Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Between high housing costs and steady inflation, more and more people are worried about losing their home. QuoteWizard by Lending Tree, in a study released today and based on US Census Bureau data, found that 93% of people in Vermont behind on mortgage payments are worried they will face foreclosure in the next two months. This is by far the highest “fear” rate in the nation, even as the percentage of homeowners behind on their mortgage in Vermont is only 2 percent, which is half the national average of 4 percent (with only a 7 percent average fear factor). The rental situation is similar, with a low number of those actually behind in rent in Vermont but a high level of fear.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets If you paid fees to receive USDA organic certification between October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets has funding available to reimburse you. With funding assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, certified organic producers and handlers who are newly certified or re-certified are eligible for reimbursement. The reimbursement can be up to 50% of the direct certification costs. The maximum reimbursement is $500 per certification scope. The four scopes are crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling.

Vermont Business Magazine Seventy-two Vermont employers received the Governor’s Excellence in Worksite Wellness Award at the annual Worksite Wellness Conference, held this week at the Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier. The awards recognize Vermont employers for activities, programs and policies to help employees improve their health. Most Vermonters spend more than one third of their day at work. Research has shown that an environment promoting employee wellness in the workplace, actively supported by policies and programs, can have a significant influence on employees' health and well-being. These practices also yield benefits for employers, such as a positive workplace culture attractive to prospective employees, improved employee morale, and reduced absenteeism and health care costs.

Vermont Business Magazine The Putney School Faculty and Student Housing project in Windham County includes (2) 13,600 SF identical dormitories totaling approximately 27,000 SF of new construction and associated site work by ReArch of South Burlington. Each of the two-story buildings will include faculty apartments featuring (3) bedrooms and (11) student dorm rooms. They will include a comfortable common space and a small kitchenette area with a full basement to support additional storage.

Vermont Business Magazine On Saturday, September 3rd Bennington, Vermont will once again transform into “Garlic Town, USA” in celebration of all things garlic and agriculture! Garlic Town, USA, formerly known as the award-winning Southern Vermont Garlic & Herb Festival and produced by the Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce, announced that the downtown festival would return to Bennington on Labor Day Weekend this year. Bennington has become world-renowned for its annual garlic events held every year on Labor Day weekend. The town’s garlic events have been recognized as one of the top 10 garlic festivals in the world by Reuters, featured in Yankee Magazine, awarded Vermont’s Time-Honored Top 10 Fall Event and has consecutively been the Bennington Banner's and Manchester Journal's Reader’s Choice for Best Event in the Region.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Arts Council is offering a new grant program to provide meaningful arts learning experiences for older Vermonters, hoping to ease the social isolation that sometimes arrives as people age. Creative Aging Grants provide up to $4,000 for organizations to provide skill-based arts instruction and intentional social engagement led by experienced teaching artists for older adults aged 60+. More than 9 percent of Vermonters are at least 65 years of age, and Vermont is on track to be the oldest state in the nation (age 65+) by 2032. Vermont also has one of the highest life expectancy rates, at nearly 80.

Vermont Agency of Transportation This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways throughout Vermont for the week of August 29. Please note that most crews will wrap up work by noon on Friday, September 2^nd for the long Labor Day weekend. Remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.

Vermont Business Magazine For generations, diner-loving foodies have flocked to the Blue Benn in southwestern Vermont where they can sit at the counter worn down by countless customers, sip on a bottomless cup of coffee, and wisecrack with the waitresses. Even today, despite a change of ownership, the Blue Benn remains a town haunt, prized almost as much for the free-flowing conversations as the mouth-watering food. Now a richly illustrated new book captures the essence of this Bennington landmark. Sonny’s Blue Benn: Feeding the Soul of a Vermont Town documents the history of this legendary diner and the family that created it.

Vermont Business Magazine Feeding America, the nationwide network of 200 food banks, 21 statewide associations and 60,000 partner food pantries and meal programs, has announced the initial grant awards as part of the Food Security Equity Impact Fund. Nearly $10 million was awarded to 25 food banks, partnering with 60 different community-based organizations, to address the root causes of hunger and food insecurity by developing and advocating for change and developing solutions to improve food insecurity and to create a more just food system. Among the recipients is Vermont Foodbank, SUSU CommUNITY Farm, in Barre.