Alaska

The Alaska Agrability team was busy in November assisting with the first annual 2021 Alaska Farm Bureau Convention & Trade Show in conjunction with the Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) Conference. The event took place on November 12-14 in Anchorage at the Egan Center. Normally the Farm Bureau has a one-day annual meeting, but this year that was combined with several other activities to create the first-ever comprehensive agriculture convention. SARE was a major partner with the event this year, assisting with logistics and workshop coordination. DeShana York was on the planning committee and assisted with workshop coordination. AKAgrAbility had a vendor booth and provided a few workshops, and Erin Main, OT, provided a 'Functional Fitness' break sponsored by AKAgrAbility to kick-off day two. Ned Stoller provided a virtual presentation on 'Managing Joint Pain on the Farm', and Art Nash provided a hands-on demonstration during a 'Gardening for Life' session. Mike Williams, Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) pacific advisory panel representative and Alaskan peony farmer, shared information about the benefits of being a member and an overview of the FVC.

Approximately 100 people participated in-person and a small group attended virtually for workshops that were live-streamed. The event consisted of opening ceremonies and four tracks of workshops all day on Friday & Saturday with simultaneous youth activities, 20 trade show vendor booths, and presentations on a trade show stage.

Evening engagements were planned as well, with the annual Farm Bureau banquet and live auction. Farmstock kicked off Saturday evening with music by Heath Wright followed by Alaska's own Ken Peltier Band in a live concert and fundraiser attended by approximately 150 people. Many Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension (IANRE) faculty and staff participated in helping coordinate parts of this event, providing educational workshops or other presentations, and staffing vendor booths. This event was a huge success for the first of its kind! Evidence of that is the fact that the Alaska Farm Bureau board voted to spearhead this event for three more years in Anchorage! Thank you to all who participated in this event in some way! This event is sure to grow and expand awareness, advocacy, and education of the agriculture industry in the future. Mark your calendars now for November 2022!

The team also gave presentations at many other meetings and conferences in November:

• On the 2nd, the University of Alaska Disability Services Annual Conference brought together professors and administrators from Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau to learn about assistive technology for students as they navigate their chosen careers.
• Staff presented at Care Coordination Resource of Alaska staff meeting and Statewide Vocational Rehabilitation Assistive Technology Committee on the 3rd and 4th, respectively.
• On the 9th, staff presented solutions for aging in place for the Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center Home Safety Month.
• Later in the month, staff presented for Creighton University Student Occupational Therapy Association and at the Providence Therapy Department Meeting.
• Lastly, staff hosted an informal technology hour for attendees to ask an AT Specialist about solutions or services that may benefit them or their loved ones. November's technology hour focused on solutions for agriculture workers.

Submitted by DeShana York