Maple industry experts will share the latest information on sugarbush management and health, syrup production, quality control, marketing and maple research with producers at the annual Vermont Maple Conferences in January.

University of Vermont (UVM) Extension and the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association (VMSMA) will sponsor conferences on Jan. 21 at the School for International Training Graduate Institute in Brattleboro and Jan. 28 at Peoples Academy in Morrisville. The fee is $10 for VMSMA members, $40 for non-members and $5 for students. Lunch is an extra $15.

Producers may register online at www.vermontmaple.org/maple-conferences. To request a disability-related accommodation to participate, contact Amanda Voyer at (802) 858-9444 by Jan. 3.

The program will feature Champlain College professor Michael Lange, who will present a talk, "Cultural Responses to Economic Change in the Maple Industry." Producers also will hear important industry updates and have the opportunity to participate in a choice of four workshops on maple science, sugarbush health, sap production, marketing and business management, syrup production and other topics that will help them get the most out of their sugaring operation and the upcoming season.

UVM Extension maple specialists Mark Isselhardt and George Cook, respectively, will conduct sessions on syrup filtering and beginning sugarmaking for small-scale producers and those new to sugaring. The conferences also will feature a trade show and equipment displays for producers to learn about the latest products and equipment and stock up or order sugaring supplies.

Further details about all three maple meetings can be found in the December 2016 "Maple Mainline" at http://go.uvm.edu/extension-maple.