High Brix Processing Crop Reports Selling Your Syrup

Vol. 57, No. 2 June 2018

The Newsletter of the North American Maple Syrup Council

June 2018 1 2 Maple Syrup Digest TYLER SWEET 6YEARS OF EXPERTISE THE FACES OF MAPLE SYRUP EXPERTISE

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June 2018 3 MAPLE SYRUP DIGEST Official publication of the North American Maple Syrup Council www.northamericanmaple.org www.maplesyrupdigest.org Editor: Winton Pitcoff • [email protected] • 413-634-5728 PO Box 6, Plainfield, MA 01070 Published four times a year (Feb., June, Oct., Dec.) NAMSC Executive Director: Michael A. Girard, CT 860-658-5790 • [email protected] North American Maple Syrup Council Directory of Officers David Briggs, President, NB Eric Randall, NY 506-382-3380, [email protected] 585-547-3596, [email protected]

Debbi Thomas, Vice-President, MI Avard Bentley, NS 989-685-2807, [email protected] 902-548-2973, [email protected]

Joe Polak, Secretary-Treasurer, WI Dan Brown, OH 715-536-7251 740-501-4681, [email protected] [email protected] Brian Bainborough, ON DIRECTORS 705-229-9345, J. Mark Harran, CT [email protected] 860-567-3805, [email protected] Larry Hamilton, PA David Hamilton, IN 814-848-9853, 765-836-4432, [email protected] [email protected]

Lyle Merrifield, ME Cécile Brassard Pichette, QC 207-892-5061, [email protected] 450-439-2329, [email protected]

Winton Pitcoff, MA Thomas Buck, RI 413-634-5728, [email protected] 401-377-2418, [email protected]

Ralph Fideldy, MN Tom Darnall, WV 218-326-0614, [email protected] [email protected]

David Kemp NH James Adamski, WI 603-532-8496, [email protected] 715-623-6853, [email protected]

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4 Maple Syrup Digest 4) The October convention in New Greetings Hampshire. Things are progress- from your ing along very well. There will be some restructuring of our own President meetings as well as a topical or keynote speaker during our for- have just returned from this year’s mal meeting session. Suggestions annual Maple Hall of Fame induc- for topics or speakers are wel- Ition ceremonies in Croghan, NY at come. the American Maple Museum. Two 5) The Hall of Fame room improve- new members were inducted this ments at the Museum are com- year: Bruce Gillilan from Vermont plete and look great. The new and Eric A. Randall from New York. pieces of electronic equipment are You can find their biographies in this now in place for use. issue of the Digest, and I would like to take this opportunity to again con- 6) We may need to take some time gratulate both of them on their well- in the near future to relook at our deserved honors. strategic plan. It is being followed as much as possible and things During my time in Croghan we are progressing, but our priorities also conducted our second meeting change, and therefore our plan of delegates of the year, with some may need updating. participating in person and others on the phone. Some of the items that 7) A letter from the Council will be were discussed and items that we are sent in opposition to the added currently working on included: sugar line proposed by the FDA for nutrition labels on maple syr- 1) The survey we conducted regard- up. ing how to best revise and update the North American Maple Syrup 8) A letter was sent to the Vermont Producers Manual. 238 people re- Maple Sugar Makers’ Association sponded and the consensus is that president requesting that they there is a definite need for a new consider rejoining our Council. edition. We are working with re- They are not ready to do so now, searchers on a possible grant op- but will revisit the idea in a year’s portunity to facilitate this. time. 2) Upcoming supplements to the Our production season has Digest, which will include quality wrapped up here in New Brunswick. control in the sugarhouse and tap- Many have pulled their taps and shut ping guidelines, among others. their sugarhouse doors, while others in the north are just finishing their 3) The off-flavor kits that were dis- cleaning and final preparations be- tributed to member associations, fore shutting everything down. It was and the possibility of new ones a mixed bag of results here in New being produced with different off- flavors. President: continued on page 7

June 2018 5 6 Maple Syrup Digest In this issue...

