Food Hubs Working Group

A food hub is defined by the USDA, as “a centrally located facility with a business management structure facilitating the aggregation, storage, processing, distributions, and/or marketing of locally/regionally produced food products.” Food Hubs’ popularity is gaining momentum in the state, with many communities exploring creating their own place-based models.

Alaskan hubs vary widely in their operational capacities. To better strengthen Alaska’s Food Hubs, and in turn increase sales of local foods, AFPC created a formalized Alaska Food Hub Working Group in 2023. The focus of the group is knowledge sharing and creation, professional development for food hub operators, and a statewide consultation on how to better collaborate and connect our state’s food hub operations.

The Food Hubs Working Group is on hiatus starting November 2025. The website and listserv remain active.

If you are interested in joining this Working Group please sign up and we will get back to you.

Alaska’s Food Hubs Reports & Recordings History

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Alaska’s Food Hubs

Arctic Harvest Deliveries

Anchorage, Eagle River, Wasilla, Girdwood
Contact Kyla at kyla@arcticharvestak.com

Kodiak Harvest

Kodiak
Contact Rob (info@kodiakharvest.org)

Qik’rtaq Food Hub

Kodiak, Larson Bay, Ouzinkie, Old Harbor, Port Lions
Hosted by Kodiak Archipelago Leadership Institute and Alutiiq Grown, contact Max (maxlyons.kali@gmail.com)

Salt & Soil Marketplace

Southeast
Hosted EcoTrust, contact saltandsoil@ecotrust.org

Recap: October 2025 Alaska Food Systems Network Gathering

Our fall network gathering included presentations by the Northwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program and Cooperative Extension.

advocacy, advocacy education, cottage foods, general interest

Understanding Alaska’s Proposed Food Code Regulation Change

ADEC is proposing a change in the Alaska Food Code regulations to come in line with the Homemade Food laws that were passed last year with HB251. We asked ADEC a few questions to learn more.

cottage foods, partner spotlight & events

HB251 “Homemade Food Rule” – Community Perspectives

Now referred to as “The Homemade Food Rule”, HB251 revises the Alaska Food Drug and Cosmetic Act Statute to create an exemption from permitting and inspection requirements for producers of homemade food products, with no cap on sales. We dive into these changes, highlight three community perspectives on the new law, and share resources.

food hubs, general interest, partner spotlight & events

The Unsung Heroes of Farmers Markets: Ensuring Food Safety in Alaska

A collaborative blog from Claire Marshalek, Meghan Hargis ot the Alaska Farmers Markets Association, and Leah Moss, AFPC. Amid the hustle and bustle of a farmers’ market, there is an often-overlooked aspect that deserves our attention and appreciation: food safety. Read more about what the behind-the-scenes work to keep us safe looks like.

food hubs, general interest

Food Hub Working Group: Progress and Possibilities

Read more about the process of building out our latest report: How the Alaska “Food Hub” Network Can Best Move Forward. According to report author Ken Meter, "This report represents a crucial step towards building a more resilient and effective food hub network in Alaska. By identifying common challenges and offering innovative solutions, we can ensure the continued growth and success of our local food systems."

food hubs, general interest

AFPC Launches Food Hub Working Group, with USDA Funding

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…

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2024 Food Hub Report

In April of 2024, the latest report was released by the Alaska Food Policy Council and our partners Ken Meter of Crossroads Resource Center, Alaska’s DEC Food Safety & Sanitation Program, and multiple food hub operators.

“How the Alaska “Food Hub” Network Can Best Move Forward” reflects over a year of hard work, and, with its cheerful, bright graphics and thoughtful recommendations, it kickstarts future network growth.

Download the Report Read the Blog About Release

2024 Food Safety & Operations Best Practices Toolkit

The Alaska Food Hub Working Group members informed the production of the Operations and Safety Manual. The six participating food hubs shared their current manuals, and the group performed a comprehensive review of nationwide food hub manuals and reports. Working group members also shared their unique experiences operating in their local contexts through monthly discussions and one-on-one interviews with project partner Lorinda Lhotka of the State of Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation – Food Safety & Sanitation Program.

The Operations and Safety Manual highlights best practices for food hubs in a format that makes information accessible to emerging food hubs and relevant to Alaska’s context. The goals of the Operations and Safety Manual are to:

foster better food safety outcomes;
improve collaboration, operations, and knowledge sharing;
support sales of local food;
and movement of local food throughout Alaska.

We are sharing our “Food Hub Operations and Safety Manual” as Section 12 of the Alaska Farmer’s Market Association’s Farmers Market Toolkit.

More About Our Food Hubs

In the fall of 2015, the Alaska Food Policy Council hosted the Wallace Center for an all-day Food Hub Workshop in Anchorage, which was attended by 40 participants from around the state. The goal was to gather a wide array of stakeholders – farmers, growers, food businesses and entrepreneurs, buyers, chefs, and related organizations, to build community, identify what is going well with our food system, identify common challenges, possible solutions, and innovative ways to work together to strengthen the local food movement.

Since autumn 2015, four organizations have received funding from the USDA LFPP grant program to create Alaskan food hubs. During the 2020 pandemic, consumers looked to alternative and distanced methods to purchase local food. Hubs around the state reported increased sales and farmer participation over the previous year. For example, the Alaska Food Hub experienced tremendous growth: doubled vendor participation, increased diversity and quantities of specialty crops, value-added, and meat, oyster, and seaweed products sold, and grew sales by 211%.

Food hubs benefit farmers by connecting them with additional (and sometimes larger) markets and providing services like collective marketing, accounting, sales, and education. They can help get local food into underserved areas, as well as assist in gleaning activities to benefit food pantries, increasing access to fresh healthy foods. Food hubs strengthen local economies by creating jobs and new economic opportunities for farmers. They are convenient for both farmers and consumers, allowing for a one-stop shop (consumers) or one-stop-drop (farmers). They strengthen food security by supporting local food systems and providing enhanced sales opportunities for specialty crop producers.

Through a comprehensive assessment and review of food hub best practices, the working group informed the production of a Food Hub Working Group and Recommendations Report and Operations Manual (2024). AFPC provided professional development opportunities to build new skills and facilitate additional information sharing between food hub operators and producers at the 2023 Alaska Food & Farm Festival.

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