Current News

by Basil DN Waugh There is a growing buzz at the University of Vermont as scientists join the global effort to stop bee declines. In the past year, UVM researchers have released groundbreaking studies -- highlighting bees' importance to food, health and the environment -- which have attracted international headlines, from the New York Times to the BBC. This week, UVM scholars will discuss their findings with state officials, beekeepers, and farmers at the Vermont Pollinators Symposium on March 17, organized by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources at Burlington's ECHO Center.

Vermont Business Magazine Yesterday, Swanton cheese manufacturer Swan Valley and the owner of the property agreed to pay $100,000 to settle penalty claims by the US Environmental Protection Agency that it violated clean air, Superfund and right-to-know laws between 2011 and 2015. After two EPA inspections and an August 2015 EPA Order, the company is now protecting worker and community safety by complying with chemical accident prevention measures outlined in the Clean Air Act. Swan Valley Cheese of Vermont cooperated with EPA, and removed the anhydrous ammonia from its aged refrigeration system and purchased a new refrigeration system that does not use ammonia.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont's tech industry is relatively larger than most states and pays a lot better than the average private sector job here, but it has lost ground in recent years until rebounding slightly in 2015. Vermont surprisingly has a relatively low number of women in the tech sector. According a CompTIA report released Tuesday, Vermont’s tech industry employment ranked 46th in the country and employed 13,863 workers in 2015. On top of this, Vermont added 304 jobs between 2014 and 2015 – a number that’s expected to continue to rise in 2016. These workers also had an annual average salary of $78,878, which was 86 percent more than the average private sector wage in the entire state. Perhaps more importantly, according to the report, Vermont's tech payroll of $1.1 billion in 2015 ranked 34th nationwide, accounting for 5.4 percent of all private sector payroll in Vermont and 6.5 percent of the state economy is from the tech industry.

Vermont Business Magazine President Barack Obama announced Wednesday that he will nominate Chief Judge Merrick Garland to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Garland, 63, has served for nearly 19 years as a Judge on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, often referred to as the second highest court in the land, second only to the Supreme Court.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont ski areas and other snow sports have had historic seasons the last couple of years. This year, bad history is being made at many venues, including at Mad River Glen, and at many events, like the Stowe Derby. For skiing alone, the 2013-14 season was the second best on record, only to be pushed to third best on record because the 2014-15 season saw the most skiers and snowboarders ever visit Vermont. The 4.7 million visits broke the record from 2001. Vermont also had an epic amount of snow last year, as the season started early, remained late and stayed cold, with winter skiing conditions lingering into April and some resorts staying open on a limited basis until June. Such is not the case this year, of course, as warm weather and frequent rain has damped the snow conditions and the Vermont economy.

Public Assets Institute Revised figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show fewer Vermonters were employed in 2015 than originally reported. Each March, the BLS reviews and revises data previously released. The earlier figures indicated on average 2,500 more people employed each month than the revised figures show. Vermont employment grew for a while after the recession, but has been dropping steadily over the last five years. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Butcher Shop, the leading proprietor of “honest” meats and victuals from the Green Mountain State and surrounding area, will soon provide the newest ingredient in Rutland’s ongoing revitalization. Nick DeLauri, co-owner as well as native son of Rutland, said The Vermont Butcher Shop closed on property on the northwest corner of Route 7 and Allen Street last Monday, and hopes to open the new store, the company’s third, by late June.  The high-profile site, a former Texaco station, has sat empty for years.

Vermont Business Magazine US Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Ranking Member on the Judiciary Committee, released the following statements after the Senate passed the FOIA Improvement Act of 2015 to reform the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): “Our very democracy is built on the idea that our government should not operate in secret. The FOIA Improvement Act will help open the government to the 300 million Americans it serves and ensure that future administrations place an emphasis on openness and transparency,” Leahy said.  “The Senate unanimously passed this legislation last Congress, but the House failed to act.  Senator Cornyn and I moved quickly to reintroduce our legislation last year, and I am glad the Senate has once again passed it with unanimous support.  The House must act to pass the FOIA Improvement Act so that it can be enacted this year.”

by Senator Patrick Leahy I want to set the record straight. Contrary to the remarks of the Senate Majority Leader yesterday, Vermont has not recently passed a GE (genetically engineered or modified, aka GMO) food labeling law. Let’s be clear and accurate in our words in this chamber.  It was in May 2014 – nearly two years ago – that, after two years of debate and more than 50 committee hearings featuring testimony from more than 130 representatives on all sides of the issue, Vermont’s Governor signed into law a disclosure requirement for genetically engineered ingredients in foods. Now, after one hearing five months ago tangentially related to the issue, without any open debate on the floor, the Republican leadership has decided that it knows better than Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine The Small Business Administration announced the 2016 Vermont small business award winners today. The top prize, the Vermont Small Business Person of the Year, is awarded to Tom Stearns, High Mowing Organic Seeds founder and owner. He is being recognized for growing his company, increasing sales, employee growth and contributing to the local community. High Mowing Organic Seeds is a farm-based company located in Wolcott that produces and distributes vegetable, flower and herb seeds throughout the US and Canada. High Mowing Organic Seeds is the first organic company guaranteeing all of its seeds are non-genetically modified organism verified.

Tom Stearns, High Mowing Organic Seeds founder and owner.

Vermont Business Magazine A woman-owned business based in Burlington is competing in the final pitch of the InnovateHER Business Challenge Thursday in Washington D.C. InnovateHER is a national competition highlighting products and services created by female entrepreneurs. Mamava was selected as a finalist after the company was awarded the $10,000 top prize at the InnovateHER Vermont Challenge at the Hotel Vermont in October. The cash prize was provided by Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies and the University of Vermont’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. Mamava, cofounded by Sascha Mayer and Christine Dodson, designs freestanding lactation suites providing a private space for women to nurse or pump.  Mamava introduced its first suite in the Burlington International Airport in August 2013 and now has units in schools, airports, malls throughout the US.

Vermont Business Magazine As Entergy Vermont Yankee is decommissioned, Vermont's congressional delegation is working to ensure a transparent process and prompt return to local use. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont), Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), and Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vermont),  joined by 12 House and Senate colleagues, today asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to give local stakeholders a seat at the table in the decommissioning of nuclear power plants. Entergy’s Vermont Yankee located in Vernon is the first of several merchant nuclear power plants expected to be decommissioned in the next several years.