High Brix Syrup Processing – First Two Seasons with Lapierre HyperBrix ...... 8 2018 Crop reports ...... 15 Ask Proctor ...... 28 2018 Maple Hall of Fame Inductees ...... 30 Are You Coming to New Hampshire? ...... 33 The Season is Over: Now, How Will You Sell Your Syrup? ...... 35 Sales Advice From a Business “Hatchery” ...... 42 Business Advice From a Maple Specialist ...... 44 IMSI News ...... 47 NAMSC Weighs in on “Added Sugar” Issue ...... 49

President: continued from page 5 Brunswick, with some saying, “when For some, the season is now over, is it ever going to end?” while others and for others the daunting task of in the north asking “when is it ever marketing and selling of our maple going to start?” syrup and maple products now lies ahead. On behalf of the delegates, Being involved internationally I alternates, executive committee, and have heard from many all over the member states and provinces, I en- producing states and provinces. It courage everyone to be ever mindful wasn’t a bumper crop, which may and use maple syrup when ever you help us use some of the surplus prod- can. Promote and use maple products uct that has accumulated over the last every chance you get and have a safe few. If we continue to out-produce and wonderful summer. what we sell we are going to be in trouble. Bulk prices will either stay Warm regards,, the same or, worse, go even lower. David Briggs, President, NAMSC With the ever-increasing costs of production, it will be very difficult to be a profitable, viable industry.

Wish you could get the Digest electronically? You can! Send an email to: Cover photo: 2018 Maple Hall of Fame inductees Eric Randall and Bruce Gil- [email protected] lilan.

June 2018 7 Research: Reverse Osmosis High Brix Syrup Processing – First Two Seasons with Lapierre HyperBrix Timothy D. Perkins, Abby K. van den Berg, Brian Stowe, and Wade Bosley, University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center

ver the past fifteen years, re- utilize the new HyperBrix RO system search and demonstration at UVM PMRC. This paper describes Osugaring operations, like some aspects of our first two seasons many private maple operations, have of use of this equipment. Given the grown tremendously. In the case state of the industry, we define “high of the University of Vermont Proc- brix” maple sap processing as RO tor Maple Research Center, we have machines capable of producing con- gone from about 1,500 taps in 2004 centrate at 30°Brix or higher. to nearly 5,000 taps in 2017 and 2018. For sap processing, we used a During that time we upgraded our five-post Lapierre HyperBrix RO reverse osmosis (RO) system to a new (Figure 1) for the 2017 season. A Hy- machine, then added an additional perBrix RO is two machines that are post, and steadily increased our con- combined into one: a low pressure centration level to near maximum (standard RO) side and a high pres- levels supported by the RO. Despite sure (HyperBrix) side. The PMRC these changes, in 2016 we were occa- machine was initially equipped with sionally having to boil for extended three membranes on the low concen- periods of 8-10+ hours, with repeated tration side. We expanded this to four switching of sides to control heavy membranes before the 2018 season to niter deposition. Long-term plans en- increase sap processing rates to bet- visioned further expansion to more ter match the evaporator, a Lapierre than 6,000 taps, so the sap processing Volcano 2000 (Figure 2). The evapo- issues were likely to become more rator consists of a 4’ x 4’ back pan (2 problematic. Although our previous partitions) and a 4’ x 8’ front pan (8 equipment and processing methods partitions), equipped with a hot-wa- had served us well over many years, ter heating loop in the back pan hood, it was clear that a major shift in pro- and a variable-fire Riello oil burner. cessing was needed. Our system also came equipped with Given our extensive research ex- hoods, a reverse-flow option, front perience on RO processing and fla- and back pan spray washers, and an vor, and the appearance of new RO electronic auto-defoaming unit. technology that could concentrate The goal of the 2017 season was to to higher levels, a shift toward this gain familiarity with processing sap new technology seemed appropriate. through the RO and evaporator, to Therefore after investigating vari- explore the limits of operation, and ous options, we entered into a part- to evaluate different types and com- nership with Lapierre Equipment to

