Alaska Foods in Schools
Dear Editor: Sitka is one of the first communities in Alaska to push for local foods in schools through the Fish to Schools program; now it’s time to go statewide. The governor has included in his FY15 budget state funding to reimburse school districts for their purchases of Alaskan grown or caught foods through the Nutritional Alaskan Foods for Schools program. This makes it possible for schools to serve local, nutritious foods to their students, sourcing from farmers, fishermen and processors in or around their communities. NAFS improves Alaska’s food security and helps us create a more sustainable local food system.
Rep. Stoltze proposed NAFS in 2011 and over 100 vendors and 48 school districts benefited from this legislation in the 2012-2013 school year. Nearly 90 percent of those 48 school districts purchased local seafood.
Every year food producers and school food service providers wait anxiously every spring for NAFS to pass. And usually it’s too late for farmers to meet the extra demand because they’ve already planted their crops and food service has already purchased other foods. Making this funding permanent would provide both food service and food producers the consistency necessary for advanced planning and coordination of harvest to ensure supply meets demand.
The Sitka Conservation Society thanks both the leadership of Representative Stoltze and Gov. Parnell for including NAFS in his proposed budget. We urge Alaska legislators to support the permanent funding of a program that increases Alaska’s food security, catalyzes Alaska’s food production, supports local communities, and improves the health of our students.
Tracy Gagnon,
Community Sustainability
Organizer,
Sitka Conservation Society
