Funding announcement:
“The Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) funds projects that develop, coordinate, and expand local and regional food business enterprises that engage as intermediaries in indirect producer to consumer marketing to help increase access to and availability of locally and regionally produced agricultural products. Grants can be used for the planning stages of establishing or expanding a local and regional food business enterprise or to improve or expand a food business that supports locally and regionally produced agricultural products and food system infrastructure by performing feasibility studies, market research, training and technical assistance for the business enterprise and/or for producers working with the business enterprise. A 25% match is required.”
In autumn 2022, AFPC was awarded an 18-month planning grant: Alaska Food System Research and Knowledge Sharing: Growing Connections for Local Food to facilitate food system research and educational opportunities, to increase viable and sustainable local food production and distribution through a network for Alaskan Food Hubs. Learn more about our project below.
Project Background:
Alaska’s agriculture sector is growing. According to the 2017 USDA Agricultural Census, Alaska ranks first in the nation in new and beginning farmers at 46%. Alaska also ranks first in growth in total number of farms, increasing by almost 30% between 2012 and 2017, while most states have declined. With a value of around $70.5 million, agriculture industries are a source of renewable economies and are improving food security for many Alaskans. Despite this growth, Alaska still imports over 95% of its food- there is not enough production nor accessible and affordable regional distribution systems.
With the rising popularity of local food, as well as an increased interest in connecting existing food hubs and creating new ones, the Alaska Food Policy Council (AFPC) will facilitate food system research and educational opportunities, to increase viable and sustainable local food production and distribution through a network for Alaskan Food Hubs. AFPC will convene a Food Working Group with a focus of improving, supporting, and connecting food hub operations statewide and within regions. Through a comprehensive assessment and review of food hub best practices, the working group will inform the production of a Food Hub Working Group and Recommendations Report and Operations Manual. We will provide professional development opportunities to build new skills and facilitate additional information sharing between food hub operators and producers at the Fall 2023 Alaska Food Festival & Conference.
Project Objectives:
Objective 1: to enhance and improve food hub operations statewide through the creation of an Alaskan Food Hub Working group, to share best practices, explore solutions to food hub challenges, through monthly work sessions and professional development opportunities
Objective 2: the creation of an Alaskan Food Hub Recommendations Report and an Alaska Food Hub Operations & Safety Manual, for better food safety outcomes, collaboration, operations, sales, and movement of local food throughout Alaska
Objective 3: to provide Peer-to-Peer learning opportunities by attending the Fall 2023 Alaska Food Festival & Conference, with sessions dedicated to food hub operations, food safety, local food production, and marketing, with Food Security Micro Grant, Specialty Crop Block Grant, and other USDA Grant Grantees Showcases, to share ideas for replicable projects and initiatives aimed at increasing local food production
Project Approach:
To address the problems of not enough production and inadequate distribution systems, AFPC will:
convene an Alaska Food Working Group with a focus of improving, supporting, and connecting food hub operations statewide and within regions to inform the creation of an AK Food Hub Recommendations Report and an AK Food Hub Operations & Safety Manual;
provide professional development opportunities for food hub operators;
will facilitate additional information sharing and networking via the Fall 2023 Alaska Food Festival & Conference
Project Partners, Researchers, & Collaborators
Food Hub Participants:
Alaska Food Hub
Arctic Harvest Deliveries
Catch49
Kodiak Harvest Co-op
Qik’rtaq Food Hub/ Alutiiq Grown
Salt & Soil Marketplace
Other emerging food hubs as identified, in later phases of the project
Research/ Facilitation/ COllaborators
Ken Meter/ Crossroads Resource Center (CRC), a non-profit organization that “works with communities and their allies to foster democracy and local self-determination… specializing in devising new tools communities can use to create a more sustainable future,” has extensive research experience within the food hub sector and has worked with organizations on similar assessments, and will work directly with the Working Group to create this report through interviews, monthly meetings, document and operational review, and more.
State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation’s Food Safety & Sanitation Program Manager, Lorinda Lhotka, will work with AFPC and the Food Hubs working group to develop a Food Hub Operations Manual, with the goal of being a one-stop shop for safely operating food hubs in Alaska.
