Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Buildings and General Services announced today the date of the annual State House Christmas tree lighting on Tuesday, December 9 at 5:00 p.m. The event will take place on the State House lawn and is open to the general public. The Christmas tree lighting will feature performances by the Cirque de Fuego fire dancers and Shidaa West African Drumming, Rudolph the VTRANS plow truck, visits with animals, including Secretary of Agriculture Anson Tebbetts’ miniature donkey, Frannie. This portion will begin at 4:00 p.m. before the lighting ceremony starts at 5:00 p.m. The 41-foot tall spruce blue spruce was donated by the W.M. Group in Moretown

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont State University (VTSU), in partnership with the Northeast Grass-Fed Beef Initiative (NGBI) and Sodexo, is launching a transformative project to establish a sustainable local grass-fed beef supply chain for its campus dining facilities. This initiative, made possible by generous support from the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, aims to strengthen and invest in Vermont’s food system while furthering VTSU’s commitment to education, sustainability, and community impact. Central to this work is VTSU’s leadership in agricultural education through the Center for Agriculture & Food Entrepreneurship (CAFE). Established to strengthen Vermont’s agricultural and forest economy, CAFE develops and supports a skilled workforce through flexible learning options, hands-on training, and industry-recognized credentials. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources is revising the Long Range Management Plan (LRMP) for the Okemo State Forest in Ludlow. The public is invited to participate in the planning process and share input on the future use and conservation of these state lands. An in-person public scoping meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, beginning a month-long opportunity for the public to learn about the property and submit comments. The comment period will remain open until January 23, 2026.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance (VOBA) hosted the 7th Annual Vermont Outdoor Economy Summit in November at Burke Mountain Resort last month, convening 155 outdoor industry businesses, organizations, and policymakers for a day of collaboration, education, and business development. Kellyann Davis, Director of Research for the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), kicked off the Summit with a keynote providing crucial insights into data on outdoor consumer trends. This year, VOBA honored Donna Carpenter, Owner of Burton Snowboards, and the Carpenter family with the 5th Annual  Sen. Patrick Leahy Trailblazer Legacy Award. The award recognizes lifetime contributions to Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy with a special focus on sustainability, equity, community investment, and economic growth. 

Northeastern Vermont Development Association Check out Efficiency Vermont's collection of thoughtful, low- and no-cost gifts and experiences to brighten the season. There’s a little something for everyone! The Municipal Climate Toolkit is Vermont's one-stop, searchable local and regional climate planning hub. While designed for local planners, decision-makers, and officials, the toolkit is also a valuable resource for non-profits, businesses, schools, community groups, and individuals. And Vermonters, whether they rent or own their homes, can get a free Virtual Home Energy Visit to help identify opportunities to save energy. Efficiency Vermont energy experts work with families 1:1 to provide recommendations customized for the unique needs of each home—and for the unique priorities of each homeowner or renter.

Vermont Business Magazine With the home heating season here, you may be wondering if your firewood is dry and ready to burn. Vermonters can check out a moisture meter for free from one of 63 public libraries. This is thanks to a statewide loan program from the Departments of Libraries and Environmental Conservation (DEC). Using this small, hand-held device, you can make sure your firewood is dry (with 20% moisture or less) before burning. Dry, seasoned wood burns hotter and cleaner than wet wood, saving both money and energy while making less smoke. During the wintertime, residential wood smoke is a main contributor to fine particle pollution and is responsible for poor air quality days, especially on calm, clear, and cold winter nights.

Vermont Business Magazine The DeltaClimeVT energy business accelerator is seeking innovative start-up and seed stage ventures offering products and services that enhance grid resilience and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Companies ready to deploy solutions for decarbonizing buildings, transportation, heating, and industrial processes, especially through electrification, thermal energy networks, renewables, and flexible load management, are encouraged to apply. Solutions that help lower electricity costs for Vermont ratepayers are of particular interest. The 10th DeltaClimeVT energy business accelerator supports an equitable, zero-carbon future by helping Vermont utilities adopt renewable energy, smart building, and EV technologies. 

Vermont Business Magazine Hunters will still have several days of archery and muzzleloader deer hunting to enjoy in Vermont after the regular deer season ends on November 30. Archery deer hunting continues December 1-15, and muzzleloader deer hunting will occur December 6-14. An archery deer license and a hunting license are required to hunt during the archery season. An antlerless deer, or a legal buck, if you did not take one earlier, are allowed during the archery season.

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says its Hammond Cove public shooting range in Hartland and the West Mountain Wildlife Management Area public shooting range in Ferdinand will close December 14. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today addressed the projected double-digit property tax increase announced earlier this week by the Department of Taxes at his press conference. The governor also took issue with the "failure" of the Vermont education transformation task force to present at least three school redistricting plans. The task force concluded its tenure last month without presenting any plan. The task force was established to implement education reform, particularly in line with Act 73 of 2025, which mandates the creation of larger school districts and a weighted student funding formula.

Vermont Business Magazine Norfolk & Dedham Mutual Insurance (N&D), which is affiliated with Union Mutual of Vermont, is celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2025, marking two centuries since its founding as Norfolk Mutual in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1825. o honor this historic milestone, N&D dedicated 2025 to an ambitious charitable giving initiative, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to the communities that have supported the company for generations.

Vermont Business Magazine The world’s first single-dose vaccine to prevent dengue fever was approved for licensure following 16 years of research contributions by scientists at the University of Vermont Vaccine Testing Center, in partnership with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH). In addition, a promising new anti-viral medication designed to prevent infection and illness in individuals exposed to dengue virus will advance, thanks to clinical trials at the UVM Vaccine Testing Center and JHSPH. Both achievements were announced on November 26.