Neither wind nor rain nor record crowds could deter the more than 1700 locals and visitors who took the Taste of Alaska Challenge at the Alaska State Fair this year.  This second annual taste test pitted “grown here” against “flown here” fruits and vegetables.  Many of the adults and kids who tried radishes, carrots, strawberries, cauliflower, broccoli, and milk tasted their first Alaska Grown produce at the Alaska Farmland Trust booth.  Participants in the taste test also answered a market research survey about local food:

• 82% were able to tell the difference between Alaska Grown and imported produce
• 87% currently purchase local produce and 87% know where to buy it
• 61% regularly attend farmers’ markets

Nearly half of the 750 responses to “What would encourage you to buy more local produce?” were price, followed by availability, accessibility, convenience, flavor, selection, requests for longer market hours, and more produce and information for customers in grocery stores.

Alaska Grown produce was described as sweeter, tastier, crispier, crunchier, juicier, less artificial, tastier, and better than outside produce.

We’d like to thank the many volunteers who made the 2011 State Fair fun and informative for participants and visitors.  The assistance of the Alaska Division of Agriculture and Mat-Su Chapter of the Alaska Farm Bureau made the Taste of Alaska a great addition to the many fair activities that support local farmers and educate the public about agriculture in the state.