8 Maple Syrup Digest binations of membranes. In 2018 we of concentrate ranging from 26.2 to sought to further optimize system op- 35.6°Brix. Because the concentrate eration as well as to continue to evalu- from machine start up and sugar ate performance of various types and purge, along with liquid from fil- combinations of membranes. This ar- ter press washes were added to the ticle will address general operational concentrate tank as well, the effec- issues of the RO and evaporator, with tive concentrate level in the evapora- membrane performance left for an- tor feed tank averaged about 25°Brix other article. over the entire season. This produced a total of 2,634 gallons of syrup, thus Operating the Lapierre HyperBrix equating to a concentrate-to-syrup RO is very similar to operating other ratio of 3.39 gallons concentrate to models of maple RO machines. The produce 1 gallon of syrup. controls are essentially very similar, with the exception of duplicate con- We boiled 22 times in 2017 (Table trols for the low pressure and high 2), totaling 68.8 hours. The longest pressure (HyperBrix) sides of the de- boil was 5.5 hours, with an aver- vice. Anyone familiar with general age boil time of 3.1 hours. Average RO operation could quickly learn to evaporation rate was 103.2 gallons operate the machine. per hour, with an average syrup production rate (draw-off rate) over the In 2017, we processed over 107,000 entire season of 38.3 gallons per hour. gallons of sap (Table 1), averag- This value includes start-up and oc- ing 2.15°Brix, producing 9,278 gal casionally switching sides. At peak, we produced 50-55 gallons per hour. The overall total processing rate (evaporation rate + draw-off rate) was 141.5 gallons per hour. Over the season we used 711 gallons of kerosene (kerosene has a slightly lower BTU content Figure 1. Lapierre Equipment HyperBrix Reverse Osmosis machine than fuel oil, in operation at the Sumner Hill Williams research/demonstration sugarhouse at UVM PMRC in 2018. Note the flow-meters and inline re- High Brix: fractometer on lines in the upper right of photo. Photo Credit: Timothy continued on Perkins, UVM PMRC. page 10

June 2018 9 High Brix: continued from page 9 cessed each hour of machine opera- but is less susceptible to fuel gelling tion, resulting in about 100 gallons of at cold temperatures), resulting in a high-brix concentrate per hour. Some fuel-to-syrup ratio of 0.270 gallons warming of the liquid was apparent kerosene per gallons of syrup pro- during concentration, but this was duced. negated by immediate processing in In 2018, we processed nearly 135 2017 or through the use of a refrig- thousand gallons of sap (Table 1). Av- erated bulk tank in 2018. Boiling in erage sap sugar was slightly lower, 2018 produced 3,038 gallons of syrup, averaging 2.00°Brix over the season. yielding a concentrate-to-syrup ratio Concentrate from the initial start-up of 2.45 gallons of concentrate for each and sugar purge were diverted back gallon of syrup produced. to the sap tank, with only concentrate Due to the addition of a refriger- at the target level sent to the tank for ated bulk tank, in 2018 we boiled processing. In this way, the range of only 11 times (Table 2), with a maxi- concentration was kept within fairly mum boil time of 5.5 hours. Because tight limits of 34.5-37.5°Brix, averag- we only boiled once for every 2.5 sap ing 36.0°Brix over the season. Typi- collection and concentration cycles, cally, with the 6-post configuration the average boil time increased to 3.7 set to concentrate to 36°Brix, about hours. The average evaporation rate 1,200-1,400 gallons of sap were pro- rose slightly to 106.8 gallons per hour.

