Vermont Economic Development Authority: The latest from Vermont's economic development finance organization.
Message from the CEO
Greetings everyone. I hope you all had a chance to participate in Town Meeting Day last week. It is a truly special Vermont tradition.
As the days grow longer and warmer, the snow starts to disappear, and sugarers work overtime, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for our team here at VEDA. We are looking forward to celebrating Employee Appreciation Day later this week by spending time together outside the office. I am truly grateful to lead such a talented and devoted group of professionals who are dedicated to our mission of enhancing economic development in Vermont.
I am also grateful for you – our borrowers and partners. This work would not be possible if we did not do it together. Thank you for creating jobs and opportunity and investing in Vermont.
Wishing you all a safe and happy spring.
Best,
Joan Goldstein
VEDA CEO
Partner Survey
We mentioned in the February Newsletter that we had launched the 2026 VEDA Borrower Survey to gather feedback from our borrowers so that we could better serve them. Since then, we have also launched the 2026 VEDA Partner Survey to hear directly from our partners. VEDA routinely works with banks and credit unions to invest in hundreds of projects a year and further Vermont’s economic development goals. The Borrower Survey is now closed, but if you received a link to the Partner Survey, please complete it by March 12 so we can benefit from your experience.
New Loans
In February, VEDA began relationships with several customers including a New Hampshire farm that purchased land in Lunenburg:
- Mountainside Resort at Stowe
- Old Tower Ice Cream in Jeffersonville
- VT Heavy Timber in Huntington
- Red Hen Bakery in Middlesex
- The Better Box in Stowe
- Douglas Sweets in Shelburne
- Rocky Branch Farm in Lisbon, N.H.
- Agrigorial LLC in Jeffersonville
- Whitaker & Son Logging in Stockbridge
- PK Wood Pellet in Newbury
- Head Over Fields in Charlotte
In The Community
Senior Agricultural Loan Officer Ellen Howrigan and Agricultural Loan Officer Denise Russo attend the
Vermont Dairy Producers Conference on February 17.
In February we sponsored the Vermont Dairy Producers Conference and the No-Till & Cover Crop Conference which were both held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington.
So far in March, we've support the Vermont Organic Dairy Producers Conference at Vermont State University-Randolph and led a panel at the Vermont Bankers Association's Women in Leadership Conference in Montpelier.
Upcoming Events
We are sponsoring three events in February and hope to see you there:
- Peak Pitch at Sugarbush in Warren on March 10.
- Grain Growers Conference at The Essex on March 18.
- ClimateReadyVT at the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium in St. Johnsbury on March 18.
Meet the Board
Alyson Eastman, Vermont Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
and VEDA Board Member
Alyson Eastman is Vermont’s Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and an enthusiastic VEDA Board member. When the Agency of Agriculture had to fill a seat on VEDA’s board, Alyson jumped at the chance.
“This is something that is near and dear to my heart,” she says. “I really like the mission of VEDA and what we do. It's exciting and it's different. VEDA does an excellent job of supporting our farming community, especially during difficult times.”
She enjoys learning from other board members and sharing the latest from the agriculture industry in Vermont and nationally, as well as any legislative action that could affect the sector.
Alyson grew up on a 100-cow family dairy farm in Orwell. Today, she and her husband Mike own the farm and lease it out to Lucas Dairy, a VEDA borrower.
After watching two floods and a drought devastate Vermont in less than three years, she says she’s grateful that VEDA was able to quickly pivot to help clients.
“I've always been impressed with the relationships our loan officers and support staff have with borrowers.”
In her nine years on the board, Alyson says she’s also been inspired by VEDA’s investment in energy projects and support of startups. Now she’d like to see VEDA help with housing.
“We have to attract people to come here. We know that we're declining in population and not able to retain our youngsters. If there's a role for VEDA to play in that equation, I think it's important for us to do so.”
Help for Businesses
Website Tool Kit
The Vermont Small Business Development Center is an important VEDA partner that helps our borrower businesses achieve their goals. To that end, they've developed an Online Presence Guide so businesses can determine whether their website needs a simple update or a complete redesign. Check it out.
Created by the Legislature in 1974, VEDA is Vermont's economic development finance organization helping create jobs and advance the state's public policy goals.
Vermont Economic Development Authority