Vermont maple conferences slated for January

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Maple producers will learn how to improve their sugarbush, increase production and market their product more effectively at the 2019 Vermont Maple Conference in January.

The all-day conference will be offered on Jan. 19 at the School for International Training Graduate Institute, Brattleboro (1 Kipling Road), and Jan. 26 at Lamoille Union Middle School, Hyde Park (736 VT Route 15). It is co-sponsored by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension and the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association (VMSMA).

The registration fee is $10 for VMSMA members, $40 for non-members and $5 for students. Lunch is available for an extra $15, or participants may bring their own.

Registration details can be found at www.vermontmaple.org/maple-conferences. Online registration will close the Monday prior to each conference, and although walk-ins will be accepted, lunch is not guaranteed, so reservation by deadline is advised. To request a disability-related accommodation to participate, please contact Amanda Voyer at (802) 858-9444 by Jan. 2.

Participants will have a choice of several workshops in five tracks: maple production and innovation, maple business management, regulations and maple, sugarbush health and marketing and media. Topics range from developing a business plan, designing effective websites and hiring and retaining employees to industry trends, strategies to mitigate climate change impacts on sap yields and the implications of the Food Safety Modernization Act for producers. Several sessions are designed for novice sugarmakers.

Complete program details can be found in the December 2018 “Maple Mainline” at go.uvm.edu/extension-maple.

In addition, on Jan. 12 the Addison County Sugarmakers Association will sponsor its 2019 Addison County Maple Seminar at Middlebury Union High School in Middlebury. Information for this event, which features several workshop sessions and a trade show, may be found at www.addisoncountymaple.org.