Vermont Edition

"Decision Making in the Age of Plastics"

The city of Rutland sometimes gets a bad rap, but residents say there's a side of the city that people often overlook. The team at Brave Little State recently solicited questions from a live event in Rutland and the winning question centers on why Rutland is made to feel like the ugly child.

The American Chestnut tree once dominated forests in the Eastern US. That is, until a blight nearly wiped it out. Now, scientists and volunteers are trying to bring back these towering trees.Today on Vermont Edition, we'll listen back to a show from this summer about chestnut restoration efforts in the Northeast. Scientists are developing and planting blight-resistant American chestnuts around our region.Then, what's more majestic than a tree so big you can't even wrap your arms around it? Through Vermont's Big Tree Program, you can search a map of the state's largest trees, like a massive white pine in Corinth or a beautiful paper birch in Canaan.

Vermont's Air National Guard and F-35A fighter jets have arrived in Puerto Rico. They've been deployed as part of Operation Southern Spear — a build-up of U.S. forces in the region targeting Venezuela and the Maduro regime.Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) joins us to weigh in on the deployment. He's spoken out against President Donald Trump's actions against Venezuela.Stephon Boatwright, a St. Michael's College professor of international relations and political science, shares his perspective on the legality of recent U.S. actions in the Caribbean. And Peter Ladensack, a former guardsman, explains what it's like when a unit mobilizes. He has firsthand experience — he was deployed to Afghanistan with the Vermont Army National Guard.

An advocate for people experiencing homelessness. A folk singer, beloved by adults and children alike. A devoted mother who founded a food pantry. A poet. A professor. A Peace Corps volunteer.Today on Vermont Edition, we honor some of the remarkable people from our communities who died in 2025. You'll hear from their friends, family members, colleagues, and admirers.We'll also share calls and emails from listeners with stories of family members and friends who passed away over the last year. 

2025 was a landmark year for the genre-bending singer-songwriter Neko Case.She released a new album, "Neon Grey Midnight Green," and published a memoir, The Harder I Fight The More I Love You. In both, she uses her singular voice to weave together personal stories, the sounds of a diverse musical community and her abundant respect for the natural world.Case has deep roots in Vermont. She spent some of her childhood years in Lamoille County and now has a farm in the Northeast Kingdom. She joins us to share her experiences over three decades in the music world, and the inspiration behind her latest album. Then; Seven Days food editor and writer Melissa Pasanen is back with her latest local recommendations, including bean-to-bar delights at Prophecy Chocolate, a painting-worthy salad at The Crooked Ram and the unmissable tater tots at Onion City Chicken & Oyster.

Today on Vermont Edition: it's the latest in our monthly series, Town By Town. Each month we spend an hour learning about a randomly selected town or city in Vermont. Today it's Berlin, in Washington County. You'll hear from three residents with deep roots, including a local author and the president of the town historical society! We'll also visit the longstanding Wayside restaurant. Broadcast live on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

The Winooski School District's superintendent, Wilmer Chavarria, has emerged this year as an outspoken advocate for immigrant families in his city, which is the most diverse municipality in Vermont. Chavarria first made national headlines this summer after he was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Texas after visiting family in Nicaragua. Last week he testified on Capitol Hill about his detention, and also filed a lawsuit against federal authorities.He joins Vermont Edition to discuss his detention and the numerous other ways his school district is being affected by the Trump Administration's immigration crackdown.Then: Vermont passed the Climate Superfund Act in 2024, allowing the state to sue fossil fuel companies for damage caused by climate change over the past 30 years. Legal challenges from the Trump administration and the oil industry soon followed. Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark gives an update on where those legal challenges stand today. Plus, Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak explains the process for tallying exactly how much money the state will aim to collect from fossil fuel companies. He also shares which of the state's climate adaptation projects the money could help fund, and his hopes for these projects to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Today on Vermont Edition, UVM's Community News Service provides journalism training with an opportunity for a professional byline. The program's audio journalism instructor and two current students will share what they've learned about reporting over the past semester.Then: Did your Spotify Wrapped make you realize that you've been listening to the same artists over and over again this year? Seven Days music critic Chris Farnsworth is here to tell us about local musicians with great new music. He'll also tell us about the perils of being a music critic and comparing one band to another.

