Vermont lawmakers are wrestling with the question of whether to drop the state's traditional maple syrup-labeling system in favor of an international one.

We all know the highest grade of maple syrup is called "Vermont Fancy."  But that's not what other states and Canadian provinces call their top quality syrup. That's why, for the first time, a standardized set of grades is being proposed for producers everywhere.  

Vermont is considering joining with other syrup-producing states and Canadian provinces in adopting a standard grading system for maple syrup.

Sugarmakers and maple lovers are invited to attend one of three public meetings around Vermont to discuss proposed changes to the maple grading system.

A year after breaking Vermont's decades-old record for maple syrup production, syrup makers are predicting a less-than-stellar output this year with unseasonably warm weather during the peak of the sugaring season.

Rutland High School students are taking what they're learning about maple sugaring and applying it to everything from music and social studies to math.

Vermonters never tire of maple syrup. And with such a warm winter, many sugarmakers in Vermont are following their instincts and beginning to produce their product ahead of schedule.

Grants from the Rural Energy For America Program will be used by maple syrup producers to make their operations more energy efficient, utilizing reverse osmosis technology.

Despite the late-season snowstorm, the sap is running again in maple trees around the state. A recent cold snap shut down many sugaring operations for about ten days, causing some Vermont maple syrup producers to worry about this year's crop. But maple experts say the 2011 season could be a very good one.

A maple specialist for the Vermont Department of Agriculture shares his thoughts on what distinguishes one jar of maple syrup from another.

On this week's VPR Table, we'll explore Vermont's rural sugaring tradition.