The Working Lands Enterprise Board (WLEB) plans to award a total of $180,000 in COVID-19 Response Business Development Grants within the sectors of agriculture and forestry. These funds are designed to complement business’s ability to maintain operations while increasing capacity to rebuild and/or recover during this unprecedented time of need. Approximately 20% of Vermont’s working
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Vermonters faced a short and mild winter of 2019-2020, compared to years past. From December 1 to February 29, statewide temperatures averaged 23°F, which was four degrees warmer than the winter of 2018– 2019. Average precipitation across the state was 9.47 inches, which averaged 2.04 inches less than last year’s average. Click here to
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The 2019 Forest Insect & Disease Conditions in Vermont has been posted HERE. This is our detailed report with maps showing results of aerial detection and invasive pest surveys, ground survey data summaries, and a comprehensive list of tree health problems that were reported to us last year. A printed version will also be available in the
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Use Value Appraisal: Interpretation of the “20% Rules” for Open Idle/Ag land, Site IV lands, and Ecologically Significant Treatment Areas (ESTA) Approved by Commissioner Snyder October 23, 2019 Background: In all cases, parcels enrolled in the Forestry Program of Use Value Appraisal (UVA) must have a minimum of 25 acres enrolled of which at least
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Do you own forestland in Vermont? Is it at least 25 acres? Vermont’s Use Value Appraisal (UVA) program, also called “Current Use” or “Land Use,” enables landowners who practice long-term forest management to have their enrolled land appraised for property taxes based on its value for forestry rather than its fair market (development) value. When
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The Vermont Legislature launched the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative in 2012. Working Lands funding is available for farm and forest enterprises at start-up and growth stages. In addition to business grants, Working Lands also funds service and technical assistance providers who can help with many types of business and technical services. The forest and wood
Read More...New cap on capital gains exclusion The existing 40% exclusion for capital gains will be capped at $350,000 under Act 71, Sec. 1, effective July 1, 2019. This means that any gain above $875,000 will be taxed at standard income tax rates. Taxpayers who are considering a sales of a large capital asset may want
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Final Ruling on the Northern Long-Eared Bat Summary The northern long-eared bat population has been devastated by the White Nose Syndrome (WNS) throughout the eastern United States. This disease has caused a mortality rate of up to a 90-100% where present. As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has listed the northern
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New safety program to help loggers and reduce workers’ comp Governor Phil Scott today announced a new initiative to address the high cost of workers’ compensation insurance for logging contractors in Vermont’s forest economy. The Vermont Logger Safety and Workers’ Compensation Insurance Program—developed collaboratively by the Departments of Financial Regulation, Labor and Forests, Parks and
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Planning Family Forests by Thom McEvoy In his seventh forestry book, Professor McEvoy after 9 years of research compiles stories of forest-owning families representing every major timber type in the United States; narratives and analyses that tell the trials, missteps and successes of an older generation of woodland owners sufficiently committed to keeping their forests
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