Today on Vermont Edition, it's our annual winter books show. We've assembled a team of super readers from all across the state to recommend books for you to read and gift this season. You'll hear from a South Burlington children's librarian, bookshop owners in Waterbury, Wilmington and Middlebury, and a writer and editor from Middlesex. They've brought with them lists of new books by Vermont authors, the year's bestselling genre fiction, children's books and graphic novels and older books that are making a comeback. Open your notes app or get out your pen and paper. You're going to want to write a lot of these titles down!

Doing business in Vermont

Federal agents have arrested more than 100 people in Vermont over the last 10 months. Those arrests have heightened fears in tight-knit communities across the state. Vermont Public's Peter Hirschfeld discusses his new 4-part series on arrests and deportations in our region. He gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his investigation.Many of the immigrants targeted for arrest work on local farms. A new book called Will Work for Food argues that their labor needs to be part of any discussion about our food supply chain. We're joined by the book's co-authors Teresa M. Mares, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Vermont and the director of its food systems graduate program, and Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, an associate professor of geography and the environment at Syracuse University and the director of its graduate program in food studies.Broadcast live on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

An early estimate from the state predicts that next year's property taxes could rise an average of nearly 12 percent. The state's tax commissioner Bill Shouldice joins us to explain how that property tax estimate was made, and all the factors that could affect the final number on your tax bill.Then: noted Montpelier author Makenna Goodman has a new novel. It takes place in the middle of the countryside, where a professor is touring a seemingly idyllic house for sale. I'll leave it at that for now.Plus: there's something special going on in Brattleboro for holiday window shoppers. Organizers of its first ever “festival of miniatures” tell us about the dollhouses, toy trains and tiny objects on view in local storefronts.

Our region is teeming with holiday markets where shoppers can find the perfect holiday gift, share in community and support local artists and makers. This year's Vermont Edition gift guide show goes behind the scenes of some of the state's holiday fairs: Julia Tadlock, founder of Brattleboro Flea, tells us about the crafts, books, food and more that shoppers can expect to find at downtown Brattleboro's pop-up Market on Main. Morgan Haynes, who manages the Vermont Farmers Market's Holiday Craft Shows in Rutland, shares some of her favorite gifts at the show and talks about how markets can bring communities together.We also hear about artisans and makers all across the region, from bookbinders to metalsmiths, whose work might be the perfect gift for someone on your list. Plus, we talk with one of the founders of a new online donation platform based in Vermont that can help you support organizations doing good in our communities.For even more great gift ideas, check out Vermont Public's 2025 local gift guide.Broadcast live on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Local auto mechanics share what they know about EV battery life and winter maintenance for electric cars and trucks.

Grace Cottage Hospital in Townsend is the smallest hospital in Vermont. It's operating in the red, like many hospitals in our region. But its administrators have big plans for its future, like constructing a brand new clinic.We're joined by Grace Cottage CEO Olivia Sweetnam. The hospital she runs is unique for many reasons. Some of its doctors have worked there for decades. It's one of the smallest hospitals not just in Vermont, but in the whole country. And it's building a new family clinic by relying heavily on philanthropic support.Grace Cottage also faces challenges that any rural hospital administrator would recognize. To put Grace Cottage's situation in perspective, we talk with a medical professor at the University of Vermont, Erika Ziller. She's researching how to improve rural health care in the state.

