Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Decisions farmers make over the spring and summer can dramatically increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions later in the winter. That's a key takeaway from a new University of Vermont study that shows, for the first time, that the impacts of farmers' manure use decisions extend beyond the growing season to influence emissions on warm winter days.

Vermont Business Magazine On Friday, January 25, an important joint hearing will be conducted in Room 11 at the Vermont State House with the House Agriculture and Forestry Committee, the Senate Agriculture Committee, and House and Senate Natural Resources Committees.  The hearing will highlight how Vermont’s land is currently managed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and how those practices might be improved and augmented. Farmers and researchers from the University of Vermont Extension Service will lead the presentation.

Vermont Business Magazine POWDR, a family-owned adventure lifestyle company and parent company of Vermont's Killington Resort, and Danny Davis, Peace Park founder, X Games Gold Medalist, Grand Prix Winner, Dew Tour Champion, and US Snowboard Olympian, have announced that they have partnered to launch Woodward Peace Park. This partnership brings Woodward, a playground for progressive sports experiences and part of the POWDR portfolio, together with Peace Park that was founded by Davis in 2011 as a new type of on-mountain experience which reinvented freestyle terrain with a focus on fun and flow as well as progression. 

Woodward Peace Park is a unique, ever-evolving terrain park concept designed to maximize creativity, progression and fun for shredders of all ages and abilities. Only available at POWDR properties, the Woodward Peace Park will debut mid-February at Killington Resort in Killington and Boreal Mountain California in Tahoe. 

Vermont Business Magazine With Vermont leading the way, US consumers recycled 7.2 million pounds of batteries in 2018 through the Call2Recycle program, according to the organization. These outcomes underscore the program's mission to responsibly recycle consumer batteries while increasing consumer focus on battery safety. Since the program's inception in 1994, more than 115 million pounds of batteries have been collected and recycled in the US.

Vermont Business Magazine The 2019 Vermont Flower Show, “Wonder – A Garden Adventure for All Ages,” will bring three days of spring to life as our winter draws to a close. See the attached sketch showing how the theme concept will be made real in the grand garden display! Along with the grand garden landscaped display, the show offers a wide variety of features and activities to choose from (see highlights below)– all included in the price of admission. Plan on spending the entire day at the show! The 2019 Vermont Flower Show was chosen by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce as a Top Ten Winter Event to attend!

Vermont Business Magazine Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB), the parent of Berkshire Bank with branches in southwestern Vermont, reported GAAP net income of $14 million, or $0.31 per common share in the fourth quarter of 2018. The non-GAAP measure of core earnings totaled $29 million, or $0.63 per share, during this period. Both GAAP and core EPS totaled $0.70 in the prior quarter. 

Vermont Business Magazine Representatives of the Vermont Farm to Plate Network and staff at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund presented the 2018 Farm to Plate Annual Report to the Vermont Legislature’s House and Senate Agriculture Committees, requesting the Legislature reauthorize the Vermont Farm to Plate food system plan beyond 2020 to continue the work of growing the local food economy. 

Vermont Business Magazine Representative Peter Welch (D-Vermont) has been reappointed to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The committee has broad jurisdiction over executive branch programs and activities. Welch has served on the committee since he was first elected to Congress in 2006. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union has been named the top overall performer of 2018 with staff member Patricia Boyce ranked as the top Mortgage Originator. Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) “Top Performers” recognizes organizations and individuals who had the highest VHFA production from January 1^st through December 31^st, 2018. Vermont Federal Credit Union was ranked first among all 18 Vermont participating lenders, which includes Credit Unions, Banks, and Mortgage Companies.

Patricia Boyce

Patricia Boyce, one of Vermont Federal Credit Union’s Mortgage Originators, was ranked first among all participating Mortgage Originators.

Vermont Business Magazine After four years of organizational discussions and capacity building, the Upper Valley Trails Alliance (UVTA) executed its first trail easement on January 14, 2019. Working with Carol and Ollie Boles, the trail easement permanently protects that final segment of a proposed 3 mile trail off Robinson Road in Strafford.

Vermont Business Magazine Hunger Free Vermont has received a $25,505.83 grant from Shaw’s and Star Market Foundation from their "Hunger Is" initiative to eradicate childhood hunger. The funds will be used to help schools and communities across the state to understand and make the best use of the federal nutrition programs that provide opportunities for children from low-income and food-insecure families to gain access to healthy breakfasts in schools, summer meals programs and early childhood care.