Alaska is often said to rely on imported food for 95% of its needs. This figure has circulated for years, popping up in government reports and speeches. Yet, food system experts struggle to trace it back to a solid source. Rachel Lord, policy director at the Alaska Food Policy Council, noted that while the number seems reasonable, it’s essentially made up due to the lack of credible data behind it.
The actual dependency on imports is tricky to track. While there’s no doubt that most food in Alaska comes from outside, understanding the precise percentage is complex. Lord pointed out that without clear metrics, it’s hard to gauge if efforts to reduce this dependency are successful.
So where does the 95% figure come from? A recent report prepared for Governor Dunleavy, which reviews food security in Alaska, states that the statistic hasn’t been verified since it first appeared in a 1987 journal. Another analysis from 2010 suggests it dates back to the 1970s, but again, lacks accuracy. The number is vague; it doesn’t specify whether it refers to expenditure, weight, or calories, which muddies the waters further.
Mike Jones, an economist at the University of Alaska Anchorage, emphasized that the figure has become accepted wisdom over time, even though it lacks supporting evidence. This highlights a pressing issue in Alaska’s food system—the absence of reliable data on both imports and locally sourced food. For example, subsistence hunting and fishing play a significant role in rural communities, yet this is often overlooked in the figures people quote.
Despite the ambiguity, the 95% figure persists. It appeared recently in a Facebook video from the governor’s office, reinforcing the idea that change is needed. “Alaska imports 95% of its food, but we don’t have to,” the video declared.
Finding a reliable figure is essential for monitoring progress. However, collecting accurate data is complicated by significant gaps. Jones noted that it’s more productive to describe Alaska’s situation with words instead of numbers until better data can be gathered.
Plans are underway to improve data collection. The Dunleavy administration’s proposed Department of Agriculture aims to provide detailed measurements of Alaska’s food systems. The Alaska Food Policy Council is also working on a database to enhance understanding of local food production and consumption.
This challenge isn’t unique to Alaska. David Conner, an economist from the University of Vermont, shared insights from his state’s efforts to measure local food consumption. His team gathered data from grocery stores, schools, and hospitals to assess how much local food they bought in a year. They even considered whether items like beer should count as food, highlighting the complexity of the food system.
Ultimately, Vermont researchers estimated that local food accounted for over 10% of total consumption—but they cautioned that their findings come with significant data gaps. This suggests that many places, not just Alaska, import most of their food, especially where local agriculture is geared toward export and not local needs.
Jones argues it’s a positive aspect that Alaskans can access food from far-flung areas, as it’s crucial for nutrition and finances. Still, the importance of increasing local food production resonates widely. Both Jones and Conner agree that local food systems could be more beneficial for the environment and economy, fostering economic development by keeping money circulating within the local community.
In summary, the journey to understand Alaska’s food dependency is ongoing. Improving data collection and community engagement is vital for building a sustainable food system that can lessen reliance on imports and promote local agriculture.
