Golden Carrot Award stays in the Valley

PALMER — The Palmer Fred Meyer won the 2019 Golden Carrot award given by the Alaska Department of Agriculture to the retail location that emphasizes the purchase of locally grown produce every year.

With only three years of existence for the program, 2019 marks the first year that a Fred Meyer location has taken home the prized Golden Carrot. The award has always been won by a retail location in the Valley, with Fred Meyer following Walmart in Wasilla last year and Carrs in Palmer in 2017.

“We’re just supporting the local community and the local community in turn is thanking us for it,” said Fred Meyer store manager Dean Forkner.

Market Access and Food Safety manager for the Alaska Department of Agriculture Johanna Herron said that prior to giving the Golden Carrot award, a study had been commissioned that determined if every Alaskan spent $5 on local produce, the local economy would see a boost of $188 million.

“Our vision at the Division of Ag is to see all Alaskans enjoying Alaska grown food and farm products which are what? Fresher!” said Director of Agriculture for the Department of Natural Resources Dave Schade.

Schade mentioned the many roles that must be played between getting produce from the soil on farmland into the kitchens of Alaskans. Schade boasted that not only are Alaska Grown products fresher, but also tastier. The 2019 Golden Carrot award was won by the slimmest of margins yet, with Palmer Fred Meyer holding off the second place finisher by only 1.5 points. Herron said that the criteria for the judging retail locations on qualification for the Golden Carrot award is creativity, how prominent the displays of Alaska Grown produce is, how well the stores use the $5 challenge marketing material and an added special section for diversity of products.

“Food is the Foundation of a good life and it’s a real pleasure to be here in the center of agriculture,” said DNR Communications Director Dan Saddler.

Herron detailed the conception of the $5 challenge program. The Division of Ag determined that in the three years of the program’s existence, stores that score 50% or higher based on the criteria see a 50% increase in sales of Alaska Grown products. Forkner was proud of Parker Collins, who came to work at Palmer Fred Meyer just one year ago as the produce manager.

“When I first got here, Dean Forkner, my boss here, specifically made it clear that I was to get after this carrot,” said Collins.

Prominent farm families from all over the Valley were present to congratulate Fred Meyer on winning the 2019 Golden Carrot award.

“Words can’t express it,” Forkner said of Collins. “He has grown exponentially in his first year and then bringing home the trophy, that’s fantastic.”