The Alaska Legislature put the Alaska Farmers Markets Association AFMA Market Match program in the Operating Budget!
The program boosts WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutiriton program benefits and doubles dollars at Alaska farmers markets (up to $40 per visit) for SNAP recipients- resulting in a 272% increase in SNAP redemptions at farmers markets in the first three seasons.
This means our state made a commitment to the vision that everyone – no matter how much money they make – should get to eat food produced in and by their own community.
Over the last few months, AFMA spoke up to the powers that be, and they not only listened, they helped make that vision a reality.
AFMA was founded to dismantle the gatekeepers of the food industry. We work hard to ensure every food producer in Alaska can reach the people through local markets, not monopolies based thousands of miles away.
We also want to make sure every food producer and advocate can reach the power systems that decide how these food programs get administered.
To that end, here’s how we got the SNAP Market Match program in the state’s Operating Budget and the many people who helped make it happen:
- In December, AFMA submitted a request to the CAPSIS (Capital Project System Portal) with the support of Representative Ashley Carrick.
- In January, AFMA partner organizations elevated AFMA’s SNAP Market Match as one of the top legislative priorities for the Alaska Food Policy Council, Alaska Farm Bureau, and the Alaska Food Coalition.
- In February, we traveled to Juneau to advocate for food security. AFMA hosted an All Alaska Grown dinner at the Governor’s Mansion with the Division of Agriculture and held meetings with Representatives Edgmon, Galvin, Johnson, Schrage, Tomaszewski and Senators Bjorkman, Cronk, Gray-Jackson, Hoffman, Kaufman, Kiehl, and Myers.
- In March, the SNAP Market Match request was moved from the Capital Budget (as a $750k request over 5 years) to the Operating Budget (as $300k for 3 years). The Alaska Food Policy Council and Food Bank of Alaska wrote letters of support.
- In April, as the budget moved through committees, AFMA heard directly from legislators Ashley Carrick, Mike Cronk, Calvin Schrage, and Cathy Tilton and from the Governor’s Office of Food Security. AFMA supporters wrote letters to legislators and testified at committee hearings.
- In May, the legislative session ended with SNAP Market Match in the budget that went to the Governor’s desk for signing. Statewide radio program Talk of Alaska had Representative Carrick and AFMA Board President (farmer and market manager) on air.
- In June, we waited. Patiently. With fingers crossed.
- On July 13th, we received the wonderful news that the SNAP Market Match is in the Operating Budget for $300,000 across fiscal years 2026-2029.
For farmers markets and farmers working to serve food insecure Alaskans, this means doubling dollars at farmers markets for another three summers!
For AFMA, this means an opportunity to leverage the commitment from the State of Alaska to invite funding from foundations, corporations, and communities to join in the momentum and ensure access to fresh local food for all for decades to come.
We believe that by coming together, Alaskans can feed Alaska. And that all Alaskans can take part in the bounty.
Thank you to EVERYONE who helped make this happen!