Rosemary Gladstar is said to be the Godmother of modern herbalism. In this rebroadcast of our occasional series Vermont Edition At Home, the team visits Gladstar at her home and gardens in Milton. Gladstar discussed her roots in herbalism, from foraging for food and medicine with her grandmother to becoming the founder of a world-renowned herbal retreat center in Vermont and several companies. She also gave a tour of her herb and flower garden and explained some of her favorite plants' medicinal and culinary uses. Originally broadcast on Tuesday, Jun. 12, 2025. Rebroadcast on Monday, Nov. 25 at 12 and 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

A good jingle is short, catchy and teaches you a business name or phone number that you can't get out of your head — maybe even for years.This hour we celebrate the art of the local jingle with jingle writers who have composed some legendary earworms. This show is a rebroadcast from July.Jim Giberty is based in Bethel and wrote ads for local ski areas, as well as some broader New England gems, most notable, The Lobster Claw in Cape Cod. Cary Reich is based in Florida, but he penned songs for Pizza Putt and Wendell's Furniture that will be familiar to longtime Vermonters. And we also hear from Daisy Nell, a folk musician who had some of her songs turned into local jingles. Her most famous was for the Snowsville General Store in 1979.Originally broadcast live on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at noon. Rebroadcast on Monday, November 24, 2025 at noon and 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Three Courses with Vermont Edition: Desserts

Vermont ranks as one of the most active states in the country, according to the CDC. It makes sense for a state filled with mountains, trails, and a huge lake. Outdoor activities keep our population healthy, but some of the most beloved activities pose risks, especially to our brains, like hockey, climbing, skiing, and snowboarding.We hear tips from injury prevention expert Tara Grenier on how to lower your risk of brain injury, including the proper way to wear a helmet. Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Katrina Ducis explains what a concussion is, and how concussion treatment recommendations have changed in recent years. And Jess Leal, executive director of the Brain Injury Alliance of Vermont, shares how her organization helps connect traumatic brain injury survivors with support and resources.Broadcast live on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Vermont's school redistricting task force is wrapping up its work. It was charged with creating consolidated school district maps for the state. But what it's come up with is pretty different from that original goal.Today on Vermont Edition: you'll hear from a co-chair of the task force, Representative Edye Graning, and a member, Jay Badams. They'll share their reasons for not pushing forced mergers. Instead, they think consolidation should be voluntary, and come with incentives.Then: it's deer season, so get out your blaze orange if you haven't already. Two game wardens – one current, one retired – have decades of experience between them. They'll tell us about getting to know multi-generational families of hunters, investigating wild poaching cases and what it feels like to snag a deer.

A new podcast from the nonprofit Green Mountain Justice shares the stories of people in our region who struggle with housing insecurity. They've had to live outside, in a shelter, or other temporary housing as they search for a more permanent and affordable home."Voices from the Edge" features intimate interviews between its host, Tom Morgan, and his guests. Morgan founded the Addison County-based organization Green Mountain Justice. He and producer Corey Hendrickson tell us more about the podcast and the people it centers.Broadcast live on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

It's the second installment of our three-course November series on holiday food. Last week was appetizers. This week – main courses.If you love a traditional meal, we'll learn about what Vermonters in the 1800s served on their Thanksgiving tables with Christine Scales, the director of education and interpretation at the Billings Farm Museum. Then we hear from chef and owner of a restaurant and inn right along the Canadian border in Orleans County – the Derby Line Village Inn, Fritz Halbedl about some offbeat meal centerpieces to keep your guests on their toes. We also hear how the turkey, and turkey sausage gets made with Paul Stone, founder of Stonewood Farm, a family-run poultry operation in Orwell. 

Vermont Edition heads to Grafton in Windham County for the latest installment in our monthly “Town by Town” series. Grafton is known for its cross-country ski trails, its award-winning cheddar cheese, the centuries-old Grafton Inn, and its tight-knit community of longtime residents.Our guests include: Grafton News editor Wendy Martin; lifelong Grafton resident Cynthia Gibbs; Patrick Cooperman of the Cooperman Company, which manufactures fifes and drums; Windham Foundation executive director Dan Lerner; Vermont Farmstead Cheese company president Kent Underwood; and Nikolas Katrick, executive director of the Nature Museum at Grafton.Each month for "Town by Town," we spend an hour together learning about one of Vermont's 252 towns or cities. Hear from regular folks and town leaders about what life is like there and how the town culture and economy have changed over the years. At the end of the hour, a guest helps us randomly select our next town by spinning a big Wheel of Fortune-style spinner.

