Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Woodlands Association (VWA) is pleased to announce that it will be hosting its annual Vermont Woodlands Conference on April 12, 2025 at Vermont State University in Randolph, Vermont.  This year’s conference theme is “A Century and Beyond of Woodland Stewardship,” celebrating Vermont Woodlands Association’s 110-year legacy of promoting healthy, thriving forests, educational programs and resources for woodland property owners in the state. The event brings together landowners, forestry professionals, and forest stewards for educational sessions, policy updates, hands-on resources, and meaningful conversations. Whether you’re a seasoned steward or just starting out, you’ll leave with new knowledge, useful resources, and connections to support each participant’s journey in woodland stewardship.

by Noah Diedrich, Community News Service Two of a group of three data privacy-centric bills in the Legislature advanced past the crossover date, with the third remaining grounded in committee until next year. Each bill in the triplet focuses on a different aspect of online privacy protections for Vermonters: age-appropriate design, more guards on consumer data and stricter regulations for data brokers operating in Vermont. All three bills are remnants of H.121, a bill that was initially vetoed by Gov. Phil Scott in 2024. House lawmakers overrode the veto, but their colleagues in the Senate didn’t. 

Vermont Business Magazine NBT Bank expanded its presence in greater Burlington with the opening of a new retail office at 1330 Shelburne Road in South Burlington. NBT Bank of South Burlington is a 2,000-square-foot full-service branch that features drive-up banking, a 24-hour ATM, night drop services and ample parking. Other local NBT offices are located in Burlington, Williston and Essex. 

Vermont Business Magazine On Tuesday, March 25th President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order on “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections.” The order promotes baseless myths about elections, proposes significant barriers to voting access, and constitutes an unprecedented overreach of Federal authority. Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas has issued the following statement in response: “This executive order is a thinly veiled attempt to disenfranchise wide swaths of the American electorate and would fundamentally degrade the integrity of American elections."

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine At today’s weekly press conference, Governor Phil Scott, Human Services Secretary Jenney Samuelson, and Commerce and Community Development Secretary Lindsay Kurrle highlighted the need to continue to limit eligibility for the Hotel/Motel program while protecting the most vulnerable – children and those with severe medical conditions, in addition to also addressing the underlying need for more affordable housing across Vermont. The governor vetoed the original Budget Adjustment Act bill on March 14 largely, but not entirely, because of the Hotel/Motel program line item. The House then passed a second, revised BAA last Friday (March 21), which Scott said today did not satisfy his initial objections. Scott said he would wait on how the Senate handled the new BAA before casting judgment on it. 

Vermont Business Magazine After years of work, the Food Hub, a new facility in Hardwick that will expand markets for local farms and food producers, has opened. The Food Hub is operated by Hardwick-based nonprofit, the Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE). Now products from over 100 local farms and food businesses will pass through the Food Hub each week on their way from farms to markets across Vermont and beyond. CAE operates several programs aimed at increasing the accessibility of local food, increasing the viability of local agriculture, and expanding connections between the community and agriculture. In addition to programs, CAE provides infrastructure at both the Food Hub (at 325 VT Rt 15 in the Yellow Barn complex) and the Vermont Food Venture Center (140 Junction Rd). 

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General Charity Clark today issued a consumer alert to help Vermonters protect their personal data in the wake of 23andMe’s bankruptcy recent filing. On Monday, 23andMe announced that they had filed for bankruptcy. 23andMe is a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company that collects and analyzes genetic information and health data for consumers. The company announced that it “intends to continue operating its business in the ordinary course through the sale process” and that “[t]here are no changes to the way [it] stores, manages, or protects customer data.” However, the bankruptcy and 23andMe's plan to “sell substantially all of [its] assets” raises the risk that 23andMe may attempt to sell Vermonters’ personal data and other private information in the bankruptcy process. 

Vermont Business Magazine With rates of colorectal cancer rising for adults under the age of 50, experts at University of Vermont Cancer Center are highlighting risk factors, updated guidance and guidelines, and urging people to get screened starting at age 45. While most cases of colorectal cancer still occur in individuals over the age of 50, both the rate of cancer diagnoses and mortality for that age group is falling significantly, said Randall Holcombe, MD, MBA, director of UVM Cancer Center and chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology. At the same time, these rates are rising for younger individuals. Rates of colorectal cancer are increasing by about 2% per year in people under the age of 50. Mortality rates for those individuals is rising by about 1% each year, according to data published by the American Cancer Society.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Parks Forever is excited to announce its Park Access Fund Grant Application is open for 2025. Since 2016, Vermont Parks Forever has granted over $85,000 to cover park entry fees and help create a more equitable outdoor experience throughout the state. This year, the Park Access Fund will again provide over 14,000 free days in the parks to community partners across Vermont. Organizations serving Vermonters facing barriers to outdoor experiences can apply for a Park Access Grant at www.vermontparksforever.org/park-access-fund. The deadline for this short application is April 11, 2025. The Park Access Grant is open to Vermont government agencies and non-profits with 501(c)(3) status serving Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) spent the Senate’s first in-state work week of the 119th Session meeting with concerned Vermonters, business owners, farmers, patients, and members of the Vermont State Legislature. On Saturday, March 15, Sen. Welch joined Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak and local legislators for a town hall in South Burlington. Senator Welch spoke about the Trump Administration’s reckless and illegal policies, which are hurting Vermont families, farmers, businesses, and the local economy. 

by Sam Hooper In order to grow our small businesses and better support working families in Vermont, we need to keep making progress on child care. As the owner of Vermont Glove in Randolph, I’m seeing first-hand the positive impact public investment in affordable, quality child care is having on our children, the workforce, and our state’s economy. Here’s the hard truth: We’ve made real child care progress over the past couple years, but we’re far from finished. My ask in this critical moment, when our state faces significant challenges in so many areas, is that we continue building on our child care progress. 

Vermont Business Magazine Last week, Rep. Becca Balint joined Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) in leading their colleagues in a bicameral letter demanding the Secretary of Department of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rescind his past statements further stigmatizing mental health treatment. His comments include misinformation such as the use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) can be linked to school shootings and that SSRIs are more addictive than heroin. Both claims have zero scientific evidence behind them and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. SSRIs are one of the leading treatments for depression, anxiety, and other psychological conditions and are used by nearly 32 million Americans each year.