Registration is open for the 14th annual Alaska Sustainable Agriculture Conference, which will take place in Anchorage Nov. 5-7.
More than 75 presentations will cover a wide range of agricultural topics, including livestock and rhodiola production, climate, vegetable variety trials, cut-flower production, honey bees, soil health, seaweed farming, integrated pest management, product distribution and marketing. Several agricultural agencies will also provide program updates.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service hosts the annual conference in different locations in Alaska. The goal is to bring producers, researchers, agencies and others together to share information. The conference will take place at the BP Energy Center at 1014 Energy Court, but some sessions will meet at the SpringHill Suites University Lake Hotel at 4050 University Lake Drive.
An all-day pre-conference workshop on Nov. 4 will focus on Alaska produce safety training to comply with new federal rules. The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation will offer the training.
Mel Sikes, coordinator of the Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation District, will lead an all-day post-conference workshop Nov. 8 on the Alaska Agriculture in the Classroom program and resources.
The conference is sponsored by the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. Participants may register by the day or for the entire conference. If individuals register by Oct. 28, the conference and workshop fee is $125 or the daily fee is $50. Fees increase after that date.
More information is available at http://bit.ly/AKsareconf or from conference coordinator Casey Matney, an agriculture and horticulture Extension agent in Soldotna. He can be reached at camatney@alaska.edu or 907-262-5824.