Delta Farm Forum to highlight food and agriculture

The annual Delta Farm Forum on Feb. 23 will highlight a variety of topics of interest to farmers and food producers.

Dan Sullivan, Alaska’s natural resources commissioner, will welcome participants at 9 a.m. and presentations will run until 3:30 p.m. in the Delta Junction High School small gymnasium. A potluck will begin around noon.

Topics will include the flour mill market, gourmet cookies, reducing farm energy costs and updates from the state's Farm to School program, Alaska Farmers Cooperative and agricultural agencies. Palmer sausage maker Francois Vecchio will make the final presentation on artisan sausage making. Vecchio, who operated a family meat business in Switzerland, specializes in Italian, Spanish, French and German traditional meat craftsmanship. A full agenda is available here.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service and the Salcha-Delta Soil and Water Conservation District are co-sponsoring the 36th annual forum. Youth from the Delta FFA chapter and 4-H groups will emcee and assist with the program. For more information, call Extension’s Delta office at 895-4215 or the conservation district at 895-6279.