About 6% of Vermonters are veterans. That's nearly 39,000 people, as of 2023.Many veterans face mental and physical challenges because of experiences they had while serving. They often have to navigate complex legal systems to make sure they receive the benefits and services they're entitled to.Ahead of Veterans Day, we learn about a few local programs that support veterans. Misha Pemble-Belkin is an Army veteran and the coordinator of a veterans program for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. They run year-round sports and recreation programs for people with cognitive, developmental, physical and emotional disabilities. Donald Hayes runs the Vermont Veterans Legal Assistance Project at Vermont Law and Graduate School. He's also volunteered as a ski instructor with the New England Healing Sports Association and Vermont Adaptive.We also hear from John Curtis, a veteran, and Kate Adams, who together run Ascutney Mountain Horse Farm in Perkinsville. They will host a free event for veterans, first responders, family and friends on Veterans Day.Then, Vermont Edition managing editor Jon Ehrens speaks with Seven Days music editor Chris Farnsworth about some new releases from Vermont musicians that have caught his ear. 

It's the first installment of our three part – or three course – series on food. Up first – appetizers. We'll talk dips, dumplings, charcuterie and cheese. We get ideas for what to serve your guests this holiday season when we talk with Pete Colman, the founder of Vermont Salumi, which makes all kinds of cured meats, Cara Tobin, the chef and co-owner of two Burlington restaurants focused on Middle Eastern flavors, Honey Road and the Grey Jay, and Nurbu Sherpa who runs Sherpa Foods, which sells pre-packaged Nepalese dumplings called momos and handmade sauce at co-ops and markets around New England.We also talk about ways to support one another in this season through the sharing of food.. This hour you'll hear about a couple different organizations that offer free meals or groceries to those in need.Broadcast live on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

As a high school history teacher, Tyler Alexander is always trying to figure out how to make events like the Civil War feel relevant to young Vermonters. Well, what's more relevant to teenagers than the frustrations of love?Alexander is the author of a new nonfiction book about the Civil War called "If I Can Get Home This Fall: A Story of Love, Loss, and a Cause in the Civil War." It tells the story of Dan Mason, a Union soldier from Glover who wrote over 100 love letters to his lover from the front lines of the war. The book highlights his views on slavery, the violence of war and his long-distance love.Then; Robin Crofut-Brittingham of Montreal loves birds, and it shows in her new book. She crafted detailed watercolor illustrations of hundreds of different bird species, all with names and descriptions that will inspire you to bust out the binoculars and get birding. Her new book of illustrations is called The Illuminated Book of Birds. She joins us to talk about the process of creating these illustrations, the joy of painting birds, and some of her favorite species. Broadcast live on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

What's the story of the phrase Jeezum crow? How's Vermont doing on composting? And why do people like the band Phish so much? These are just some of the questions taken on by the Vermont Public podcast Brave Little State over its 200 episodes.Today on Vermont Edition: we celebrate our homegrown podcast's 200th episode. To mark the milestone, the Brave Little State team answered 20 questions in one show.  We'll chat with the podcast's lead producer and one of its founders. And we'll even get the story behind the podcast's perfectly Vermont name.

We're one month into a government shutdown and the ramifications are being felt throughout the state. We're joined by joined by Congresswoman Becca Balint to talk about the shutdown and why she says Democrats should hold the line to extend ACA subsidies. Then, we continue our discussion and take listener questions on changes to health insurance with Mike Fisher and Marjorie Stinchcomb from Vermont Legal Aid.Broadcast live on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Tomorrow evening, neighborhoods across our region will be infiltrated by ghosts, witches, princesses, superheroes and Louvre jewel thieves. It's almost Halloween!Halloween brings out our crafty, creative sides. This time of year can also create a slight panic if you've waited too long to put together a costume for yourself or your kid. Thankfully, we've got a bunch of experts in the creative arts of dress up, crafting, and costuming.Jennifer LaCasse, clothing supervisor for the ReSOURCE in Williston, gives us the scoop on costumes that have come through the store. We also heard from Sarah Bush, the costume shop supervisor for the University of Vermont's Theater Department, and Luke Hungerford of Rail City Fan Fest in St. Albans, for a professional point of view and tips on experimenting with new materials. 

