[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6083594,"mediaKeyId","2932124-e2e09c0461765fce2783d4c180d77117","parentId",2932124,"title","Retailers warn tariffs and retaliatory measures could dent Canadian tourism, shrink downtown foot traffic and cost jobs","audioSeconds",1243,"startMs",2711710,"endMs",3954780,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2932124-e2e09c0461765fce2783d4c180d77117&start=2711&end=3954","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2932124-e2e09c0461765fce2783d4c180d77117/thumbnail_2711710.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6083594/Vermont/Retailers-warn-tariffs-and-retaliatory-measures-could-dent-Canadian-tourism-shrink-downtown-foot-traffic-and-cost-jobs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083594-1c8ced829d1ca73473cccde53e66d6ad/orig.mp4?Expires=1773598021&Signature=I~ElByV9G1YAg-G5XQHto6BASGK9v6M42fKYIJ7cne5LW2p-FpNVkW1kAQbQ6NXI2Pl8RsBWpna9DQV0VJA-e6Sf7fBpA3WzLcJNZ7AH8xmt2YJte6CwOVv5QJYsqOLnFJ-6-KgOLHLuGRn3Ey9wlgClGSPEsZFFlaRf5sUhxB1IiRJODKPmriUuaN-LTXZ-M-3RGxkwe7jiv5iopZ8AJS01r0RGXZ9tfWE-LGd5~AWqaNFpqJpnomozrDFXOaibSTkZ9AwU5nkBGeOCMg93vg5twAqpM8gdEwiDYKhH13hStAfT~HNdWN9jiEP341T5eUFGyNlw2hM8Ichaz15vFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-09T14:53:05Z","article","Mark Sherman, founding owner of Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington, and Forrest Harger, vice president at Burton, told a joint legislative hearing on April 9 that new tariffs and retaliatory measures are raising wholesale prices and threatening downtown retail traffic tied to Canadian tourism.

Sherman said about 85% of Outdoor Gear Exchange’s goods are made overseas or contain overseas components and that recent price increases from vendors are already arriving in real time. “If the price of our goods go up by 25%,” he told the committee, the store will need “25% more financing or…reduce the size of our orders in units,” which could shrink assortment and push customers to online competitors. Sherman warned that decreased Canadian day‑trip tourism for events such as Canada Day and construction holiday weeks would further reduce foot traffic and sales on Church Street.

Harger said Burton, which employs about 400 people in Vermont and 800 worldwide, sources roughly two‑thirds of its production from China and Vietnam and that about 40% of that output is destined for the United States. He described the tariff environment as “incredibly dynamic and unpredictable,” and noted that an “average effective tariff rate across all countries of origin…could now be into this 70% based on the 104% tax rate on China alone,” a figure he cited to illustrate volatility. He added that Burton’s long product development and ordering cycles (12–18 months) make rapid supply‑chain changes difficult and that shifting suppliers to avoid tariffs would be costly and time consuming.

Both witnesses asked for state actions to support retail and jobs. Sherman suggested targeted relief such as grants or low‑cost financing to help with cash flow, marketing or PR campaigns to encourage shopping local, and a change to state tax rules so retailers are not required to remit sales tax on goods stolen from their stores (an example Sherman said could save his store roughly $7,000 a year). Harger said Burton is working with federal partners to press Congress to reassert trade authority and asked state lawmakers for assistance in mitigating cost impacts.

Sherman and other retailers also raised concerns that reduced foot traffic increases the risk that downtowns become less vibrant, which can exacerbate shoplifting and other challenges. Committee members acknowledged those concerns and discussed coordination with municipal officials and the governor’s office on messaging and support for downtown commerce.

The testimony underlined the cross‑sector effects of tariffs — from manufacturing through wholesale and retail — and the potential short‑term need for state‑level cash‑flow assistance or promotional efforts to sustain Vermont’s downtown economies.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Commerce and Senate Economic Development - 2025-04-09 - 10:50AM","oneSentenceSummary","Mark Sherman of Outdoor Gear Exchange and Forrest Harger of Burton told legislators that tariffs will raise wholesale prices, force inventory and ordering changes, and likely reduce Canadian visitor spending that supports downtown Vermont businesses; they urged state relief measures and local marketing to sustain retail vibrancy.","taxTitle","Commerce & Economic Development, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative , Vermont","taxId",36720,"location","Vermont","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6083600,"Maple industry representative warns tariffs and retaliatory measures could raise equipment and packaging costs",718,1989050,2707710,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2932124-e2e09c0461765fce2783d4c180d77117&start=1989&end=2707","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2932124-e2e09c0461765fce2783d4c180d77117/thumbnail_1989050.jpg","/articles/6083600/Vermont/Maple-industry-representative-warns-tariffs-and-retaliatory-measures-could-raise-equipment-and-packaging-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083600-5efcb4407b18a056e3ad171329643afa/orig.mp4?Expires=1773598021&Signature=D0NKDoC0f0w3C~HUOtcV~uTqg6toH1BUtJZojlA2TBrPiF1tRVLNP8LhyVfizyYGhJPi9rhaVWTb~1vEe4on2wBQYO0xf0ANw2m85KcZaKxnBV~XYgIFFg6RPh5~JwL100jaFtIhG~s45IBsaRNLhiwSvSYhEdItbtBLpYd66f7d6fbTD8f0T1waDclkLtTv63GouRJPFuwL-soF-yeI6QVVINLZxSrtTXWbO63DJS5mth7lYvKiVuXsVkBDyr9AWZELSng-2goaWv5qSIh4uFu8WxCQpewAcmr0Tg7kdQpZaxD6E6vqFKmQugUxpkEk6mwtLIHOSNcsgQ-g-kdpiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Martin Desilette, president of the International Maple Syrup Institute, told a joint legislative hearing on April 9 that tariffs and reciprocal trade measures are raising costs for equipment, packaging and other inputs used by maple producers in both Canada and the United States.

