Cecile Branon To Be Inducted in Vermont Ag Hall of Fame

Around Branon Family Maple Orchards, Cecile Branon has a lot of titles and answers to quite a few names. Later this month, we’ll be able to refer to her as something else: A Hall of Famer.

Cecile has been selected for induction into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame and will be honored with other 2025 inductees during the Champlain Valley Fair on August 27.

With more than 20 years of history and over 100 inductees, the Ag Hall of Fame is a Vermont Agricultural honored tradition among Vermont farmers and growers, service providers, and dedicated employees. Over the last few years, the Hall of Fame categories have been expanded to include an Emerging Leader under the age of 40, an Ag Innovator, and up to three inductees in the Lifetime Achievement category. The thoughtful reflection of each nomination makes for competitive judging each year.

Cecile will be inducted into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame in the Lifetime Achievement category.

“It’s a tremendous honor and one that isn’t possible without the devotion and dedication of my family,” Cecile said. “We work shoulder-to-shoulder every day of the year — that’s just what farmers do.”

Raised on a dairy farm, Cecile learned the value of hard work early. With a degree in accounting and a background in banking, she married Tom — also a dairy farmer and maple producer — and together raised four children while building a life rooted in agriculture.

As the dairy industry waxed and waned, the Branons invested heavily in their maple sugar woods and produced pure, organic maple syrup. Cecile expanded the offerings with maple cream and jelly, selling those products at the farm, then moved on to perfecting grilling sauces and seasonings. The Branons now tap nearly 95,000 trees on more than 4,000 acres, and Cecile’s carefully curated specialty food line sells direct to consumers online and at select retailers around the country.
Branon’s pure maple syrup, too, is sold to restaurants, diners, cafes, bars, and private chefs from Maine to California.

Beyond farming, Cecile became a passionate advocate for Vermont’s maple industry. She promoted it across county fairs and through 16 years of leadership as co-chair of the Vermont Maple Festival. Under her guidance, the event has become one of the most significant promotional platforms for Vermont maple producers and the state’s agricultural identity.

“The Maple Festival is put on by a group of people who are committed to celebrating all that maple brings to the state,” said Cecile. “I certainly cannot take credit for what the event has become; it’s truly a team effort every year.”

Others being inducted into the hall’s Lifetime Achievement category this year include:

• Leon Berthiaume, retired CEO of St. Albans Cooperative Creamery/Sr. Advisor, Dairy Farmers of America.
• Mark Curran, of Chester, who helped found Black River Produce distribution.
• The University of Vermont’s Extension Service “Across the Fence” Program