The Alaska House of Representatives passed a bill that helps address issues surrounding food security in Alaska. House Bill 298 establishes the Alaska Food Strategy Task Force. It passed on a 29-2 vote.
Rep. Liz Snyder (Anchorage) said:
“I, too, share a healthy skepticism around task forces. Sometimes they’re successful and sometimes they’re not. In this case when we were designing HB 298, we turned to one of the most recent task forces that happened that have been working in Alaska over the past several years and, in fact, it’s one that’s been wildly successful and one that’s been focused on food. I’m talking on the Mariculture Task Force.”
She adds:
“We take the task force who is made up of individuals on the ground, on the water, doing the work everyday who know way more about food issues than we do here in this body. They make the recommendations. It can come to the existing Food and Farm Caucus where they can look at those recommendations from a holistic standpoint, consider it within the realm of what’s happening here in the legislature, and addressing some of the concerns, and then move it on to the special committee.”
The task force is a multidisciplinary task force on Alaska’s food systems and sovereignty with the goal of improving food security for the long-term benefit of Alaska’s communities, economy, and environment. Sitting members will come from various communities and interests and be representative of Alaska’s diverse population. Work of the task force will complement and expand on the Governor’s Food Security and Independence Task Force and the Legislature’s Food and Farm Caucus.
House Bill 298 moves to the Senate for consideration.
Transcribed audio courtesy of KTOO 360TV.