Desilette said the maple industry spans a broad North American region and includes large packers and equipment manufacturers. He told lawmakers the sector “represents more than…close to $1,800,000,000” and that equipment manufacturers and packaging suppliers are integral to producers’ ability to harvest and bottle maple products.

“Imposing tariffs on the goods that are being transferred back and forth from The U.S. to Canada…creates an elevation in equipment pricing in the maple syrup pricing,” Desilette told the committee. He said the tariffs can increase costs for jugs, glass and other packaging and in some cases lead packers to reroute supply chains to avoid cross‑border duties.

Desilette urged lawmakers and officials to “open up our borders and avoid some additional documentation and tariffs that are being implemented that will just add a lot of cost to the producers and slow down the growth of this…harvest.” He said that both Canadian and U.S. packers rely on cross‑border sourcing for equipment and jugs and that retaliatory measures have already generated additional costs for his members.

Committee members acknowledged the industry’s cross‑border interdependence and noted that some packaging and equipment inputs are largely North American; they directed producers to available state resources and the committee agreed to continue listening to industry impacts as the tariff situation develops.","Martin Desilette, president of the International Maple Syrup Institute, told lawmakers that tariffs increase costs for equipment, packaging and cross‑border trade and could slow growth in a roughly $1.8 billion North American maple sector.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6083604,"Starksboro timber‑frame maker says tariffs on Canadian lumber will raise housing costs",717,1237150,1954750,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2932124-e2e09c0461765fce2783d4c180d77117&start=1237&end=1954","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2932124-e2e09c0461765fce2783d4c180d77117/thumbnail_1237150.jpg","/articles/6083604/Vermont/Starksboro-timberframe-maker-says-tariffs-on-Canadian-lumber-will-raise-housing-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083604-6ec0a92fabfd896826ce86ec682af17a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773598021&Signature=dgIK9Z~QppYpyv3Pu5Gr5dzS6PmoT7K9U9OtCrZrk1UwaJJHPZBhnAxoYv0-~YFeVi5iRHAHro6EHEkqpzl31-9HdAeaM7hB9m2FPi8Iv6ATi-9uFec89PLnaRtkkn58IQRGKPRQVjiowySosynUJgxU4e~CshdQKOxFUy3Eg2upL54RcLlynd232v9mqd1B3ACAGDuQBntnaY80lehWETJjvlQfNA8QV73ISPprslKMxGcLYPjCBc9mDpBnATPsHncbdaj18QdroAtXyT5sA2bYrSIZIX-qajKKfA6avBzzsl1y29w6i1J4EfyvIx4jufcXcKyKwM6KVlT2n88DHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kevin Moyer, owner of Vermont Frames and Foam Laminates of Vermont in Starksboro, told a joint legislative hearing on April 9 that tariffs on Canadian timber and related inputs are raising his raw‑material costs and will push up the price of the company’s timber frames and structural insulated panels.

Moyer said roughly one‑third of the timber his company uses — notably Douglas fir — is sourced from Canada. “That just got a lot more expensive for us,” he said. He added that panel cores and oriented strand boards for his insulated panels are sourced from U.S. mills, but some chemical precursors and resins “do, I think, come from overseas,” and he expects vendors to pass along higher input prices to manufacturers.

Moyer warned that higher material costs will be passed through to customers in a market already strained by housing shortages. “Raw materials are one of the biggest factors into how we have to price our barns, the homes we build,” he said, and those higher prices may make homebuilding less affordable. He also emphasized the long‑lead nature of construction contracts: some projects are bid 6–12 months in advance and the company may already be committed to fixed prices for work that will absorb tariff‑driven cost increases.

Moyer suggested state policy options to help preserve housing production. He said ideas such as tax‑increment financing (TIF) to help fund local infrastructure and targeted incentives to shift developer spreadsheets could align private economics with public housing goals. He also urged lawmakers to “keep things as steady as possible” at the state level while federal trade uncertainty persists.

