Distillery recognized at international competition
Cooperstown Distillery was awarded a gold medal at The London Spirits Competition for its Cooperstown Select Straight Single Malt Whiskey in the whiskey category.
An international competition, The London Spirits Competition “seeks to highlight spirit brands that are not only of premium quality, but are consumer driven,” a media release said. “Spirit quality, value and aesthetics are all taken into consideration during the judging process for the award.” To earn a gold medal, spirits must score highly in all three categories.
Held in London, England, the competition is organized by the Beverage Trade Network.
According to the release, Cooperstown Select Straight American Single Malt Whiskey is made from 100% local New York malted barley and aged in new American oak barrels before finishing in hand-selected ex-sherry casks.
Price Chopper supports food banks
Price Chopper/Market 32 has launched its two-month-long “Fill A Glass with Hope/Fill a Plate with Promise” campaign in partnership with the Northeast American Dairy Association, Garelick Farms, and local food banks. From May 1 to June 30, customers will be given the opportunity to round up their totals at the register to help provide local food banks with the means to purchase milk and other foods, according to a media release.
When school lets out for the summer, more than 22 million children lose access to free or reduced-price meal programs, the release said.
“The American Dairy Association continues to go above and beyond in its efforts to bring fresh milk to those in need,” said Mona Golub, Price Chopper/Market32’s vice president of public relations and consumer services. “We are proud to support their work in helping local families, especially during these times of increased food insecurity.”
Milk is one of the most requested items at food banks, yet it is rarely donated, the release said. Raising funds through grants, individual donors and corporate sponsors, the American Dairy Association said it keeps 100% of all donations local “to help deliver milk and essential nutrition to families with children in need in the community.”
NYSEG commits to help butterflies
New York State Electric & Gas, a subsidiary of AVANGRID, has enrolled in the Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances, a voluntary conservation program sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to address the needs of at-risk species before they become endangered. The company has committed to preserving habitat for monarch butterflies in 18% of its above-ground rights-of-way acres across New York state, through measures such as mowing brush to promote nectar plants and milkweed, according to a media release.
“We have joined with 40 other organizations from the energy and transportation sectors to create conservation benefits for monarch butterflies and other pollinators, because the population of this important species requires an ‘all hands on deck,’ approach if it’s to recover,” said Michael Craven, vice president of electric operations for NYSEG.
As part of the CCAA, the company promotes milkweed and nectar flora within its rights-of-way, uses selective herbicide treatments on unwanted vegetation and schedules certain acres to be left alone within their maintenance cycles to allow for habitat growth, the release said. Rights-of-way are corridors that utilities have a legal right to access and use to provide service.
Pollinators — such as bees, butterflies, and other insects — are critical to the success of about 35% of global food crop production. Establishing pollinator-friendly plants, such as milkweed, “is one part of creating such suitable habitats for these important species,” the release said.
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