Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) would like to remind all farm operations that the annual winter manure spreading ban begins at midnight tonight, December 15th. Between December 15 and April 1, no manure or other agricultural waste (including compost and spoiled feed) may be spread on agricultural fields throughout Vermont. This annual ban is required by the Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs), which is a part of Vermont’s overall strategy to protect water quality, the working landscape, and natural resources.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The vital personal income tax bounced back from a rare below-target month and remains the strongest of the major indices this fiscal year. However, it was not enough to support an overall disappointing report, which shows total tax revenues in all three major funds below expectations year-to-date. Secretary of Administration Sarah Clark today released Vermont’s revenue results for November 2025. Transportation Fund receipts were slightly above consensus revenue expectations on a monthly basis, while General Fund and Education Fund receipts lagged. The state’s General Fund, Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts were a combined $214.4 million, representing collections -$17.2 million, or 7.4%, below the $231.6 million monthly target in the consensus forecast adopted by the Emergency Board at its July 2025 meeting. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont is $3.08 per gallon, down 2.4 cents per gallon from last week's $3.11/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.77/g while the highest was $3.29/g, a difference of 52.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 4.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.85/g today. The national average is down 22.0 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 12.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Vermont Business Magazine National Life Group has announced a planned leadership transition at its broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, Equity Services, Inc. (ESI), with the appointment of Alex David as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective Dec. 16, 2025, and the retirement of Ata Azarshahi. Azarshahi, President and CEO of ESI, will retire at the end of this year following a distinguished career spanning 40 years in the financial services industry and 13 years with National Life Group. A respected and purpose-driven leader, Azarshahi leaves a significant legacy across National Life Group’s life, annuity and wealth businesses. Since joining the organization in 2013, he has led major initiatives in Strategy and Business Development, Life and Annuity Solutions, and, since 2020, served as President and CEO of ESI.

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets It’s here! Early bird registration is open now through January 16th. Join the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) for two days focused on innovation, modernization, and growth across the dairy sector. The Northeast Dairy Innovation Summit brings together dairy farmers, processors, and stakeholders from across an 11-state region.  From dairy farming to processing to workforce development and policy, the Summit gives you an opportunity to learn from those who are innovating now and to hear from experts on what’s coming in the future. The Summit will be March 10-11th, in Albany, New York. This year’s theme is "Dynamic Dairy: Opportunities at Every Scale."

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today issued the following statement after public reports that members of the Vermont Air National Guard Wing are deploying on federal orders connected to Venezuela: “After campaigning against 'endless wars,' the Trump administration is threatening a military intervention in Venezuela, which may include the Vermont Air National Guard. I will do everything I can to prevent that conflict."

Vermont Business Magazine All 25 Jewish Members of the US House of Representatives, including Becca Balint (D-Vermont),  released the following statement in response to an attack on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia that targeted Jewish people celebrating the first night of Hanukkah: “On a night meant for celebration, Jewish families in Australia, gathering in joy and peace on the first night of Hanukkah, were grotesquely targeted with hate and murderous intent. Sadly, this attack does not come as a surprise to the Jewish community of Sydney who have been raising a clarion call for local and national authorities to take concrete steps against a rising tide of antisemitism."

by Blaise Siefer, Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies Northfield, Vermont’s Norwich University has long been a crossroads of military service, higher education, and innovation. Few people embody that intersection more fully than Phil Susmann, longtime Norwich leader and President of Norwich University Applied Research Institutes (NUARI). As Susmann prepares to retire this December, his impact stretches from education and innovation to cyber readiness and national security. In this Q&A, Blaise spoke with Susmann about his decades of service, the evolution of NUARI, and what lies ahead for both him and the institution he helped shape.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Buildings and General Services announced today the date of the annual State House Menorah lighting on Tuesday, December 16 at 4:30 p.m. The event will take place on the State House lawn and is open to the general public. The Governor welcomes Vermonters to the State House to light the State House menorah for the third night of Hanukkah.

by Sandy McGuire I would be surprised if anyone reading this isn’t feeling some level of financial pressure right now. For families and organizations alike, every dollar feels stretched thin. For nonprofit leaders, ensuring steady and reliable resources is a constant concern, but rarely has it felt as precarious as it does today. Are we meeting our fundraising goals? Will our state grant come through? Are federal programs secure? Never in my career have these questions caused so many sleepless nights or felt so difficult to navigate. This uncertainty does not make for the best environment for long-term planning or innovation, and yet that’s exactly what all of us must do to secure our future. 

by Clare Wool & Tom Flanagan, Burlington School District On December 1, the Scott Administration released its annual education tax rate letter. That letter projected a 12% average increase in education property taxes. Even though only 6% of this projection is related to school spending for next year, the Administration has described this as a crisis that can only be solved by following its preferred education governance model. The Administration’s model would consolidate Vermont’s 119 school districts into large, regional districts. They have described this as a necessary “transformation” of the education system. In reality, it is a big state takeover of public education.

Vermont Business Magazine SILO Distillery in Windsor has relaunched under the helm of former head distiller Erin Bell. She purchased the company this fall and has renovated the two-story tasting room and event space at 3 Artisan Park for a fresh, modern atmosphere matching Bell's energy and passion for the craft. From spirits to cider, the distillery aims to serve up barn-to-bottle bevs that showcase the best of what local growers have to offer. This includes 100% Vermont-grown corn vodka, russet apples from nearby Keene, New Hampshire, and more.