Fresh food in Alaska has always been an ongoing challenge. Being so far from the rest of the country, the only available options for produce being shipped into the state involve air cargo and barges. When perishable produce is being shipped to the state, time is of the essence. Within days, the food could already start to rot. Many Alaskans, especially those who are remote, fight the reality of food insecurity every year due to having to rely on imported food. One Alaskan woman is speaking out about how very real food insecurity is for those living within the state.
Jazzy (@jazzygenre) posted a TikTok titled, “A rant about being at the end of the supply chain.” In her video, she says that the “food system in Alaska is broken” as she holds up a rotten apple. She said apples aren’t supposed to look like this within only a couple of days. However, this is her reality. As a busy student and worker, she said she can only buy produce that is shelf-stable for several days so it will last. Apples used to be a shelf-stable choice in her household but now they don’t even last her a week. In the summertime, she noticed that nectarines became moldy overnight.
With the cost of grocery prices on the rise, this isn’t feasible for most people living in Alaska. Due to transportation and import fees, food in Alaska is priced quite high. Especially in rural areas, people pay a large amount for their groceries, higher than in many other states in the country. So, to buy produce that only lasts a few hours is not acceptable.
Jazzy said it’s so unbelievable that she jokes with her friends, “I wonder if my produce will get moldy by the time I just get back from the grocery store.” As she holds up the apple, she said that these items are frozen as they’re brought on a truck up to where she lives in Alaska. But then, when unfrozen and placed in a store, they already start to perish. So, she and other Alaskans have no choice but to eat expensive produce as quickly as possible.
One commenter pointed out, “Far too much of America is a food desert to be considered a first world country.” Another person shared, “I bought a bag of potatoes from Costco in Fairbanks and in a week they were squishy! Even by eating seasonally, our produce isn’t lasting the way it should last.” People are starting to notice that things are getting worse when it comes to having fresh, available food in Alaska. And with prices rising, it makes it even more difficult for the Alaskan people who can’t just up and move out of their homes. What will this mean for the future of Alaska?
