The establishment of 14 industrial/business parks represents Franklin County's commitment to manufacturing and business. With the arrival of new firms, that produce non-durable manufacturing goods in the early 1980's, the county saw a substantial increase in employment.

Labor Force

Between 1997-2000, unemployment in Franklin County decreased while, at the same time, the county experienced a positive growth in manufacturing. This growth strengthened the overall economy of Franklin County.  Retail growth is particularly evident along the Interstate 89 corridor.

The dairy industry, which has been an integral part of Franklin County’s history and traditions, remains a vital part of the local economy.  Dairy farms support such business in our area as grain mills, fertilizer plants, machinery and equipment dealers, trucking companies and farm supply stores

Franklin County is the largest dairy county in New England for milk production. Over the past 10 years many small farms have been sold and consolidated into larger farms, decreasing the number of active dairy farms from 450 to approximately 275. However, the number of dairy cows have remained the same or increased slightly due to the larger milking herds.

Majority of the milk in the county is marketed by St.Albans Cooperative Creamery, Inc., which has been in existence since 1919.  The cooperative markets over 1.2 billion pounds of milk per year. Much of the milk products services local processors such as Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream and Franklin Foods, a manufacturer of cream cheese and spreads.  These and other plants are important employers in our area. The sales of the Cooperative generate over $200 million, with these dollars being paid directly to dairy farmers and supporting the Cooperative’s operations.

Milk production and the dairy industry, as a whole, remain strong while farmers are undergoing huge changes in their operations. Dairy farms are embracing more technology, biotechnology and look at means of diversifying such as growing additional crops, operating fresh produce stands, providing services to other farms and starting bed and breakfast businesses. They are also experimenting with new, advanced, environmental friendly methods of waste management.

Many farms in the county are still committed to another long standing tradition which is producing maple syrup. Vermont leads the United States in maple production.  Though weather caused an 18% decrease in the 2005 maple production, Vermont still produced  410,000 gallons. The cost of a gallon of syrup averages $27.30.

Vermont is well known for its quality of products. Look for products with the Vermont Seal of Quality.