Current News

Vermont Business Magazine After several seasons of thorough sampling, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) scientists, consultants, and local partners have detected zebra mussels in United States waters at Lake Memphremagog. Native to eastern Europe, zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are a small, invasive shellfish that can quickly form large populations and outcompete native species for food and habitat. Currently, zebra mussels are found only in Lake Champlain and Lake Bomoseen in Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine It’s almost time for spring turkey hunting in Vermont with youth and novice weekend on April 26 and 27 and the regular season from May 1 to May 31. “The youth and novice turkey hunting weekend provides an excellent opportunity for experienced hunters to teach young or new hunters how to safely and successfully hunt wild turkeys,” said Toni Mikula, Vermont’s wild turkey biologist. To hunt turkeys on April 26 and 27, a youth must be 15 or younger and must have completed a hunter education course and possess a hunting license, a turkey hunting license and a free youth turkey hunting tag. 

by Sarah Robinson, Co-Executive Director, Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence At the Vermont Network, we support survivors of domestic and sexual violence, amplify their voices and build safer communities. We collectively represent 15 independent nonprofits that provide direct services to survivors and prevention programming in their communities. S.27, a proposal to eliminate up to $100 million in medical debt for low-income Vermonters and exclude medical debt from credit reports, supports this work. Brought forward by Senator Ginny Lyons and Treasurer Mike Pieciak, the bill is a critical step toward helping survivors achieve economic security, better health outcomes, and a safer future. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vermont) joined her Democratic colleagues to launch the Monopoly Busters Caucus. The Monopoly Busters Caucus will help promote a pro consumer, pro worker, and pro small business economic agenda, ensuring members have support to better communicate Democratic work to combat corporate consolidation. The caucus will work on policy like lowering prices and tackling corporate greed from corporate grocery stores, big agriculture, healthcare consolidation and more. During the 2024 election cycle, over 65 percent of voters polled in seven battleground states and Ohio said they supported the government suing to break up monopolies and economically powerful companies. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and Burlington Electric Department (BED) shared Burlington’s Net Zero Energy (NZE) Roadmap update for 2024 and announced new programs to accelerate electrification throughout the Burlington community. The Roadmap update shows that Burlington’s greenhouse gas emissions in the ground transportation and thermal/buildings sectors are down 19 percent in 2024 compared to the 2018 baseline, representing a 2.8 percent reduction in 2024 compared to updated 2023 data, demonstrating continued climate progress in the two largest emissions sectors in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Smoke & Cure, the acclaimed maker of artisanal smoked meat products, today announced its expansion within Costco’s Northeast Division, bringing its premium meat snacks to millions of new consumers. This expansion coincides with the introduction of the brand's new Hickory Smoked Premium Beef Stick, offering Costco members a high-quality, better-for-you snacking option. Vermont Smoke & Cure's new Hickory Smoked Premium Beef Stick—described as "ribeye in snack format"—features 100% beef that is hand-trimmed and ground to create a delicious, premium smoked meat stick. In 2024 Curion product testing, Vermont Smoke & Cure meat sticks were rated the "best tasting" overall among competitors.

Vermont Business Magazine Champlain College and NuHarbor Security today unveiled a new learning and work facility at Champlain’s Lakeside Campus. The space gives students unprecedented access to experiential learning opportunities and strengthens Vermont’s cybersecurity workforce. The entirely renovated second floor doubles the capacity of the Leahy Center for Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity and becomes NuHarbor Security’s second physical location. Twenty-five NuHarbor staff members will relocate to the campus, fostering real-time engagement with students and faculty. This state-of-the-art facility reflects a shared commitment to building a results-oriented, hands-on approach to workforce development. Supporting over 100 students each semester, the partnership between Champlain and NuHarbor demonstrates how higher education and private business can join forces to create meaningful career pathways. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement: “I’ve been clear, we must not allow ourselves to be distracted or live in a constant state of fear, anger or outrage over the next 45 months. Instead, we need principled and responsible leadership because there is too much work to do right here in Vermont like building more housing and making Vermont more affordable. We’ll continue to separate rhetoric from reality and make decisions based on what’s in the best interest of Vermont and Vermont’s values."

by Jenney Samuelson, Secretary Agency of Human Services Vermont has long been a leader in treatment for addiction and substance use, particularly through its Hub and Spoke model, launched nearly a decade ago to address the opioid epidemic. This approach brought treatment into mainstream, integrating into doctor’s offices and expanding access to services through regional hubs. It made Vermont one of the top states for accessing care and significantly reduced stigma around seeking help. However, the landscape of substances in use has evolved over the past 10 years. What we are seeing now is an increasingly complex drug supply in Vermont that mixes the potent opioid fentanyl with stimulants like methamphetamines and cocaine, and adulterants like xylazine, leading to complex addictions and complex treatment.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Treasurer Pieciak announced that over one thousand employers have enrolled in the Vermont Saves program. The program provides a simple, no-cost solution for Vermont employers to offer their workers a retirement savings plan. Since opening for enrollment in December 2024, Vermonters participating in Vermont Saves have collectively saved hundreds of thousands of dollars for retirement. Employers who at any time have 5 or more employees and do not currently offer their workers a retirement plan are required to sign up for Vermont Saves. Their employees will automatically be enrolled in a Roth IRA account with flexible options to save at their own pace.  

Vermont Business Magazine LaunchVT, a division of the Lake Champlain Chamber, has selected eight Vermont startups to participate in its 2025 Accelerator. This is the 13th cohort to come through LaunchVT’s flagship program. Since 2013, LaunchVT has provided business development support, strategic coaching, and over $1.3 million in cash and services to accelerate 87 Vermont startups statewide. Entrepreneurs in the LaunchVT cohort will work with a dedicated business coach and strategic advisors to address their startup’s most pressing needs. Over the 12-week program, which kicked off on April 2, they will also participate in peer sessions, office hours with business advisors, and workshops with content experts. 

Vermont Historical Society We are sad to report the passing of historian and former VHS Executive Director Michael Sherman. He was an enormous figure in the world of Vermont history, and for decades played a major role in the scholarship, organization, and study of the field. He was 81 years old. Michael was VHS’s Executive Director from 1985 to 1995 and remained as editor of our scholarly journal, Vermont History until his passing. In 2004, he co-authored (with Gene Sessions and Jeffrey Potash) Freedom and Unity: A History of Vermont, and was the author of numerous books and articles that explored and enriched our understanding of our state’s story.