Executive Board Formed
A new legislative task force is picking up where Governor Dunleavy’s Alaska Food Security and Independence Task Force left off when it expired on February 27, 2023. The Alaska Food Strategy Task Force (AFSTF) was established by HB 298 and signed into law during the 32nd Legislative session.
The recently established AFSTF executive board has held two organizational meetings (February 27 and March 9). The executive board is made up of 4 legislators and 5 industry representatives, with legislators serving in the statutorily required officer positions: Chair: Sen. Shelley Hughes; Vice Chair: Rep. George Rauscher. In addition, the board created a Co-Chair position filled by Rep. Donna Mears. Sen. Click Bishop is also serving on the executive board.
The following commissioners, or their designees, will serve as members of the task force:
- commissioner of natural resources
- commissioner of fish and game
- commissioner of health
- commissioner of commerce, community, and economic development
- commissioner of education and early development
- commissioner of transportation and public facilities
In addition, 21 public members will be appointed based on expertise in various categories to serve on the AFSTF. The executive board is in the process of appointing these members.
The bulk of the task force’s work will be during the interim period this year and next with reports due in August 2023 and August 2024. Meetings will be publicly noticed on the Alaska State Legislature’s website on the daily calendar tab. The meetings may also be publicly noticed through the Division of Agriculture. As the AFSTF Chair, I will also notice meetings on my Senator Shelley Hughes Facebook page.
To learn the duties assigned to the AFSTF, see pages 7-12 in the enrolled version of HB 298.
I am honored to chair this important Task Force and am confident that if we together “put our hand to the plow” (pun is intended!), we can increase food production and security in Alaska.
There is no quick fix but with persistence, the ASFTF can help move our state in the right direction so we are less dependent on out-of-state sources, are better prepared in the event of a disaster, have increased economic activity that creates jobs and results in sending fewer dollars outside, and have access statewide to an increase in locally grown and more nutritious foods than we would have otherwise.
