Current News

Vermont Business Magazine ZymoChem, the biotech company dedicated to creating sustainable materials for everyday products, is proud to announce its newly ratified designation as a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC). By proactively amending its incorporation documents, ZymoChem formalizes its commitment to balancing profitability with social impact. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Public and the University of Vermont have announced an expanded internship program to provide hands-on learning opportunities to students while enhancing Vermont Public’s local news coverage. The program will train students in all aspects of a media organization—including reporting, research, communications, and marketing. By hosting 20 interns over the first four years, Vermont Public will strengthen its public service by producing more local journalism. It will also deliver on its strategic plan to serve a broader and more diverse audience by amplifying stories from those underrepresented in traditional media. 

Vermont Employee Ownership Center Our annual Vermont Employee Ownership Conference (May 30, 2025) is growing, and we are excited to announce that our annual VEOC internship is growing along with it! While our internship has historically begun just before our conference in early summer, our 2025 internship will start in February, providing our next intern with the hands-on experience of helping to plan and promote our 23rd annual conference throughout the spring semester. Bringing an intern onto the team in the spring will expand our capacity at our busiest time of year, making for a more robust conference planning and promotion process in a year that is likely to yield our largest, most interesting Vermont Employee Ownership Conference to date.

Vermont Business Magazine The USDA is granting $3.45 million to the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC), based in Montpelier. One of four Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBI), the NE-DBIC serves dairy farmers and processors across 11 states, including: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.  These funds directly support dairy farmers and processors with modernization, innovation, and increasing efficiency and sustainability across the dairy sector. From decreasing the use of virgin plastic in dairy packaging to boosting milk quality and bringing local milk to local schools, these grants have immediate and long-term positive impacts for individual businesses and the entire supply chain.   

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark announced a lawsuit today against TikTok Inc. for multiple violations of Vermont’s Consumer Protection Act. This multistate lawsuit follows a similar complaint filed last year against Meta Platforms, Inc. alleging manipulative design features and deceptive business practices. Today’s filing was coordinated with 14 attorneys general across the nation. Seven other states have already sued TikTok under similar theories. Attorney General Clark’s complaint alleges that TikTok crafted features of its platform to mimic slot machines, a strategic decision that has allowed it to effectively trap young users into cycles of excessive use. The filing details how TikTok has siphoned value out of our kids—including their time, attention, and money. 

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont), member of the Senate Commerce Committee, introduced the Artificial Intelligence Weapons Accountability and Risk Evaluation (AWARE) Act, legislation to bolster the U.S. Department of Defense's ethical technology leadership and transparency regarding AI-enabled defense systems. The legislation requires the Pentagon to report to Congress on risk assessments of the use of AI in our defense systems, including the accuracy, cybersecurity and privacy risks, and potential for civilian harm. These risk assessments must also include what AI systems have been exported to, or used by, foreign entities. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas released the first October Vermont 2024 Candidates and Campaign Finance. This report continues the Secretary of State’s ongoing efforts to improve transparency for campaign finance reporting during the 2024 campaign season. The October report reflects candidate filings as of the most recent filing deadline on October 1. Per state law, candidates are only required to file a campaign finance report if they “rolled over any amount of surplus into his or her new campaign or… made expenditures or accepted contributions of $500 or more during the two-year general election cycle” (17 V.S.A. § 2964). As such, Secretary Copeland Hanzas noted that appearing on the third list (candidates that did not file a report) does not mean a candidate was required to file a Campaign Finance disclosure.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermonters affected by both July severe weather events have until November 25, 2024, to apply for FEMA individual assistance. For the July 9-11 disaster, the deadline was extended from October 21 to November 25 for individuals and households in Addison, Caledonia, Chittenden, Essex, Lamoille, Orleans, and Washington counties. For the July 29-31 disaster, the deadline remains November 25 for individuals and households in Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties who were impacted. If you were affected by these severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides, you should apply as soon as possible. Vermonters affected by both July storms should submit separate applications for each event.

Vermont Business Magazine The Dowd Insurance Agencies, LLC, a leading insurance provider serving New England since 1898, has announced its acquisition of third-generation insurance agency Lonergan & Thomas Inc. in Bennington, Vermont, effective August 1. Lonergan & Thomas will retain all the agency’s employees and, for at least the next two years, its name. The acquisition will allow Lonergan & Thomas to grow its services beyond the personal and business lines it currently offers and to work with a larger variety of insurance carriers.

Vermont Business Magazine The American Red Cross continues to work to restock critically needed blood products uncollected due to the ongoing impact of Hurricane Helene’s devastation in the Southeast. Donors outside of affected areas are encouraged to make an appointment to give now and help keep the blood supply stable in the weeks to come. Since making landfall, the storm and its aftermath have led to the cancellation of more than 100 blood drives, causing thousands of blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. For so many people living with urgent medical care needs, blood transfusions are essential, and donations in the Southeast are key to keeping our nationwide network stocked. The Red Cross operates through a national inventory with the ability to move blood wherever and whenever it is needed most. Multiple donation sites are available in Vermont. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine For the week ending September 28, 2024, the Vermont Department of Health reported that the number of COVID-19 cases in Vermont fell and are now under 300 cases. Hospitalizations also saw a drop in cases last week. Hospitalizations and general "syndromic" cases decreased to about 20 cases. The VDH reported 7 COVID-related fatalities last week. Overall, COVID results have been relatively high since the late summer. At the beginning of the summer there were only about 5 hospitalizations a week, but have been running, for the most part, at 20 or more for more than a month. The number of COVID cases, which had fallen for the first time since the end of June, fell last week to 257 cases. Cases had been falling in April and May and were as low as 31 at the beginning of May. The pandemic death total stands at 1,206 as of September 28, 2024, with 17 reported so far in September.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Biden-Harris Administration issued a final rule requiring drinking water systems across the country to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) also require more rigorous testing of drinking water and a lower threshold for communities to take action on lead in drinking water to protect people from lead exposure. In addition, the final rule improves communication within communities so that families are better informed about the risk of lead in drinking water, the location of lead pipes, and plans for replacing them. This final rule is part of the President’s commitment to replace every lead pipe in the country within a decade, making sure that all communities can turn on the tap and drink clean water.