talkeetna, the Denali Borough, much of the MatSu valley, and families in Valdez have all faced food insecurity as the majority of these communities live on the fringes of stable access to food in addition to being impoverished areas. I have seen this first hand.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Access to fresh fruit and vegetables has been difficult for many families. Our communities need access to nutrient rich foods, instead of relying on processed freezer foods which are not conducive to a healthy family or supporting the growth of a child.

With the cost of energy rising (with no end in sight), families are beginning to have to choose between heating their home and putting food on the table. This nearly impossible dilemma could be solved by providing cost efficient energy to these families so they have more room in their budget to buy the food they need to not just survive, but thrive. The legislature has failed to provide stable, low cost energy to families which forces them into a dilemma which does not need to be present. The legislature has little control over the cost of food, but great control over the access to cheap energy, we need to focus on what we can do to provide cost of living relief to families.

In a perfect world, I would love to provide funding to schools for student nutrition. At this time, the state of Alaska is not in a position to fund school lunches as we currently run a deficit. Communities, like Talkeetna, have taken a different approach by supporting and funding after school food programs like grab-and-go sandwiches for kids who do not have food awaiting them at home. Alaskans are resilient and communities need to join together to address this concern until the state is in a position to address this concern.

Providing more land to farmers and the ag community to cultivate into food producing fields.

Deregulate and better manage our game units and fisheries… many Alaskans are brutally aware of waining salmon returns and poor game management (ex. 20A sheep hunting)

What’s your favorite local food?

Rhubarb

Senate District Q

William Hunt (D)

“State government cannot control every grocery price, but it should promote competition, investigate unfair or anti-competitive practices, strengthen local agriculture and food production, and improve transportation and infrastructure. We should also protect assistance for families who truly need it. My long-term goal is to make Alaska more self-reliant so that feeding our families is less dependent on decisions and disruptions thousands of miles away.”

Full Survey Responses

The time I saw food insecurity most clearly was during COVID. I saw empty shelves, shortages, disrupted supply chains, and families uncertain about whether the food they depended on would be available. It showed me how vulnerable Alaska is when so much of our food travels thousands of miles to reach us.

That experience changed how I think about hunger. Food security is not only about whether someone can afford groceries. It is also about whether our communities can feed people when transportation, supply chains, or family finances are disrupted.

Alaska needs a long-term strategy that strengthens local food production while supporting food banks, churches, and community organizations. No Alaskan, especially no child, should have to wonder where their next meal will come from.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The biggest food-related challenges I see in Alaska are the high cost of groceries, our dependence on food shipped long distances, and the vulnerability of our supply chain. I have not personally heard many people in my district specifically describe their situation as “food insecurity,” so I do not want to claim that I have.

What I do see is families facing higher costs for food, fuel, housing, and other necessities. A bright spot is the willingness of Alaskans to help their neighbors through food banks, churches, community organizations, local farmers, and other programs.

I believe we should build on that spirit by expanding local agriculture and food production and strengthening community-based food programs. Alaska should become more self-reliant so families are less vulnerable to rising prices and disruptions outside our state.

I believe two major factors are Alaska’s dependence on long supply chains and the increasing cost of food, including prices driven by corporate decisions and profits. When transportation costs rise or supply chains are disrupted, Alaskans often pay the price. Families are also being squeezed by housing, fuel, utilities, and other necessities, leaving less money for groceries.

State government cannot control every grocery price, but it should promote competition, investigate unfair or anti-competitive practices, strengthen local agriculture and food production, and improve transportation and infrastructure. We should also protect assistance for families who truly need it. My long-term goal is to make Alaska more self-reliant so that feeding our families is less dependent on decisions and disruptions thousands of miles away.

I believe Alaska should properly fund school nutrition and use that investment to support Alaska producers whenever possible. At the end of farming and fishing seasons, producers may have surplus products that could be purchased at a fair price, processed or preserved, and used in our school meal programs.

We should also develop agreements that allow schools to purchase Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught food throughout the year when available. This would put state dollars back into Alaska’s economy, support our farmers and fishermen, reduce dependence on outside supply chains, and provide students with nutritious food.

Feeding our children should not be treated simply as an expense. It is an investment in their health, education, and future, while also strengthening Alaska’s long-term food security.

I believe Alaska’s most urgent need is to become more food self-reliant. We depend too heavily on food traveling thousands of miles through supply chains we cannot control. My 25-Year Plan would treat food security as long-term infrastructure.

I would strengthen Alaska agriculture, fisheries, food processing, storage, and transportation so more of what Alaskans produce stays in Alaska. I would create stronger partnerships between farmers, fishermen, schools, food banks, churches, and communities. When producers have surplus food, we should have systems to purchase, preserve, and distribute it rather than waste it.

We should also expand opportunities for communities to grow food locally and make Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods a greater part of school meals. My goal is simple: 25 years from now, Alaska should be far less dependent on outside supply chains to feed its people.

