Current News

The Vermont Cheese Council (VCC), a non-profit trade association committed to the promotion and advancement of quality cheese production in Vermont, signed its 50th principal member to its membership roster. “It's a great milestone with a lot of history behind it,” said Jeremy Stevenson, cheesemaker at Spring Brook Farm/Farms for City Kids and former VCC president. “It is very encouraging to see the VCC growing with the community of cheesemakers and working with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture to facilitate growth and stability into the future.”

Founded in 1996 with 19 original members, the Vermont Cheese Council helped to establish the Vermont brand in the cheese industry through quality production, safety training and the promotion of Vermont cheesemakers.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) Saturday welcomed news that the US Postal Service quietly backed off a self-defeating plan to shutter nearly all of 82 mail sorting facilities which were on the chopping block this year. Sanders had led an effort in Congress to keep the Postal Service from closing the plants as part of an ill-considered cost-cutting plan by the money-making mail service. Word of the Postal Service decision came in a low-key formal notification yesterday to members of Congress.

“I am pleased that the Postal Service has decided not to shut down virtually all of the 82 mail-processing plants this year,” Sanders said, “but much more needs to be done to ensure that Americans throughout the country receive their mail in a timely manner.”

Lake Champlain Committee Before adjourning for the year the Vermont House and Senate agreed on the terms of a key water quality bill. The legislation was a major LCC priority and we thank Governor Shumlin, Vermont environmental agencies, legislators and activists that helped bring the water quality bill to fruition this session.

The bill raises $7.5 million in new revenues. The money will come from a 0.2% increase in the property transfer tax, an increase in the cost of a variety of water quality related permit fees, and a $30 per ton levy on nonagricultural fertilizers. The property transfer tax surcharge raises the most revenue. The surcharge excludes the first $100,000 of value of property and properties purchased through certain low interest loan programs. The legislation repeals the surcharge in 2018.

by Sarah Olsen vtdigger.org New research shows that concentrations of nitrogen could make drinking water from lakes unsafe. Until recently it was thought that algae blooms could only be caused by high concentrations of phosphorus in lakes, but freshwater research now suggests that high levels of nitrogen can also increase the potential for harmful blooms.

The law firm of Diamond & Robinson significantly expanded its utility, energy and environmental practice areas by adding attorneys Richard H. Saudek, former Chair of the Public Service Board, and Ronald A. Shems, former Chair of the Natural Resources Board. “Teaming up with Ron Shems and Dick Saudek adds enormous horsepower to our already robust law firm. Ron and Dick are very talented attorneys who can easily handle highly complex legal and regulatory issues,” said M. Jerome Diamond, founder of Diamond & Robinson and three-term Vermont Attorney General.

The Town of Bennington is launching its second round of promotional videos for the area. Titled “Profiles in Bennington,” these in-depth interviews showcase business and community leaders in Bennington. Most of the interviews are between 8-12 minutes long and discuss what it’s like to experience Bennington either as a community member or business owner. Each video has its own tone, but the overarching theme is that Bennington is a great place to build a business and raise a family.

Current interviewees include Sheela Harden, President and CEO of Bennington Potters; Tom Dee, President and CEO of Southwestern Vermont Health Care; Dimitri Garder, Vice President of Global Z International; Mariko Silver, president of Bennington College; Stuart Hurd, Bennington’s town manager; Paul Doucette, Bennington’s chief of police and Michael Harrington, Bennington’s economic and community development director.

State and federal officials say that more than $1 million in federal assistance has been delivered to the state to help cover the costs of the December 9-12, 2014, winter storm that wreaked havoc on Vermont’s infrastructure, downing trees and power lines. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the $1 million in FEMA aid to the state thus far for infrastructure repair includes roughly $670,000 for emergency protective measures to safeguard lives and property while responding to the disaster, and another $384,000 in permanent repair work. Another $2 million in FEMA aid is anticipated, most of it for Vermont Electric Cooperative.

“The December storm was a four-day event that caused an estimated $4+ million in damage and response costs,” said State Coordinating Officer Robert Schell with Vermont’s Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. “The federal dollars coming to Vermont are assisting numerous communities and non-profit utilities.”

Yonder, the leading outdoor recreation mobile app and platform for outdoor enthusiasts based in Woodstock, Vermont, has closed $2 million in seed funding, with the company's Board approving an additional $1 million to be raised. The company, Green Mountain Digital LLC, is now focused exclusively on expanding the Yonder platform to become the social infrastructure for the outdoor and adventure travel industries.

Montpelier rado station WNCS-FM and the Colchester-based Mt. Mansfield Media took home the coveted “Best in Show” honors May 28 at the Vermont Association of Broadcasters annual Commercial of the Year Awards luncheon in Montpelier. More than 200 radio and television commercials were entered for this year’s competetion by Vermont radio and television stations, and by Vermont advertising agencies. Entries were judged by a panel assembled by the Communications Department at Champlain College.

The Cause Marketing Forum presented its 2015 Halo Awards today in Chicago, IL. Widely considered cause marketing’s highest honor in North America, the Halo Awards recognize overall excellence in cause marketing in eight categories. The 2015 Gold Halo for Best Environmental or Animal Campaign was awarded to The Orvis Company, Inc, the famous fly-fishing company based in Manchester, Vermont, in partnership with the Morris Animal Foundation, for the Orvis Cover Dog Photo Contest campaign. Since its inception in 2009, the Cover Dog Contest has raised in excess of $1.1 million dollars to support the Morris Animal Foundation’s canine cancer research initiatives.

by Tom Pelham It is important that Vermonters understand the realities and weaknesses of the so called “budget gap” approach to the state budget. Unfortunately, the “budget gap” has replaced the concept of “sustainable spending” that reliably guided Governor’s Snelling, Dean and Douglas. The “budget gap” clears a path for higher taxes while “sustainable spending” points toward living within our means. The Joint Fiscal Office, the Administration and the media should abandon this unreliable and unrealistic portrayal of the state budget process.

To profile the flaws in the “budget gap” approach, only three documents need to be referenced. Readers should take the time to understand these documents in order to prepare for the 2017 “budget gap…..OMG what can be done?” onslaught by the legislature, Governor and too often, the media.

The three key documents are:

Doc # 1 – FY 2016 Budget Gap:

On Tuesday, May 19, GS Precision, Inc and Vermont Tech celebrated the completion of the Manufacturing Technician Apprentice Program with a graduation ceremony for six participating employees. The ceremony included student project presentations and remarks from GSP’s CEO, Norm Schneeberger. Over 30 people from the plant, as well as family members, were in attendance to mark the occasion.

“These projects have thoughtfully and methodically solved the problems that are unique to G.S.,” said GSP’s CEO, Norm Schneeberger to the graduating class. “You have already realized the return on investment of this program.”

Vermont Tech continues its commitment to being an asset and partner for Vermont industry, including energy, agriculture, healthcare, construction and engineering.