Vermont Business Magazine Many Vermonters around the state are encountering gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar dispar) caterpillars causing defoliation of their trees. This invasive insect arrived in the United States over 100 years ago and has been expanding its range ever since. Gypsy moth can be a significant defoliator (leaf eater) of trees and shrubs, and although they prefer oak trees, high populations will cause them to eat many types of leaves, including maple and pine. Gypsy moth caterpillars can create a nuisance for homeowners, from the sights of caterpillars climbing the sides of residences and falling excrement to the sounds of chewing on leaves.

Vermont Farm to Plate The Vermont Food System Plan Issue Brief on Racial Equity in the Food System dives into the current state of racial inequity in the food system, and offers pathways towards an equitable one. While food and agriculture can be a source of justice and equity for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities, the Vermont food system is built on hundreds of years of marginalization and inequity. As a result, BIPOC communities experience entrenched and varied challenges throughout the food system.

Vermont Business Magazine A hot start to June has many people heading for their favorite waterbody to cool off. Prepare to enjoy a safe summer of swimming, fishing, and boating on your favorite lake or pond. Join the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, the Vermont Department of Health, and Lake Champlain Committee on Thursday, June 17 at 5:30 pm for a free public meeting on cyanobacteria. The virtual event is free and open to the public.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) is hailing Senate passage Tuesday night of a bipartisan bill to fund the CHIPS Act, passed as part of last summer’s annual defense policy bill, and to authorize a wide-range of federal investments in research and development in order to make the United States more competitive in the global economy of the 21st Century.

by Ali Dieng In the State of Vermont, a large proportion of the local New American population is made up of individuals who were resettled to the state with refugee status. Refugee resettlement in Chittenden County began in the early 1980s and it is now the most ethnically diverse county in the state. Despite these significant, ongoing demographic changes, opportunities for civic engagement remain vastly inaccessible for New Americans in the area.