As noted in our intro to "
Santa and CFR › Title 25 › Chapter I › Subchapter J › Part 243 › Section 243.4":
The introduction of reindeer from Russia to Alaska was quite a big deal
at the time and a project of one of the most amazing sailors in the
history of the northern seas, Captain Michael Healy of the predecessor
to the U.S. Coast Guard, the Revenue Cutter Service.
For 20 years Healy was the law from Seattle to Point Barrow and
in what was to become the state of Alaska and the fact he was born a
slave and rose to become the first black Captain in the service of the
U.S. government was just a small part of his story.
The University of Alaska-Fairbanks has a short history
of his and Rev. Sheldon Jackson's efforts to supply Alaskan Natives
with a source of food, leather, income etc. when the northern whales and
sea-lions were hunted to near extinction.....
From AgFunder:
Livestock farmers in cold climates all
over the globe would really appreciate a particular gift this holiday
season: for everyone in the world to start eating reindeer meat.
Finland, Russia, Norway, Alaska, and
Canada all have domesticated reindeer populations, but Christmas-related
PR problems have hampered their progress in bringing the meat into the
mainstream with its cousin venison — though reindeer meat can be found
on the fine restaurant menus of Oslo and Helsinki.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game
has gone so far as to create a separate species name for Santa’s
reindeer to differentiate the flying variety from the rest (Saintnicolas
Magicalus … yes really).
Reindeer meat is extremely lean with a
favorable fatty acid profile. Nutritionists praise it for its high
vitamin and low fat content, much of which is healthy fats. In fact,
reindeer meat is often compared to fish in terms of nutrition.
Economically, a roaring trade in reindeer meat could be great for rural economies. Marketplace
reported last week that one remote village in Alaska used grant funding
to start a herd of reindeer to provide affordable food in an area where
a gallon of milk cost more than $20....MORE
