Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Accomplished attorney and environmental advocate Jennifer Rushlow will direct Vermont Law School’s Environmental Law Center, the touchstone of the law school’s top ranked environmental law program, Vermont Law School President and Dean Tom McHenry announced Monday. Rushlow will be transitioning from the Conservation Law Foundation, where she was a Senior Attorney and Director of Farm & Food, leading CLF’s New England-wide advocacy on agriculture and food issues.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Public Power Supply Authority and Encore Renewable Energy has formally announced a partnership to pursue development of approximately 10 megawatts of solar capacity on behalf of VPPSA’s Member municipal utilities. Under the partnership Encore will lead design, development, financing and construction of solar projects at locations in at least three of VPPSA’s Member utility territories. VPPSA will assist identified host communities in managing the resulting generation to maximize its value. The agreement also allows for Encore and VPPSA to partner in seeking additional development sites in other Member service territories and represents a significant milestone in the VPPSA Members’ transition towards economic, locally sourced, renewable energy resources.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan issued the following Advisory in response to the recent United States Supreme Court decision in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, 585 U.S. ___ (2018). Janus overturns decades of well-established law and practice relating to public employers’ deduction of fair share agency fees from public sector employees who decline union membership. Under Janus, a public employer may not deduct agency fees from a nonmember’s wages without the employee’s affirmative consent.

All other collective bargaining rights and obligations of public sector employees and employers remain the same under state law. Public employees retain their statutory rights under Vermont law to organize, join unions, and engage in collective action for mutual aid and protection. The Vermont Attorney General’s Office issues this Advisory in affirmation of those rights and to provide initial guidance on the issue of union dues and agency fees.

Vermont Business Magazine Noluma International, LLC has partnered with Jersey Girls Dairy of Chester, VT, to design their new light-protected packaging for their pasteurized fresh milk brand. The packaging is designed to protect milk’s nutritional value, and maintain its freshness longer. Research has shown that retail, refrigerator and home fluorescent and LED lights degrade the vitamins and nutrients in milk and affect its sensory characteristics as soon as an hour after light exposure.

Owner Lisa Kaiman sports sunglasses at her dairy with just one of the girls. Courtesy photos.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s Killington Resort, the largest mountain resort in Eastern North America, on Wednesday reported a successful US Open of Mountain Biking featuring 269 riders, representing 11 countries in Downhill, Enduro, Adaptive and kids races in front of a crowd of over 5,500. The event was held August 1-5.

Vermont Business Magazine Many Vermonters remember the 2011 Irene flood like it was yesterday. Yet, in the seven years since the flood, towns and individuals have made enormous progress to build flood resilient communities. This weekend, scientists from the National Park Service (NPS) and Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are inviting the public to the Working Woodlands Workshop in Woodstock to learn about what it means to be ‘flood resilient’, the importance of vegetation along our streams and rivers, and how to accurately assess water quality.

Vermont Business Magazine Join the Vermont Tree Farm Program on Saturday, September 15 from 8:30 am- 2:30 pm for our Tree Farmer of the Year Tour! We will be touring the historic Old John Vinton Hill Farm with Peter and Julie Parker, the 2018 Vermont Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year. The Old John Vinton Hill Farm is a 560 acre Certified Tree Farm (VT Tree Farm #1042) in Granville. The event begins at 8:30am, and tours depart at 9:30am. At11:30am there will be a networking around the tent as well as a provided lunch. Following lunch at 1:00pm there will be an awards ceremony and presentations.

by Seth N Blanchard There’s no question that Social Security is a cornerstone of retirement income for many Americans. Yet, deciding when to take Social Security benefits is something that many people struggle with. As with most financial decisions, the right move depends on a variety of factors unique to each individual. If you are contemplating when to pull the trigger on Social Security benefits, read on for answers to some common questions.

Vermont Business Magazine Caledonia Spirits, the distillers of Barr Hill, officially breaks ground Thursday at 3 pm at 116 Gin Lane, the site of their new 26,000 square foot Montpelier distillery, tasting room, and visitor center. The official “Ground Breaking & Cocktail Party” is open to the public. Governor Phil Scott and congressional representation from Sens. Leahy and Sanders and Rep. Welch’s offices will join the Caledonia team in the ceremony.

Vermont Business Magazine The annual Rabies Bait Drop, a cooperative effort between Vermont and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Wildlife Services to stop the spread of the rabies, starts on August 8. The approximately week-long bait drop is part of a nationally coordinated effort to halt the fatal disease. Rabies vaccine, in the form of a sweet-smelling oral bait that is attractive to raccoons and skunks, will be dropped in rural areas from low-flying aircraft and placed by hand in residential centers. Approximately 450,000 quarter-sized blister packs containing rabies vaccine will be distributed in more than 110 Vermont communities in nine counties. The airplane co-pilots control where the bait falls by using an on/off switch. This allows them to avoid dropping the bait on roadways, near homes and other places where people are most likely to be.

Vermont Business Magazine Eight Vermont agriculture, food, beverage, forest, and fiber product associations that provide support to the development of Vermont’s economy and the viability of our working landscape businesses will implement marketing projects with $2,000 grant awards. Meghan Sheradin, Executive Director from the Vermont Grass Farmers’ Association (VGFA), said: “these grants are really helpful because they support the consumer education marketing efforts we need to engage in, but have difficulty finding funding to support”

On a recent site visit by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets (VAAFM), Highgate grass-fed, organic dairy farmer, Matt Choiniere of Choiniere Family Farms spoke of his appreciation for VGFA’s commitment to provide critical support to the development of Vermont’s economy and the viability of its working landscape, by educating consumers about the benefits of grass-fed products.

Vermont Business Magazine On August 7, 2018, Barre-based Northern Power Systems Corp (TSX:NPS) announced that Ciel R Caldwell, the company’s President and Chief Operating Officer and current interim Chief Financial Officer, announced her intention to resign as president and chief operating officer of Northern, effective immediately, but indicated she would remain with the company to focus exclusively on carrying out her role and responsibilities as chief financial officer. In connection with Caldwell’s resignation as the company’s president and chief operating officer, Caldwell, on August 7, 2018, provided the company with notice of her resignation from its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Caldwell has served on the Board since 2016.