Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont was an attractive destination for people moving from other states during the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. The state saw a net gain of more than 3,000 residents in 2020 and again in 2021, the biggest increases since the IRS began tracking state-to-state migration in the early 1990s. Many of the new arrivals did not travel far. More than 19,000 people moved to Vermont in 2021, and over half of them came from states in the Northeast. About 16,400 Vermonters moved away; the most popular destinations were other New England states, New York, and Florida. The pattern was similar from 2019 to 2020.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) joined Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) to introduce the Market Access, Promotion and Landowner Education Support for Your Regionally Underserved Producers (MAPLE SYRUP) Act last week, legislation extending and expanding the Acer Access and Development Program, which supports maple syrup producers in Vermont and across the United States. Co-Sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the bill would also rename the Acer Program to the Maple Research and Market Promotion Program.  

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation is pleased to announce its Spark Connecting Community grant program has awarded $81,465 to 24 organizations across Vermont. Recipients, which include municipalities, schools, nonprofits, and community groups, will host local projects that strengthen community connections. Of the total awarded, $36,000 was made possible by Giving Together, a program at the Community Foundation that shares grant proposals with fundholders and donors to give them an opportunity to co-fund projects.

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont rose to $3.58 per gallon today, up 2.8 cents per gallon from last week's $3.56/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $3.39/g while the highest was $3.85/g, a difference of 46.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 5.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.57/g today. The national average is up 5.7 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 144.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. Demand has increased as OPEC+ is cutting supply. Hefty gas price increases have occurred in several states in the Great Lakes and also in Florida.

Vermont Business Magazine A federal two-year grant of $400,000 has been awarded to VMEC, the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center, to assist Vermont small and medium-sized manufacturers in building their supply chain initiatives. The funding comes from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the US Department of Commerce whose mission is “to promote US innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.”  

Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Markets It's not summer in Vermont without a creemee! The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets is pleased to share our new Creemee Locator Map. The map is made up of businesses with licenses from our Agency who have confirmed they are selling creemees and opted to participate in the Agency's map. This ensures you find a creemee spot near you that is open and ready for your business! The map will be a living space that grows and is updated as new creemee locations open or some close their offerings for the season, so please bookmark so you may come back year after year! 

by Christine McGowan, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund “The old adage was large columns, large trees,” said Ricky McLain, senior technical director at WoodWorks, “but we don’t need to cut down large trees to make columns and beams from wood anymore.” That was the pitch Adam Kane, executive director of the Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium, heard from McLain in 2019. Intrigued by the possibility of using mass timber, which had also been suggested by Tim Tierney at the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development, Kane decided to explore its use for an addition he was planning at the museum. 

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) joined Burlington small business owners Friday to celebrate the introduction of the Credit Card Competition Act, bipartisan legislation to bring competition to the credit card network market, lower burdensome fees small businesses are charged when processing credit card transactions, and bring down costs for Vermonters. Joined by Homeport’s Mark Bouchette, Wilder Wine’s Sipha Lam, representatives from the Vermont Retail & Grocers Association (VRGA) and local leaders, Senator Welch highlighted the bill’s common-sense approach to cutting costs for Vermont small businesses and families. 

Vermont Business Magazine This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will have traffic impacts on state highways throughout Vermont for the week of June 12, 2023. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.  

Vermont Business Magazine Local leaders and community stakeholders in Springfield will meet next week with members of state government to discuss approaches for reducing violence and harm in the community. This summit is the second in a series that began in March in Bennington. The daylong event scheduled for Monday, June 12, arises from Governor Phil Scott’s 10-Point Public Safety Enhancement & Violence Reduction Action Plan. The event includes representatives from more than 25 agencies, departments and organizations.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Cheese Council has announced that July will mark the start of The Hunt for 2023. On July 1, the event will launch clue packets for its fourth year – providing curated “to do” list of cheese-oriented, outdoor, food and beverage, history, and art experiences for both visitors to the state and locals alike. The event is designed as a scavenger hunt in which participants can explore six different regions of the state, selecting region-specific activities and experiences to do – with the end “prize” of potentially winning cheese at the end of their adventures.

Vermont Business Magazine Common Good Vermont is now accepting applications for this year’s Nonprofit Management (NPM) Certificate Program. Designed for active practitioners and leaders in the nonprofit sector, this program dives into the core competencies of nonprofit management and emerging nonprofit issues. Whether you are currently in a leadership position or new to Vermont’s vibrant nonprofit community, we’ll cover content that is meaningful, relevant, and applicable to your personal and professional growth.