Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health is celebrating the state’s high breastfeeding rates and showcasing programs and events to support new families who want to learn more about breastfeeding as part of World Breastfeeding Week 2025 beginning Aug. 1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 93% of Vermont infants born in 2021 had been breastfed, compared to a national average of 84%. At 12 months of age, about 57% of Vermont babies are breastfed, exceeding the national average of about 40%. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months, and encourages parents to continue until two years or beyond.

Vermont Business Magazine University of Vermont (UVM) Extension and the Vermont Dairy Industry Association, in cooperation with the New England Green Pastures program, chose this farm for its overall excellence in dairying, including its quality milk production; outstanding pasture, crop and herd management; and sustainable environmental practices, among other criteria. Owner Peter Rainville grew up on a dairy farm, developing a love for farming and a strong work ethic at an early age. He farmed first with his parents and brother in the town of Georgia, six miles up the road. In 2000, Rainville and his growing family moved to his current location and bought what was known as Homestead Farm from his aunt and uncle. He renamed it Four Girls Dairy after daughters Sarah, Marie, Hannah and Ashley.

Vermont Business Magazine National Life Group has been named on the 2025 Ward’s 50, an annual list of the country’s 50 best life and health insurance performers, based on financial health. 2025 marks the fifth consecutive year in which National Life has been named as an industry leader for its extraordinary financial performance. In the 35 years the list has been produced, National Life has appeared on it 17 times. 

Vermont State Police On the above date and time, Vermont State Police responded to a report of a motorcycle versus vehicle crash on VT Route 30, in the town of Wells. Operator #1 was identified as Ricky Chandler (40). Chandler was operating a 1994 Kawasaki Motorcycle traveling north on VT Route 30. Operator #2 was identified as Joy Brewster (58). Brewster was operating a 2023 Jeep Gladiator that was turning onto VT Route 30 from South St. Vehicle #1 collided with Vehicle #2, causing significant injury to Chandler. He was transported to Glen Falls Hospital then Albany Medical Center. Vermont State Police were later notified Chandler died of his injuries sustained in the crash.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today announced Commissioner Nick Deml will be leaving his role leading the Department of Corrections on August 15 and has named Jon Murad to serve as interim commissioner of the Department of Corrections (DOC). Following Deml’s departure, Jon Murad will serve as interim commissioner. Born and raised in Underhill, Vermont, Murad served in a variety of police roles in the New York City Police Department, retiring as an assistant commissioner, and most recently served as the chief of police in Burlington. Deml was appointed in 2021 and worked to build public trust with the Department, prioritizing accountability and transparency. 

Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) deadline for program applications for Fiscal Year 2026 is August 22, 2025. Fiscal Year 2026 runs from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.07 per gallon, down 1.3 cents per gallon from last week's $3.09/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.57/g while the highest was $3.25/g, a difference of 68.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 0.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.10/g today. 

Vermont Business Magazine On Thursday, July 10th, Casella Waste Systems marked the two-year anniversary of the devastating 2023 flood by celebrating the reopening of its Montpelier Hauling Division—and by giving back to the community that supported its recovery. At a heartfelt community event, Casella announced a $10,000 donation to Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity in honor of the essential workers, customers, and nonprofit partners who played a key role in rebuilding efforts. 

by Olga Peters, Vermont Business Magazine Though home to just over a quarter of Vermont’s population, Chittenden County stands as the undeniable engine of the state’s economy, generating a disproportionate share of its jobs, wages and income tax revenues. A May report compiled by former state economist Art Woolf for the Greater Burlington Industrial Corp. illuminates the county’s remarkable economic footprint and its diverse landscape, which ranges from major institutions like the University of Vermont and the UVM Medical Center to international tech giants such as GlobalFoundries and countless local businesses.

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of July 28, 2025. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it. 

Vermont Agency of Transportation Monday, July 28th, and Tuesday, July 29th, between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, there will be a northbound lane closure on the Burlington/Winooski Bridge over the Winooski River. The Agency of Transportation (VTrans) will be conducting geotechnical borings to prepare for the future construction of the new Burlington/Winooski Bridge planned for 2027. 

Vermont Business Magazine On August 6 and 9, 2025, the world will mark the tragic 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki perpetrated by the United States. On the day of the Nagasaki bombing, Taniguchi Sumiteru, then 16, was delivering mail on his bicycle in the northern part of the city, about a mile from ground zero. The force of the explosion tossed him into the air and the heat of the bomb seared the skin off his back and one arm. He spent ten years in recovery and a lifetime advocating for the abolition of nuclear weapons, becoming a co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo, the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2024.