Current News

Vermont Business Magazine New England Federal Credit Union (NEFCU) is accepting applications for its 2022 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Scholarships. Three scholarships of $3,000 each will be awarded. To be eligible for NEFCU STEM Scholarships, applicants must be New England Federal Credit Union members.

Vermont Business Magazine On March 4, at approximately 1:30 pm, Vermont game wardens responded to assist with a snowmobile accident on Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) Trail 102A in Lewis, Vermont. Game wardens were joined at the scene by Brighton Fire and Rescue and 45th Parallel Emergency Medical Services. They were advised that the male snowmobiler who crashed did not have feeling in his legs and would need to be extricated. Preliminary investigation suggests that 55-year-old John Maroney of Watertown, CT was found by his riding partner immobile and face down in a stream, complaining of neck pain.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health today is reporting 48 cases of COVID-19 for Monday, down from Monday's 57 (Saturday 95 and Friday 131). The 7-day case average is 140 (see modeling update below). Hospitalizations and ICU stays have fallen dramatically the last few weeks. The new statewide COVID health guidance will begin on March 14, meaning for the general public and in school, mask wearing will be up to individual discretion. Businesses could still decide to require them.

Vermont Business Magazine The Administrative Council of the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program recently approved $5.8 million[VG1] in funding to support 62 projects to conduct applied research, farmer education and farm advisor training to strengthen sustainable agriculture throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. This includes more than $1 million in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine A collaboration between the Addison County Economic Development Corporation, Addison County Chamber of Commerce, Better Middlebury Partnership, Vergennes Partnership, and Bristol CORE has received a $30,000 grant from the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Department of Tourism and Marketing, for regional marketing. These funds were awarded to the State of Vermont through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and have been distributed to 22 grantees across the state.

Proposal would send a $250 rebate check to Vermont property taxpayers using half of the $90 million Education Fund surplus

Vermont Business Magazine At his weekly media briefing, Governor Phil Scott called on legislators to support his proposal to return half of the more than $90 million Education Fund surplus to Vermont taxpayers and dedicate the other half to strengthen Vermont’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) system. The governor’s tax proposal, if supported by the Legislature, would return about $250 - $275 to Vermont residential property taxpayers through a rebate check, issued this summer. Each taxpayer would get the same amount regardless of property value for the sake of simplicity, he said.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Working Lands Enterprise Fund has awarded a FY 22 Service Provider grant to the Vermont Grape and Wine Council, as part of nearly $1 million in grants statewide. The grant underwrites the development and submission of a petition to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to create an American Viticulture Area (AVA) for the Champlain Valley of Vermont. These federally recognized viticulture areas identify grape and wine regions with unique characteristics and enable wine makers to label their wines to reflect these exceptional areas.

Vermont Business Magazine TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank today awarded a total of $5.8 million through the 16th annual Housing for Everyone grant program. The TD Charitable Foundation selected 33 non-profit organizations across TD Bank's footprint to receive Housing for Everyone grants ranging from $150,000 to $250,000. In Vermont, the Champlain Housing Trust received $150,000 and the Downstreet Housing & Community Development, Inc received $175,000.

Vermont Business Magazine On March 24th the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation will begin a new workshop series for small businesses designed to increase financial acumen. Join BDCC’s Business Technical Assistance Provider, Eyad Salha, for training sessions designed to help small business owners navigate today’s financial challenges. The workshops will provide practical tools, resources and steps to help your financial expertise.

Vermont Business Magazine M&T Bank Corporation (NYSE: MTB) and People's United Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: PBCT) jointly announced Monday the closing of the previously announced merger between the two companies is expected to occur on or about April 1, 2022, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining customary closing conditions set forth in the merger agreement.

Customers will continue to be served through their respective M&T and People's United branches, websites, mobile apps, financial advisors, and relationship managers until systems conversion is complete, which is expected to occur in the third quarter of 2022.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Organic Valley announced today the single largest effort to save small organic family farms in the Northeast following news last year that Horizon and Maple Hill Creamery would be terminating contracts with more than 130 family farms. Wisconsin-based Organic Valley, a farmer-owned cooperative since its founding in 1988, is offering 80 small, Northeast organic family farms a market for their dairy through a letter of intent. While those 80 families decide, 10 Northeast organic family farms have already been offered membership. Last July, Horizon Organics notified its Northeast organic milk suppliers that it would be dropping all of its eastern suppliers, including 27 dairies in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Green Mountain Power (GMP) is ranked the fifth Most Innovative Company in North America by Fast Company. Fast Company highlighted GMP’s pioneering work to deliver real world, first-of-its-kind solutions to fight climate change through grid transformation using microgrids and battery storage saying GMP “continues to build greater energy resiliency and grid stability without fossil fuels,” adding that GMP "reflects the best values of their region: brilliant problem-solving and an irrepressible spirit.”