On Saturday, Oct. 18th, the world-famous cellist Yo-Yo Ma sat down on a folding chair in the grass near the banks of the Connecticut River. It was dawn in Hanover, New Hampshire, and mist was rising off the water. He took a deep breath, then began to play.This was "We Are Water," a special series of performances inspired by the waterways of the north. It was part of the reopening celebrations for Dartmouth's Hopkins Center for the Arts, which just completed a three-year renovation.Yo-Yo Ma is a fellow at Dartmouth and the founder of the Silk Road Ensemble, a Grammy-winning group that plays music from all over the world. For "We Are Water," he teamed up with Chris Newell, a Passamaquoddy musician, educator and Dartmouth graduate whose work is closely tied to the lands and waters of New England. Newell and Ma were joined for the sunrise ceremony and evening concert by a diverse group of Indigenous and local musicians: Jeremy Dutcher, Andri Snaer Magnason, Mali Obomsawin, Nance Parker, Roger Paul, Lokotah Sanborn, Lauren Stevens, and Ida Mae Specker, a fiddler from Andover. Their performances combined music, poetry and storytelling.Then; a discussion of "Along the River's Way," a new multimedia exhibition and oral history project about elder artists in the Mad River Valley. We hear from Christopher Wiersema, the executive director of Mad River Valley TV, and Tracy Brannstrom, a local journalist and the primary interviewer for the project. The exhibition will be open to the public at Mad River Valley Arts from Nov. 6 through Dec. 13 in Waitsfield.Broadcast on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Windham County author explores how the ultra-rich shape everyday life

Vermont and Maine are the only two states that allow incarcerated people to vote. A new report tells us what is and isn't working about ballot access in Maine and Vermont prisons.Kristen Budd, a senior research analyst at the Sentencing Project, authored the report. Tim Burgess, executive director of VT CURE, voted in the 2006 and 2008 elections while he was incarcerated in Vermont. And Vermont's Secretary of State, Sarah Copeland Hanzas, is assembling a new task force to increase voter participation in four underserved populations, including the incarcerated. Then: October is Substance Use Prevention Month. The Turning Point Center of Rutland runs a peer recovery coaching program for people in Vermont's prisons who struggle with addiction. We'll hear how the program's going from Tracie Hauck, executive director of the Turning Point Center of Rutland.Broadcast live on Monday, October 27, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

The signs are all there – stick season is almost upon us. The skies are gray, the wind's a blowin', and the leaves are dropping. Despite the changing seasons, the gardeners among us are still busy, trouble shooting garden falls from the summer, prepping beds for the winter and bringing potted plants indoors. For anyone with turnip trouble or potato problems, it's Vermont Edition's annual fall gardening show with Charlie Nardozzi, gardening consultant and host of All Things Gardening on Vermont Public.

October 30th marks the 30th anniversary of one of the most pivotal and divisive moments in Quebec history. On that day, Quebeckers held a referendum on whether or not to secede from Canada.The votes against independence won out by a tiny margin — 50.6% voted "no," while 49.4% voted yes.A new Léger poll shows that Quebecers' attitudes on sovereignty have shifted significantly in the last 30 years. Sixty five percent of respondents said they'd vote 'no' on separating from Canada if asked to vote today. Fifty five percent said they do not believe Quebec has the economic means to become a sovereign nation.On Vermont Edition, two Canadian political science professors shared their memories of the 1995 referendum. Luc Turgeon was a college student at the time at McGill University in Montreal. He is now a professor at the University of Ottawa in Ontario. Antonia Maioni was Turgeon's professor; she still teaches at McGill. Callers from the U.S. and Canada also joined the conversation.

Both the University of Vermont and Middlebury College have new presidents: Marlene Tromp at UVM and Ian Baucom at Middlebury. These new leaders entered their role at a time of heightened federal scrutiny on higher education.Today on Vermont Edition, we'll talk with these two new presidents of leading higher education institutions. We'll hear about town-gown relations in both Burlington and Middlebury, and discuss the schools' role in building housing, employing locals and more. The White House has threatened to take away federal funding from colleges and universities if they don't fall in line around DEI and other issues. Marlene Tromp and Ian Baucom will weigh in on that delicate balance between protecting free speech and following White House dictum.

