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Vermont manufacturers tell Commerce & Economic Development committees workforce, housing and rising costs are pressing risks
Summary
Manufacturers and industry groups told a joint Commerce & Economic Development hearing that workforce shortages, housing availability, health-care costs, and rising input prices are constraining operations and growth across Vermont.
Manufacturers from across Vermont urged members of Commerce & Economic Development at a joint Manufacturing Day hearing to prioritize policies addressing workforce shortages, housing scarcity and business costs that speakers said threaten operations and expansion.
Mark Rainville, owner of Maple Landmark Woodcraft in Middlebury, described manufacturing in Vermont as a “small-scale, high-technology” sector that produces goods for national and international markets but is fragile because businesses can move or close as conditions change. He said his company employs about 32–33 people and is “in the middle of hiring.”
The hearing featured companies of different sizes. Jim Tringe, director of plant services for AgriMark, the cooperative behind Cabot Creamery, told the…
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