Current News

VermontBiz It is with great excitement that VermontBiz celebrates the remarkable achievements of all the individuals chosen as the second year of 91 Influencers here in Vermont. This prestigious honor highlights their unwavering dedication, innovation, and impact in their field and within the community, as they also inspire and lead those around them.

Vermont Business Magazine The Essex Resort & Spa, along with its sister properties the Essex Experience and Essex Cinemas, have made a huge commitment to generating clean solar energy to power the properties. They’ve partnered with SunCommon, Vermont’s leading commercial solar provider, for clean energy from the sun, keeping their electricity costs stable and reducing their reliance on fossil fuel-reliant sources. Starting in the fall of 2025, SunCommon has been up on roofs at the Resort, starting with its new 4,968 square foot event space, The Farmhouse (119kW). Creating a green, sustainable venue makes it a perfect locale for everything from family gatherings to corporate parties, especially for eco-conscious guests.

Vermont Business Magazine The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is issuing an air quality alert for Thursday, July 16, beginning at 6:00 AM through 11:00 PM.  Counties affected are Bennington, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor Counties. Wildfire smoke from Canada is expected to elevate concentrations of fine particulate matter pollution to “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” (code orange) on the Air Quality Index in southern Vermont. Particle pollution may be Moderate (code yellow) on the Air Quality Index for central and northern Vermont. Wildfire smoke can cause a hazy or milky appearance in the sky and may be noticeable by smell at times. The air quality forecast will be updated on Thursday afternoon for conditions expected on Friday.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s dairy leadership was once again on full display at the annual American Cheese Society (ACS) Competition. In a historic performance, Vermont makers swept the event with a record-breaking 54 total awards. Part of this masterful showing for local agriculture were sister brands Grafton Village Cheese Company and Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company, securing three major accolades each. As the most prestigious sensory evaluation of its kind in the Americas, the ACS awards celebrate quality-driven dairy. The outstanding performance of both brands comes down to a shared dedication to Vermont’s working landscape, premium local milk, and distinct regional flavors.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $4.04 per gallon, up 9 cents per gallon from last week, down 13 cents/g from last month and up 94 cents/g from this time last year, according to AAA. The lowest price in the state this week was $3.65/g. The conflict in Iran caused oil prices to rise this week as the US and Iran renewed strike threats. The national average price of gasoline has risen 10 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.94/g today.

by Denise Smith, Vermont Council on Rural Development At the recent Statewide Civics Bee I participated in, Vermont students offered thoughtful and practical solutions to community challenges—a powerful reminder of civic responsibility. I was struck by their creativity, problem-solving skills, and commitment to making a difference. Their ideas reflect the kind of civic responsibility that has long sustained our democracy: people stepping forward for the greater good through local engagement. Yet across the state, fewer people are stepping up to serve in local roles, weakening the trust and relationships that support leadership.

Vermont Business Magazine Union Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ - UNB) today announced results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2026 and declared a regular quarterly cash dividend. Consolidated net income for the three months ended June 30, 2026, was $2.9 million, or $0.61 per share, compared to $2.4 million, or $0.53 per share, for the same period in 2025, and $5.9 million, or $1.26 per share, for the six months ended June 30, 2026, compared to $4.9 million, or $1.08 per share, for the same period in 2025.

Vermont Business Magazine Alliance for Automotive Innovation has released its exclusive state-by-state analysis of the U.S. electric vehicle market for Q1 2026. The Get Connected Electric Vehicle Report summarizes EV sales, purchasing trends and charging infrastructure across the country. At the end of Q1 2026, there were about 19,400 EVs on the road in Vermont and 1,365 publicly available charging outlets – a ratio of 14 EVs for every public port. This includes 282 DC Fast chargers, with 11 net new chargers added in Q1 2026. Vermont ranks No. 22 in market share at about 9%. California has the highest share of EVs at nearly 25% with Washington State at nearly 20%. Oklahoma is lowest at about 1%.

by Denise Smith I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Statewide Civics Bee hosted by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. This program, sponsored by the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation, helps prepare middle school students for leadership and civic engagement. The students write an essay that identifies a problem in their communities and propose thoughtful, practical solutions; from building a youth volunteer network to help their neighbors shovel driveways, to addressing youth mental health, to rethinking school start times. I was struck by their creativity,  problem solving skills, and commitment to making a difference.

Vermont Humanities recently awarded $99,137 in Project Grants to 24 different organizations for our Summer Project Grant Round, including $5,000 to All the Rivers to support their music-driven storytelling initiative that celebrates immigrant artists in Vermont through live performances and interactive workshops. The summer awards included $16,387 to four organizations to commemorate our nation’s 250th anniversary, using funds from the Vermont 250th Commission and private donors. They will open the application form for our Fall 2026 Project Grants in early August, with an application deadline of Wednesday, September 9.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) has completed three land conservation projects in early 2026, adding nearly 400 acres to State Forests in Underhill, Granville, and Roxbury. Each project expands public access and recreational opportunities, while supporting clean water, flood resilience, and habitat for fish and wildlife. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Ben & Jerry's Foundation today announced it will suspend operations as of December 31, 2026, unless it obtains a favorable ruling in its legal challenge to its loss of funding. The Foundation is actively pursuing that challenge which is expected to extend into next year and is fully committed to seeing it through. This year-end suspension of operations follows the April 2025 decision by Unilever’s spinoff, The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC), to cut the Foundation's funding and its more recent mandate for the Foundation to vacate its corporate office by today, July 15, 2026. Without these essential resources, the Foundation cannot continue its work. For its part, Magnum told VermontBiz that the dispute emanates from the Foundation not following the recommendations of an audit report.