Food Systems Network Gatherings, afpc events & conferences, food waste
Recap: July 2026 Alaska Food Systems Network Gathering
July 27, 2026
By Sundance Visser, Operations & Finance Director, AFPC
Our summer Alaska Food Systems Network Gathering took place virtually on Thursday, July 23 from 11:30 AM–1:00 PM, bringing together farmers, food system practitioners, community leaders, and partners from across the state. These quarterly gatherings help us stay connected between conferences, share timely updates, and learn from one another as we work toward stronger, more resilient food systems in Alaska. This was the final meeting of 2026, and we invite you all to register for the Alaska Food Festival & Conference, happening in-person in Fairbanks (and virtually) on October 16-18th.
The network gatherings are not recorded but we do share slides with all who registered and here in the recap blog.
Highlights from the July Gathering
The gathering opened with introductions and answering the question “How are you feeling about your food system?” Answers included:
- Hopeful
- Persistent
- Involved
AFPC Updates
These quarterly gatherings provide a platform for the Alaska Food Policy Council to share program updates. This quarter, we shared updates to AFPC’s Governing Board (read more on our blog). Then we shared all the latest Alaska Food Festival and Conference (October 16-18) updates including an exciting Keynote Speaker Panel schedule.
Thank you to our 2026 sponsors. We couldn’t do this without you!
Rachel Lord, AFPC’s Advocacy Director, shared advocacy updates including the AFPC Advocacy Working Group meeting time (3rd Thursday of the month, 12-1PM), monthly blog posts (June update here), and the Get Out The Vote campaign.
Check out akfoodvote.org. Primary Election Day is coming up (August 18)!
So, what does AFPC actually do around elections?
- Provide voter education – resources on candidates and their thoughts around food systems in Alaska
- Provide candidate education – sharing resources and connections to help support everyone running for office to learn more about Alaska’s food systems
- Encourage everyone to Get Out The Vote! We will support Alaskans in voting by providing resources and reminders to vote in all elections, focusing on the upcoming statewide and national elections in November
Guest Speaker – Chef Marisa Peña, Programs Manager, Stone’s Throw Cafe
Guest Speaker – At this gathering, Chef Marisa Peña joined from the Bread Line. Bread Line, Inc. is an inclusive and accessible anti-hunger organization serving the Fairbanks community since 1984. It’s mission is “Feeding people, affirming lives”.
Chef Marisa provided an inspiring program overview. The Stone Soup cafe serves up to 200 meals per day to the community, and their job training program has a remarkable 75% graduation rate and 85% retention rate up to 1 year after graduation.
Chef Marisa then transitioned into a delightful cooking demo, demonstrating techniques used in most professional kitchen that can be adapted to your home. The recipes included stock and pesto from food scraps, including a bucket of scraps from a knife skills class held the day before. Discover new ways to elevate your everyday dishes while also helping eliminate food waste!
Thank you, Chef Marisa, for the inspiring presentation!
What’s Next?
This was our final network gathering of 2026. Our October network gathering is canceled and we encourage everyone to register in-person or virtually for the Alaska Food Festival & Conference (October 16-18).
