Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Zenbarn Farms, a mission-driven social equity company in Waterbury, has announced the planned acquisition of Vermont Patients Alliance (VPA) and all Vermont assets currently operated by Curaleaf. This acquisition includes a medical dispensary in Bennington, a Medical/Recreational dispensary in Montpelier, and a state-of-the-art hybrid greenhouse cultivation and manufacturing facility. VPA, one of the original medical cannabis companies in Vermont, was previously purchased by Grassroots (Chicago) and then by Curaleaf. Zenbarn Farms plans to utilize the new facility to produce premium-quality cannabis using organic, sustainable, and regenerative agricultural practices.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program (Viability Program), a program of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, has grant awards available for on-farm capital improvement projects that have a positive impact on water quality. The awards are funded through the State of Vermont Water Quality Bond, and eligible farm businesses can apply for $5,000 to $50,000 in funding, an increase in the maximum award from prior years. Applications are due by January 19, 2024.

The State Auditor’s Office has been monitoring rulemaking conducted by state agencies in accordance with new or amended statutes between 2018 and 2022, and examining how the process could be improved. The topic of rulemaking may sound boring, or like “inside baseball,” but rulemaking is often the most important aspect of implementing the Legislature’s highest policy priorities. We found that legislative rulemaking provisions appeared in inconsistent ways: some included deadlines for adoption while others did not; some required agencies to provide committees with status reports while others did not. Executive branch compliance with those provisions was erratic: some rules simply had not been drafted let alone adopted, and others were adopted later than required. Information about rulemaking requirements was also challenging to find – no single place included information about which rules are due and by when, nor was there a single repository of all information related to a specific rule. 

Vermont Business Magazine Charbone Hydrogen Corporation (TSXV:CH), through its fully owned US subsidiary, Charbone Corporation USA, has executed a Memorandum of Understanding as of November 27, 2023, with NEK Community Broadband CUD for the supply of green hydrogen in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. It is to be used to provide the necessary back-up power to the extensive NEK Broadband new internet network under construction. Charbone USA and NEK Broadband will pursue the negotiation to an agreement that will define the green hydrogen price at the gate, annual required volumes and the general terms and conditions pertaining to such agreement. Charbone will have the ability to supply green hydrogen from its nearest facility. Charbone’s first project at Sorel-Tracy (Quebec, Canada), which is under construction and planned to be in production in the first semester of 2024, could be the source plant. 

Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce It has been a very challenging time for the Okemo Valley region, but we wanted to update everyone on the tremendous progress that has been made since the devastating floods in July. To reopen, some businesses received grants from the Okemo Valley Disaster Fund (a collaborative effort of the Okemo Valley Chamber, fiscal agent Ludlow Rotary Club Foundation, and partners from the region), FEMA, through the state, and disaster loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA), while others used their own crowdfunding.

Bromley Mountain Resort Thank you again to those who came out to ski and ride with us for Opening Weekend. We're looking forward to getting back out there this weekend with expanded terrain. The snowmaking crew has had a busy week! They've been capitalizing on cold temps and blowing snow all over Corkscrew, Lower Boulevard, Spring Trail, Route 100, West Meadow, Upper and Lower Twister, and the Learning Zone. This weekend we plan to open with the 8 trails listed above, being serviced by the #1 Sun Mountain Express and the #5 Alpine Chair from 8:30am-4:00pm. Reminder: Midweek passes are valid on weekends until the mountain begins daily operations on 12/8.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union (VFCU) announces the successful culmination of its Giving Tuesday campaign, during which it donated more than $25,000 to Vermont-based nonprofits. VFCU made Giving Tuesday donations to Clara Martin Center, Capstone Community Action, Enosburg Food Shelf, Green Mountain Mobile Therapy, Jenna’s Promise, Lamoille Community Center, LUND, Pride Center of Vermont, Tim’s House, and Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports. 

Manchester Business Association We are delighted to announce that the Manchester Holiday Lighted Tractor Parade will take place this Saturday, 12/2 at 5:30pm.  In its thirteenth year, this much-loved holiday event takes place on Main and Bonnet Streets in the heart of downtown Manchester, VT. Tractors and floats decorated with lights and festive décor will be cruising through downtown, spreading holiday cheer. Furthermore, there are rumors that Mrs. Claus and Santa will be there!

Vermont Business Magazine The Attorney General’s Office today announced that David Gilbo, 39, of Newbury, Vermont, was convicted of one misdemeanor count of Grossly Negligent Operation for an accident that caused the death of David Elder. On September 10, 2017, David Elder was working on underground storage tanks near the gas pumps at P&H Truck Stop in Wells River, Vermont, where Mr. Elder was an employee. Mr. Gilbo stopped at P&H Truck Stop for gas, and as he was leaving the gas pumps, he turned and accelerated his Toyota pickup truck rapidly through Mr. Elder’s work area, striking and killing Mr. Elder. 

Vermont Business Magazine The state's General Fund, led by the vital personal income tax, exceeded tax revenue expectations for the month of October. However, the two other major funds, Transportation and Education, failed to meet their projections, corresponding to the annual fiscal 2024 consensus forecast as adopted by the Emergency Board at its July 2023 meeting. Secretary of Administration Kristin Clouser today released Vermont’s revenue results for October 2023. While the PI continued its recent strength, of the larger sources, only the sales & use (0.02%) and rooms & meals taxes were ahead of expectations (3.17%). The State’s General Fund, Transportation Fund, and Education Fund receipts were a combined $261.5 million, exceeding the $258.6 million monthly consensus target by $2.8 million, or 1.1%. Year-to-date combined receipts are $25.2 million, 2.5%, above their $1,005.9 million target.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today said the forecasted average increase of almost 20% in property tax bills is “not acceptable” and issued the following statement: “Vermont’s tax burden is already, unfortunately, among the highest in the country, and families are bearing an incredible burden with increased costs of living across the board, including new and higher taxes and fees imposed by the Legislature. Put simply, a nearly 20% property tax increase would hurt Vermonters and our economy, and we cannot let it happen." This year’s letter projects property tax bills to increase by an average of 18.5 percent next fiscal year, driven largely by a forecasted 12 percent increase in year-over-year education spending. In addition, many districts are seeing changes in pupil counts due to implementation of the new pupil weights from Act 127 of 2022. 

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on Wednesday evening spoke on the floor of the US Senate about Israel, Palestine, and the humanitarian disaster in Gaza. "As you know, and the American people know, there have been five wars in the last 15 years between Israel and Hamas. How do we end the current one and prevent a sixth war from happening, sooner or later? How do we balance our desire to stop the fighting with the need to address the root causes of this conflict? And here is the sad truth, and it really is a very sad truth: for 75 years, diplomats, well-intentioned Israelis and Palestinians and government leaders all over the world, including Presidents of the United States, have struggled to bring peace to this region. And during that time, among many other things, an Egyptian president and an Israeli prime minister were assassinated by extremists. You know why? Because they tried to bring peace to the region. This is an incredibly difficult and complicated issue and nobody has any simple solution to it."