Editing Alaska (section)

===Agriculture and fishing===
[[File:Pacific Halibut Fileting.JPG|thumb|right|upright|[[Halibut]], both as a sport fish and commercially, is important to the state's economy.]]

Due to the northern climate and short growing season, relatively little farming occurs in Alaska. Most farms are in either the [[Matanuska Valley]], about {{convert|40|mi|km}} northeast of [[Anchorage]], or on the [[Kenai Peninsula]], about {{convert|60|mi|km}} southwest of Anchorage. The short 100-day growing season limits the crops that can be grown, but the long sunny summer days make for productive growing seasons. The primary crops are potatoes, carrots, lettuce, and cabbage.

The [[Tanana Valley]] is another notable agricultural locus, especially the [[Delta Junction, Alaska|Delta Junction]] area, about {{convert|100|mi|km}} southeast of Fairbanks, with a sizable concentration of farms growing agronomic crops; these farms mostly lie north and east of [[Fort Greely]]. This area was largely set aside and developed under a state program spearheaded by Hammond during his second term as governor. Delta-area crops consist predominantly of barley and hay. West of Fairbanks lies another concentration of small farms catering to restaurants, the hotel and tourist industry, and [[community-supported agriculture]].

Alaskan agriculture has experienced a surge in growth of [[market gardener]]s, small farms and [[farmers' market]]s in recent years, with the highest percentage increase (46%) in the nation in growth in farmers' markets in 2011, compared to 17% nationwide.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdamediafb?contentid=2011/08/0338.xml&printable=true&contentidonly=true |title=More than 1,000 New Farmers Markets Recorded Across Country as USDA Directory Reveals 17 Percent Growth—USDA Newsroom |publisher=Usda.gov |date=August 5, 2011 |access-date=June 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117072838/http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdamediafb?contentid=2011%2F08%2F0338.xml&printable=true&contentidonly=true |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[peony]] industry has also taken off, as the growing season allows farmers to harvest during a gap in supply elsewhere in the world, thereby filling a niche in the flower market.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://alaskapeonies.org/ |title=Welcome to The Alaska Peony Growers Association |publisher=Alaskapeonies.org |access-date=June 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120630050159/http://alaskapeonies.org/ |archive-date=June 30, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{multiple image
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| image1            = Heavy-lift_melon.jpg
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| image2            = Monster vegetable display at the Tanana Valley State Fair 2010.jpg
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| footer            = Oversized vegetables on display at the [[Alaska State Fair]] (left) and the [[Tanana Valley State Fair]] (right)
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Alaska, with no counties, lacks county fairs. Instead, a small assortment of state and local fairs (with the [[Alaska State Fair]] in [[Palmer, Alaska|Palmer]] the largest), are held mostly in the late summer. The fairs are mostly located in communities with historic or current agricultural activity, and feature local farmers exhibiting produce in addition to more high-profile commercial activities such as carnival rides, concerts and food. "Alaska Grown" is used as an agricultural slogan.

Alaska has an abundance of seafood, with the primary fisheries in the Bering Sea and the North Pacific. Seafood is one of the few food items that is often cheaper within the state than outside it. Many Alaskans take advantage of salmon seasons to harvest portions of their household diet while fishing for subsistence, as well as sport. This includes fish taken by hook, net or [[Fish wheel|wheel]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingPersonalUse.main |title=Alaska Department of Fish and Game |publisher=Adfg.alaska.gov |access-date=May 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624202032/http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingPersonalUse.main |archive-date=June 24, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Hunting for subsistence, primarily [[caribou]], [[moose]], and [[Dall sheep]] is still common in the state, particularly in remote [[The Bush (Alaska)|Bush]] communities. An example of a traditional native food is [[Akutaq]], the Eskimo ice cream, which can consist of reindeer fat, seal oil, dried fish meat and local berries.

Alaska's reindeer herding is concentrated on [[Seward Peninsula]], where wild caribou can be prevented from mingling and migrating with the domesticated reindeer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://reindeer.salrm.uaf.edu/about_reindeer/seward_peninsula.php |title=Reindeer Herding |publisher=Reindeer.salrm.uaf.edu |access-date=November 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119004453/http://reindeer.salrm.uaf.edu/about_reindeer/seward_peninsula.php |archive-date=November 19, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Most food in Alaska is transported into the state from [[Outside (Alaska)|"Outside"]] (the other 49 U.S. states), and shipping costs make food in the cities relatively expensive. In rural areas, subsistence hunting and gathering is an essential activity because imported food is prohibitively expensive. Although most small towns and villages in Alaska lie along the coastline, the cost of importing food to remote villages can be high because of the terrain and difficult road conditions, which change dramatically due to varying climate and precipitation changes. Transport costs can reach 50¢ per pound ($1.10/kg) or higher in some remote areas during times of inclement weather or rough terrain conditions, if these locations can be reached at all. The cost of delivering a gallon (3.8 L) of milk is about $3.50 in many villages where per capita income can be $20,000 or less. Fuel cost per gallon is routinely twenty to thirty cents higher than the contiguous United States average, with only Hawaii having higher prices.<ref>{{cite web|title=Daily Fuel Gauge Report|url=http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com/?redirectto=http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/index.asp|publisher=Automobile Association of America|access-date=May 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620090230/http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com/?redirectto=http%3A%2F%2Ffuelgaugereport.opisnet.com%2Findex.asp|archive-date=June 20, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Retail Fuel Pricing and News|url=http://www.opisnet.com/retail-fuel-prices.aspx|publisher=Oil Price Information Service|access-date=May 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602043909/http://www.opisnet.com/retail-fuel-prices.aspx|archive-date=June 2, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>