A committee member pointed Moyer to the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development web guidance and a potential self‑certification path if products are more than 50% North American content; Moyer welcomed any resources that help firms identify exemptions or alternatives.

Moyer invited lawmakers to visit his Starksboro facility and highlighted the energy‑saving benefits of structural insulated panels for lowering household heating bills.

This testimony followed other manufacturing testimony at the session about tariff impacts on supply chains and small businesses across Vermont.","Kevin Moyer, owner of Vermont Frames and Foam Laminates, told lawmakers imported Douglas fir and other Canadian lumber now carry higher costs that will flow into construction prices and worsen Vermont’s housing affordability problems.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6083609,"Vermont stainless‑bottle maker says tariffs have doubled import costs, threatens cash flow",646,41630,688200,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2932124-e2e09c0461765fce2783d4c180d77117&start=41&end=688","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2932124-e2e09c0461765fce2783d4c180d77117/thumbnail_41630.jpg","/articles/6083609/Vermont/Vermont-stainlessbottle-maker-says-tariffs-have-doubled-import-costs-threatens-cash-flow","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6083609-f328bec565ab18bd31ccf6351ff58c7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773598021&Signature=YsIkPD6wWGuBwSZPVn0HacmpzG1RVic-QJMAJaIxJWrS38ABO4ho3IsJr40IqjaS0jINqFWpOXsTEiO9NGD-aVBu8cUo-1SrU~Vkki9ojidASgb3kzW8n~g1Zs6ssCgzBkIjtop4UlOkfEsuG~bMi4gvoAVmecu8CNsXM2MGZ4RT1UzISg4CqIastFFseEztU504lYta-H6oG3G-xOg8h~fKrZaLCLBdpL7E8gf1jmXfxizpRykoZqtiSbrJPOCnKKLMEgIjDkviqARodXxKa8FR5rbAy4~Ax9C8PT2AinaIRFJGY9V2baxeED-UTPg6IrSe01BhQyij0yu0FSUhUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ravi Ringer, co‑owner of Bivou in Richmond, told a joint hearing of the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee and the Senate Economic, General and Housing Committee on April 9 that recent tariff actions have dramatically increased his company’s cost of goods and put near‑term survival at risk.

Ringer said Bivou, which employs eight people and makes a stainless steel water bottle designed to fit in tube bike cages, sources virtually all of its product from a single province in China. “We are the first designers, developers of a stainless steel bottle that fits in tube bike cages,” he said. He added that “95% of the world's stainless steel bottles…are made in 1 province in China.”

The company is facing higher duty bills and an acute cash‑flow squeeze, Ringer said. He told lawmakers his firm paid about $40,000 in duties on its first full 40‑foot container and that a forthcoming purchase order would cost about $209,000 — figures he presented as examples of the immediate financing pressure on a roughly $2,000,000 business that has been doubling annually. “We just don't have cash reserves,” Ringer said. He warned that small businesses “are gonna take a massive margin hit” and that “most of these small businesses…are not gonna survive if things don't change.”

Ringer described two types of near‑term responses: private coping strategies and state support. On the private side, he has paused inbound shipments and is exploring bonded warehouses — facilities that let goods enter the U.S. without paying duty until the product is withdrawn for sale — as a way to defer immediate cash outflow. On the policy side, he urged “grants, education or infrastructure to focus on U.S. manufacturing,” and asked the legislature to consider targeted lending or grant programs to help small manufacturers cover upfront tooling or mold costs (he cited a $25,000 mold cost in China as a manufacturing‑setup example).

Ringer also described market consequences: slowed orders from large Canadian retailers such as Mountain Equipment Co‑op (MEC), questions from distributors in Europe and Japan, and the risk that international accounts will “not want to do business with the U.S.” because of policy volatility. He said his wholesale price points (around $40 retail typical) give the firm little room to absorb higher tariffs without passing costs to consumers.

Ringer and several committee members discussed options including local lending tools and state programs; he said a line of credit that had been available to the firm disappeared three weeks earlier. He asked legislators to prioritize cash‑flow support for small manufacturers while longer‑term supply‑chain shifts are considered.

Ringer closed by urging Vermonters to “support a local business” and stressed the community value of small manufacturers.

For readers: Ringer’s testimony was part of a multi‑hour hearing on the economic impacts of new tariffs and cross‑border retaliatory measures.","Ravi Ringer, co‑owner of Richmond maker Bivou, told a joint legislative hearing that recent U.S. tariffs and retaliatory measures have sharply raised duty bills and created immediate cash‑flow strain; he urged state support for short‑term lending, grants and bonded‑warehouse options.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Retailers warn tariffs and retaliatory measures could dent Canadian tourism, shrink downtown foot traffic and cost jobs

Maple industry representative warns tariffs and retaliatory measures could raise equipment and packaging costs

Starksboro timber‑frame maker says tariffs on Canadian lumber will raise housing costs

Vermont stainless‑bottle maker says tariffs have doubled import costs, threatens cash flow