Vermont state senator Sam Douglass has resigned, effective today. He participated in a Young Republicans group chat that included racist, misogynist and antisemitic messages.Today on Vermont Edition: the fallout of the group chat in our region. Vermont GOP chair Paul Dame will comment on Douglass's reputation as a lawmaker, his decision to resign, and political rhetoric in the state at large.Then, the federal government has changed eligibility for food stamps programs like 3SquaresVT. Some previously eligible immigrants, refugees and asylees no longer qualify. The federal government shutdown could also affect food stamps and heating assistance. Reporter Pete Hirschfeld will share what he knows.

For Vermont Edition's new monthly series, Town by Town, we'll hone in on one of Vermont's 252 towns or cities and talk to residents, share local history and lore, and learn about what it's like to live there. At the end of the hour, a guest will help us randomly select our next town by spinning a big Wheel of Fortune style spinner.Today's show focused on Belvidere, in Lamoille County. At the time of the 2020 census, Belvidere had just over 350 residents. It was chartered in 1791 to an Irish lawyer from New York by the name of John Kelly. The theory is that he named Belvidere after a beautiful lake in Ireland. The word itself comes from the Italian for “beautiful view.”A trio of longtime Belvidereans gave us insights into the town and its history: Cathy Manders-Adams, Belvidere's town clerk, her husband Ken Adams, a select board member who has lived there his entire life, and Neal Brown, who grew up in Belvidere and is the organizer of the Belvidere Bluegrass Festival. Tyler Barber, one of the town's newest residents, is helping create a community hub out of the old schoolhouse.We also heard passages from the diary of the late Lena Eldred Rich, a Belvidere resident who recounted details from her life there in the early 20th century.Broadcast live on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

Nearly 13,000 Vermonters aged 65 and older had Alzheimer's disease as of 2020 — 10% of the state's over-65 population. Around each of those people orbits nurses, doctors, home health aides and family members who devote their lives to care. The documentary "Walk With Me" by filmmaker and casting director Heidi Levitt tells the story of her husband Charlie Hess's early-onset Alzheimer's. The film screened earlier this year at the Middlebury International Film Festival, and it will screen again this Saturday at the Vermont International Film Festival in Burlington. Levitt and Hess split their time between Stowe and southern California.While Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease with no cure, there is a lot of positive news right now in terms of research, medications and health guidance that can slow cognitive loss, and supports for caregivers. We discussed these bright spots with Rhonda Williams, the public health program director for the Vermont Department of Health and the director of the Alzheimer's and Healthy Aging program, and Meg Polyte, policy director for the Vermont chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline is a free service of support for people living with dementia, caregivers, families and the public. Connect with a live person who can provide information, local resources, crisis assistance and emotional support at 800.272.3900.

Censorship, imagination and healing with Vermont's literary community

Birds to look out for this fall migration season

After nearly two weeks on the picket line, St. Albans dairy processors have signed a new contract with their employer, Dairy Farmers of America, based in Kansas. The St. Albans plant processes Vermont milk for vendors like Ben and Jerry's, Cabot, and Kate's Butter. We speak with Curtis Clough, president of Vermont Teamsters Local 597 union, tells us about the negotiations, strike and return to work.About one in ten workers in the United States is part of a union. That's not a lot, if you're comparing it to the height of union membership in the 1950s. One third of the American workforce used to be unionized. In the northeast, the most prominent unions have changed along with the economy. Labor organizers from three different sectors — public school teaching, mental health work, and farm labor — join Vermont Edition to discuss the state of today's labor movement. Nolan Rampy is a clinician at the Baird School, part of the Howard Center in Burlington, and the vice president of AFSCME 1674, a union representing mental healthcare workers. Will Lambek is an organizer with Migrant Justice, which supports immigrant farm workers in Vermont. And Caitlin MacLeod-Bluver is a Winooski High School teacher and a member of the Winooski Education Association, an affiliate of the Vermont-NEA. She was named Vermont's 2025 Teacher of the Year.