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Alaska Food Policy Council Joins National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Elevating Alaska’s Voice and Strengthening Partnerships for a Resilient Food Future
Photo Credit: Alaska Farmers Market Association
By Robbi Mixon, Executive Director & Rachel Lord, Advocacy and Policy Director, AFPC
The Alaska Food Policy Council (AFPC) is thrilled to announce that we have officially joined the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) — becoming the first member organization from Alaska to join this dynamic national network. This is a critical step forward in making sure that Alaska’s unique agricultural challenges and opportunities are represented in national conversations about the future of food, farming, and sustainability in the United States. It is also incredibly important as AFPC focuses capacity on our state, and national partners like NSAC (and others like MAZON, the Native Farm Bill Coalition, and Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) help us to keep tabs on the national front!
Centering Collaboration and Partnership — In Alaska and Beyond
At AFPC, collaboration and partnership are central to how we do our work. We know that building strong, sustainable, and equitable food systems takes deep relationships and shared learning — across communities, sectors, and state lines.
By joining NSAC, we are not only bringing Alaska’s voice to the national stage but also opening doors for Alaskans to learn from decades of experience in agricultural policy advocacy. NSAC’s powerful coalition of farmers, food system leaders, and advocates from across the country has been at the forefront of shaping federal farm and food policies centered on sustainability, equity, and community resilience. NSAC focuses its work on small and medium-sized family farms, which dominate Alaska’s agricultural landscape. You can learn more about the full suite of NSAC’s policy issue areas here. Follow along with NSAC by reading their blog, which is full of useful and interesting up-to-date information on sustainable agriculture across the country.
This partnership will allow AFPC — and Alaska as a whole — to both share our lessons and learn from others, strengthening our collective efforts to ensure that food and agriculture policies work for all communities across Alaska.
Photo Credit: Alaska Farmers Market Association
Why Alaska’s Voice and Experience Matter
We know that Alaska’s agricultural landscape is unlike any other in the U.S. Short growing seasons, extreme weather, high transportation costs, and supply chain barriers shape daily life for farmers and food producers here. But those challenges and our people also fuel incredible innovation and resilience — from cold-climate greenhouses and high-latitude farming to Indigenous-led stewardship and food sovereignty efforts.
Joining NSAC’s nationwide coalition will help bring Alaska’s on-the-ground realities and innovations into national conversations, helping elevate our voices for federal policies that reflect Alaska’s people and food systems.
A Two-Way Street: Learning and Leading Together
Photo Credit: Alaska Farmers Market Association
Joining NSAC is not just about bringing Alaska’s voice to national policy conversations — it’s also about learning from and with partners across the country. NSAC’s decades of coalition-building and advocacy experience offer invaluable lessons that can help inform and strengthen Alaska’s own efforts to build a more resilient and sustainable food system.
From federal farm policy to rural development and climate resilience, NSAC’s collective knowledge and success will help Alaska better navigate and shape the policies that impact our farmers, food producers, and communities. This partnership will give Alaskans a stronger connection to national resources, tools, and advocacy strategies — while also ensuring that Alaska’s distinct needs and solutions are part of the national conversation.
Looking Ahead — An Invitation to Join Us
Joining NSAC is a milestone for AFPC and a meaningful step for our work together, strengthening Alaska’s food and agriculture future. We are excited to work alongside partners from across the country, bringing Alaska’s experiences and innovations to a broader audience — and bringing national lessons home to Alaska.
If you’re interested in learning more about how AFPC’s work with NSAC will impact food and farm policy in Alaska, or how to get involved, please visit our website or reach out to our team. Opportunities include our monthly working groups which bring together Alaskans on a variety of topics, our newsletter is full of news you can use, share, and learn about events and jobs at the Food Systems Network Portal, and keep up with food policy at the state legislature through our weekly On the Menu updates.
Together, we can build stronger and more resilient food systems for all Alaskans.
Photo Credit: Alaska Farmers Market Association
