Current News

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) is hosting a series of listening sessions across the state to hear directly from dairy stakeholders, farmers, and processors. These sessions will allow those involved in Vermont's dairy industry to express their thoughts, concerns, and ideas about the future of Vermont dairy. VAAFM leadership looks forward to engaging in conversations with the dairy community that can lead to new, actionable ideas. Each meeting will include a working portion focused on putting ideas into short-term, near-term, and long-term priority levels. At the conclusion of these listening sessions, VAAFM will be using the anonymous ideas and data provided to develop a report that can support future dairy policy discussions, efforts, and initiatives.

by Maggie Lenz and Nick Charyk on behalf of Atlas Government Affairs Education reform in Montpelier is finally starting to take shape. After months of plans, counterplans, and more questions than answers, lawmakers have their hands in the clay. Governor Scott’s sweeping January proposal set the wheel in motion, calling for major district consolidation, a statewide school choice lottery, and a new funding formula. Since then, the House and Senate have each worked their own approach, and they are not exactly aligned with each other, or with the Administration. That raises the very real possibility of a contentious conference committee in the near future. And without a Democratic supermajority, there will be three parties at the table this time, not two. The House and Senate will have to hash out their differences while keeping an eye on whether the governor will sign or veto whatever deal they are able to land on.

by Helen Argraves, Vermont Business Magazine Industry leaders are calling the multitude of challenges Vermont developers face in 2025 a "perfect storm." Amid Vermont’s housing crisis, developers and lenders cite a combination of high interest rates, supply chain costs, labor shortages and tariffs on U.S. trading partners as reasons for concern that high costs will slow development. High interest rates are especially worrisome for commercial developers, who rely more heavily on traditional lenders like banks and credit unions. The Federal Reserve’s decision to maintain interest rates at the target range of 4.25% to 4.5% in January, aimed at curbing inflation, has further impacted the situation. Additionally, mortgage rates remain high, influenced by investors’ expectations of economic conditions including inflation and monetary policy.

by Ekaterina Raikhovski, Community News Service Donald Trump’s second term in the White House has been dominated by a flurry of executive orders, with the president signing 76 in his first six weeks back in office. Many are tied to his campaign promise to crack down on immigration, and the hardline approach so far has driven anxieties in schools nationwide — including in Vermont. In a memo from 2011, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement directed officers to avoid carrying out arrests, interviews, searches and surveillance in sensitive places such as schools and churches. U.S. Customs and Border Protection adopted a similar policy soon after. This January, the Department of Homeland Security rolled back those limits.

by Jaiel Pulskamp I want you to imagine standing in a field surrounded by 9,000 beautiful, healthy Brussels sprout plants—months of careful planning, hard work, and abundance growing from the soil. But then, in a matter of days, relentless rain pounds the earth, drowning the roots, rotting the harvest, and washing away not just my crops but also my livelihood. This was the reality for many farmers in the summer of 2023 when an otherwise ordinary storm swept through Vermont. It wasn’t a hurricane or some historic, once-in-a-lifetime storm—it was just another rainstorm in Vermont—except now, even "normal" storms are devastating.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Habitat for Humanity affiliates are excited to announce the 2nd annual Dome to Home event in the fight against Vermont's housing crisis. On Wednesday, May 21, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., the second annual wall raising ceremony will take place on the State House lawn in front of Vermont's iconic Golden Dome. The event will bring together volunteers, including elected representatives from across the state, to participate in a unique demonstration of community spirit and dedication to affordable housing. Under the guidance of Habitat for Humanity leaders, these volunteers will work in teams to build wall sections, which will then be assembled for a ceremonial wall raising.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT), in partnership with the Addison County Regional Planning Commission (ACRPC), has concluded the Vergennes Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) Study and will hold a final in-person open house for the public to learn more about the resulting transportation alternatives that are being recommended. WHEN: Wednesday, April 2, 2025, 3-7 p.m. WHERE: American Legion, 100 Armory Lane, Vergennes, VT 05491.

Lake Champlain Committee Read on in our latest e-newsletter for a rundown of how road salt impacts infrastructure and how ice on Lake Champlain affects aquatic life. You can also get to know me a bit better, access our collection of educational materials on native aquatic plants, and see LCC’s policy work in action through a comprehensive presentation on phosphorus our water advocate made in January to the Vermont House Environment Committee. As a reflection on this past cold winter, we feature a Nature Note on beavers’ winter lodges, and in the spirit of spring thaw, you’ll find a Clean Lake Tip on keeping bacteria out of our waters by scooping up pet waste.  

Vermont Business Magazine Family-owned Lake Champlain Chocolates (LCC) has announced the 2025 Fair Trade Microgrant recipients: Cooperativa Agraria Granos de Oro Del Valle de Pangoa, and Aprovraem Café Y Cacao. Throughout the year, 1% of sales from LCC’s Fair Trade Certified Signature Bars will be donated to these two cacao and coffee farming cooperatives in Peru to fund the planting of over 46,000 trees with two separate agroforestry programs. Climate change has wreaked havoc on these two farming communities; planting trees will restore vegetation, help mitigate climate change, promote biodiversity in the region, and conserve areas of precious water resources. 

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Vermont weekly unemployment claims for the week ending March 15, 2025, remained under 400 after a spike carried them over 600 late last month. New claims were 397, up 2 claims from the week before and are 19 more from last year. Claims, which tend to be lowest in the summer, were 181 at the end of September 2024. In Vermont for the weekly report, the Service industry accounted for the most claims last week with 61%, up 17 points. Construction was at 16%, down 6 points. Manufacturing accounted for 8% of claims, down 5 points. For the week, Vermont total unemployment insurance claims were 4,197 for the week (down 145 for the week and up 385 from this time last year). 

Vermont Business Magazine Speaker of the House Jill Krowinski provided a statement and media availability following the House vote and proposal of the new Budget Adjustment Act (H.489). The bill passed 91-55. The original bill was vetoed by Governor Phil Scott on March 14, 2025. He disagreed on several line items in the $163 million bill (which updates the $8.6 billion FY2025 budget passed last spring). His veto centered on funds for the continuation of the hotel/motel program for the homeless through the end of the fiscal year at the end of June. The Legislature is expected to present a new housing plan in the FY2026 budget "Big Bill" for passage this spring.

Vermont Business Magazine Howard Center announces its spring conference, Perspectives 2025: Confronting Stigma, Cultivating Compassion, on May 13, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This year's event will be at the DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington, with a virtual livestream option. Registration is open at howardcenter.org. The conference will feature speakers Alexandra Collins, Ph.D.; Ashley C. Ford; Anne Lamott; and Damon Tweedy, M.D. Guests will also enjoy multicultural music, art by members of Howard Center’s Arts Collective, and a sponsor exhibition featuring businesses and organizations from Vermont and beyond. Sandy McGuire, Howard Center’s CEO will serve as event host.