I believe protecting Alaska’s ability to feed future generations requires us to think decades ahead. Climate change and warming waters are already affecting our fisheries and can change where fish live, reproduce, and migrate. We also need to examine the effects of trawling, bycatch, and other practices on the long-term health of our fisheries.

The State should use science to protect our lands, waters, fisheries, and farmland while ensuring Alaskans continue to have access to them. We should support responsible fishing, strengthen local agriculture, and prepare communities for changing environmental conditions. My 25-Year Plan is about ensuring our children and grandchildren can still grow, catch, harvest, and eat Alaska food decades from now.

What’s your favorite local food?

It’s hard to choose just one. I love Alaska salmon and halibut, moose, fresh local eggs, berries, and locally grown vegetables. To me, the variety of food we can catch, harvest, hunt, and grow here is part of what makes Alaska special.

Frank Tomaszewski (R)

“That firsthand experience completely shaped how I view hunger here in Alaska. It taught me that food insecurity is never just about empty shelves. It is deeply tied to economic instability, seasonal job fluctuations, and the brutal cost of living in our state.”

Full Survey Responses

Growing up in a large, low-income family meant we often faced empty cupboards and very little variety on the table. Later, working in construction, the unpredictable cycle of paychecks combined with unexpected health problems made keeping up with bills and buying food a constant struggle.

That firsthand experience completely shaped how I view hunger here in Alaska. It taught me that food insecurity is never just about empty shelves. It is deeply tied to economic instability, seasonal job fluctuations, and the brutal cost of living in our state. When a sudden health crisis or a slow construction season hits, a family’s stability can vanish overnight. It makes me realize that hunger is a community issue requiring flexible, reliable support systems so no Alaskan has to choose between paying bills and eating.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Alaskans are dealing with a severe crunch right now, mostly driven by high energy costs and steep property taxes. People are telling me they have to cut back on groceries and medicine just to keep the lights on and the house warm. The financial pressure is so heavy that some families are simply packing up and moving out of state.

On the bright side, local communities are stepping up to help. Food banks and grassroots neighborhood sharing efforts are seeing incredible support. You can see the impact when people pitch in to help neighbors bridge the gap between paychecks, proving how strong local support networks are even when the cost of living keeps climbing.

In District 34, a fundamental reason families struggle with food insecurity is the crushing combination of high property taxes, a steep cost of living, and skyrocketing electricity bills. When home energy costs and property taxes spike through the roof, people are forced to cut back on things like groceries just to keep their homes.

A major underlying cause is that political party platforms hostile to fossil fuels have stalled the Alaska gasline for years. That vital infrastructure should have been built by now to secure reliable, affordable energy for all Alaskans.

The state government needs to step up by pushing back against these restrictive policies and aggressively championing resource development. By clearing the path to complete the gasline and lower local energy burdens, the state can ensure working families aren’t forced to choose between paying their property taxes, heating their homes, and putting food on the table.

Working together, we can do a better job of making sure our students get the nutrition they deserve. While the state has invested in various food programs, local school districts face real logistical hurdles when trying to shift away from preprocessed options.

The goal should be a collaborative partnership where state support helps bridge the gap for districts wanting to prioritize clean, organic choices. Alaska-grown and Alaska-caught foods ought to be our first choice, keeping harmful chemicals and artificial food coloring out of the cafeteria.

By teaming up, state leaders, school administrators, and local producers can make fresh, wholesome food more accessible and affordable for every classroom. That way, we support our local farmers and fishermen while ensuring kids get healthy meals that truly fuel their education.

The most urgent need right now is backing our buy local efforts—like the Alaska Grown program and farmers market initiatives—so we can actually feed ourselves. For that to work, the state has to fix the foundational roadblocks our farmers and producers face every single day: the insane cost of energy and the struggle to get affordable land.

Right now, high power bills and expensive acreage make it nearly impossible for local growers to scale up or compete with shipments from down south.

We need the state to step up by opening up affordable agricultural land and lowering energy burdens through proper resource development. By cutting through the red tape on land sales and making power affordable, we give our farmers and fishermen a real fighting chance. That is how we keep food dollars at home and build actual, long-term food security for Alaska.

To protect our food future and grow a new generation of farmers, the state needs to tackle the real hurdles holding back our growers.

First, we have to get state lands into private hands by opening up and selling affordable agricultural acreage so young families and newcomers can actually own the land and start farming. Getting three-phase power directly to those rural and agricultural areas is critical, because you cannot run a modern farm without reliable, affordable energy.

We also need to make it easier for beginning producers to secure farm loans and grants that fit the realities of our northern climate. Finally, protecting traditional access to our lands and waters ensures future generations can hunt, fish, and harvest.

By putting land into private ownership, bringing out dependable power, and offering practical financial backing, we give the next generation the foundation they need to step up and keep Alaska fed.

