Senator Mike Shower, Wasilla (left), and Senator Shelley Hughes, Palmer (center), relay a message to Gov. Michael J. Dunleavy (right) in his Capitol office that the Senate is open and ready for business on the first day of the 31st Session of the Alaska Legislature on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019. (Photo by Michael Penn | Juneau Empire.)
Her work, her words and her way of life all echo the FFA motto of “Living to Serve.” Alaska Senator Shelley Hughes has spent her life working to carve opportunity out of challenge — something every Alaskan, and every FFA member, can relate to.
Born in Canton, Ohio, Hughes moved to Alaska as a teenager and graduated a year early to start her life in the Last Frontier. Her early years were spent “in a different century,” in a faith-based community — heating by wood stove, hauling water, burning kerosene lamps and growing her and the community’s own food.
Senator Hughes.
“People just do what they have to do to make it,” she says. “That’s one of the great features of Alaskans: their resilience and ingenuity.”
Those experiences taught her the value of hard work and community — lessons she carried into public service. Having fallen in love with all corners of Alaska, she made the decision to run for the legislature. “My husband served in Vietnam, and my son and grandson serve in the military,” Hughes says. “The least I can do is step up and serve our state.”
After living in remote, off-the-road-system communities and settling in Palmer in 1990 — Alaska’s historical agricultural hub — Hughes quickly recognized the potential of local food systems. Her first bill in office, House Bill 40, allowed communities to offer tax breaks on agricultural land. “It was a natural fit,” she says. “I realized I was the agricultural legislator.”
Since then, Hughes has fought for policies that strengthen Alaska’s farms, ranches and agricultural education. As chair of the Alaska Food Strategy Task Force, she led efforts creating actionable strategies — not just reports — to boost local food production and processing. She believes the work of the task force helped convince the governor to issue an executive order for the creation of a state Department of Agriculture.
“Just like we want Alaskan-grown food,” Hughes says, “we want Alaskan-grown agricultural producers.”
When one lawmaker claimed young people weren’t interested in agriculture during a debate, Hughes saw proof to the contrary. At a food security workshop she hosted, several key speakers turned out to be young producers and FFA Alumni. “Youth are passionate about growing food, eating local and improving our food system,” she says.
Hughes believes agricultural education is vital not only for future farmers, but for the entire workforce. “Vocational programs reduce absenteeism, increase engagement and create career pathways,” she says. “We promote vocational education classes in high school to inspire future electricians, carpenters and mechanics. We need to do the same for farmers, ranchers and other agriculture careers.”
Alaska FFA members gather for a District Leadership Conference.
She’s also urging students to advocate for stronger agricultural programs at Alaskan universities. “We have to pass the baton to the next generation of Alaskans,” she says.
Hughes’ record shows a clear vision for Alaska’s future to be achieved through self-reliance, resilience and local provisions. She continues to bridge policy and practice for the benefit of rural communities and young producers alike. Her work ensures Alaska’s next generation inherits both opportunity and responsibility.