What’s your favorite local food?

My favorite local foods are sweet Spinach Creek carrots, reliable Delta potatoes, crisp vegetables from Goosefoot Farm, and local fireweed honey. Of course, no table of mine is complete without wild game, so a good moose roast or backstrap easily tops the list, too. Put those together, and you have the absolute best of what our land has to offer.

Senate District S

Richard Robb (NP)

“The most urgent need in Southwest Alaska is to enhance our fisheries. This may be different in other areas of the state. Out here people depend on subsistence fisheries as a food staple. We need to address trawling, intercept fisheries, bycatch, and other areas to increase our fisheries and enhance a subsistence priority.”

Full Survey Responses

Food insecurity has affected my community and many people I work with. I have a career in behavioral health and have worked with many people experiencing mental illness, substance abuse, homelessness, and other disabilities. Food insecurity has affected many people. Also the recent decline in fisheries along the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers has created some food insecurity.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

The declined of fisheries is contributing to food insecurity. High prices and inflation is also contributing.

High food prices, combined with the collapse of fisheries, is creating food insecurity in rural Alaska. The state needs to address the collapse of fisheries and its many contributing factors. Timely processing of SNAP applications would help also.

The state needs to fund some basic nutrition for low income children in schools. We need to work with the Feds and others to get adequate funding.

The most urgent need in Southwest Alaska is to enhance our fisheries. This may be different in other areas of the state. Out here people depend on subsistence fisheries as a food staple. We need to address trawling, intercept fisheries, bycatch, and other areas to increase our fisheries and enhance a subsistence priority.

We need to preserve our waterways and wild areas so we can continue to catch fish, hunt game, and gather plants.

What’s your favorite local food?

Salmon, moose

2026 U.S. House Candidates

Nick Begich (R)

This candidate has not yet responded to the AK Food Vote candidate questionnaire. In the meantime, for information on this candidate’s priorities see https://www.alaskansfornickbegich.com/.

Eric Hafner (D)

This candidate has not yet responded to the AK Food Vote candidate questionnaire. This candidate does not have a website available.

Bill Hill (NP)

This candidate has not yet responded to the AK Food Vote candidate questionnaire. In the meantime, for more information on this candidate’s priorities see https://billhillforalaskans.com/.

Jim McDermott (L)

“Sustainable Agriculture ought to become a real proactive priority. We ship to much food into the Interior of Alaska (relying on lower 48’ers for much of our food), and we saw under Biden administration what happens when supply lines are interrupted. I want to see AK lateral farming, also more AK hydro farming, and AK Labs producing meats, all included in our AK plan to feed our fellow Alaskans in need.”

Full Survey Responses

Sustainable Agriculture ought to become a real proactive priority. We ship to much food into the Interior of Alaska (relying on lower 48’ers for much of our food), and we saw under Biden administration what happens when supply lines are interrupted. I want to see AK lateral farming, also more AK hydro farming, and AK Labs producing meats, all included in our AK plan to feed our fellow Alaskans in need.

What food-related challenges are people in your district—or across Alaska—facing most right now? What have been recent bright spots? What have you seen or heard from people that tells you so?

Fairbanks has a robust food bank, and we have nonprofits who do a great job helping our Interior brothers and sisters find food sources and they (nonprofits) work well with our Fairbanks Mission Center, VA, Salvation Army, etc…

We are a rich state with resources in abundance, and we ought to help support our citizens in economic need.

“Alaska offers multiple free and reduced‑price lunch programs for children, including school‑based meals, summer food services, and rural meal delivery, coordinated by the Alaska Department of Education and the Food Bank of Alaska.” ~ Co-Pilot Search

The State of Alaska does a great job coordinating nutritional AK needs. Can we do better, yes and we have good people trying to improve both the State and nonprofit operations.

State of Alaska Programs:

“Child Nutrition Programs
About Child Nutrition Programs
Alaska Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) commits to help school districts and other program sponsors provide quality nutrition programs assuring that our families are well-nourished, healthy, and our children are ready to learn.

Our Programs
Alaska Farm to School
USDA Food Program
Child and Adult Care Food (CACFP)
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable
Summer Food Service (SFSP)
School Nutrition Programs (NSLP, SBP)
Special Milk Program (SMP)” ~ https://education.alaska.gov/cnp

I would support a robust program concerning free school lunches for the lower economic AK brothers and sisters. I would work to ensure our resources are responsibly harvest by Alaskans and support the small businesses and nonprofits that truly feed our fellow Alaskans.

I would try to pass a Bill limiting large corporations from over harvesting our AK nutrition resources (a quota for BIG corporations).

What’s your favorite local food?

Army Commissary Beef ribs & Costco New York strips cooked to perfection on my BBQ Blackstone backyard grill.

2026 U.S. Senate Candidates