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10 Maple Syrup Digest something we will likely explore over the next few seasons. With the assistance of Efficiency Ver- mont (www. efficiencyver- mont.com), we also monitored Table 1. General characteristics of sap concentration using the Lapi- electrical usage erre HyperBrix in 2017 and 2018. of the RO during the 2018 With the higher level of concentra- season. At the tion, syrup production rate increased time of this writing the analysis was to 67.7 gallons per hour, with a maxi- incomplete, so results will be present- mum production rate of ~75 gallons ed later. per hour. This produced a total sea- sonal average processing rate of 180.8 While RO machines are often gallons per hour. Only 416 gallons of thought of as energy-saving devices, kerosene were required for the 2018 they also reduce the time spent boil- season, with only 0.137 gallons of ing tremendously. What is less well kerosene needed to make a gallon of recognized is the extent to which maple syrup. This represents nearly a even small increases in concentration doubling of fuel efficiency due to the can yield significant time savings in higher concentration levels (36°Brix) sugarhouse operations. In 2017, sap used in 2018 compared to the concen- High Brix: continued on page 12 tration used in 2017 (25°Brix). Given that the concentrate was chilled and stored at 23°F in 2018 before being sent to the back pan, increasing fuel efficiency further by pre- heating the concentrate before it reaches Table 2. General evaporation results using the Lapierre Volcano the back pan is 2000 to process high Brix concentrate in 2017 and 2018. June 2018 11 fore 42.0 gallons per hour of sugarhouse time, with a total time savings of 69.4 hrs in 10 weeks, or almost seven hours additional of work- time saved each week. The combination of Table 3. Time efficiency results for high-brix evaporation in 2017 and concentrating 2018. to a higher Brix level and us- High Brix: continued from page 11 ing a bulk tank runs required 22 concentrations to an increased time efficiency in the sug- average effective level of 25°Brix and arhouse by almost 100%. This leaves 22 boils, totaling 68.8 hours (Table 3). considerably more time to work in Since clean-up after each boil requires the woods in keeping vacuum levels, 2.5 hours, total sugarhouse operation and thus sap yields, high. time in 2017 was 123.8 hours for 2,634 In both the 2017 and 2018 seasons, gallons of syrup produced, or 21.3 we used caustic soap to wash the gallons of syrup per hour of opera- membranes after each use, followed tion. In 2018, had we not used a re- by a permeate rinse. Based upon frigerated bulk tank, concentrating to benchmarks, this seemed to keep 36°Brix on 27 occasions would have flow rates acceptably high through- produced 27 boils totaling 44.9 hours out both seasons. Niter seemed to be for 3,038 gallons of syrup, or 27.0 gal- light-moderate both years, with a pan lons syrup produced hourly, result- rinse and permeate soak sufficing af- ing in a time efficiency increase of ter most boils, and pan acid used only 26.8%, equating to a time savings of 1-2 times during each season. The heat nearly 30 hours over 3,000 gallons, or loop in the back pan produced 500 three hours per week over the 10 week gallons or more of hot permeate wa- season. By using a refrigerated bulk ter each boil. Syrup grade was good tank to reduce the number of times each year, perhaps a little lighter than we boiled, we aved even more time. what we normally produced in 2017, In actuality, we boiled only 11 times but very light throughout 2018. Light in 2018 (2.5 concentrations/boil), with syrup seemed to be common in our 44.9 hours of evaporator time and 27.5 area in 2018, but may have also been hours of cleaning time totaling 72.4 due to several changes we made in hours of sugarhouse operational time our operation (refrigerated bulk tank, to produce 3,038 gallons of syrup. new sap filtering regime). Due to the The syrup production rate was there-

12 Maple Syrup Digest high rate of syrup production in 2018, we moved to filtering immediately off a draw-off tank rather than using a finishing pan. This also resulted in significant time savings and probably accounts for some of the in- Figure 2. The Lapierre Volcano 2000 4’ x 12’ evaporator in the Sum- crease in light ner Hill Williams Sugarhouse at UVM PMRC in spring 2017. From transmittance. left-right, Donald Lapierre (Lapierre Equipment), Dr. Timothy Perkins Syrup flavor (UVM PMRC), Dr. Abby van den Berg (UVM PMRC), Jeff Goulet was excellent (Lapierre Equipment), Carl Lapierre (Lapierre Equipment), and Brian both years, Stowe (UVM PMRC). Photo Credit: Peter Gregg, The Maple News. with no off-flavors attributable to processing being Collin McCarthy, and Ben Crosby for evident. their assistance in the sugarhouse. A gift from the Robert and Oletha Bick- In summary, moving to high brix ford estate paid for a portion of the sap processing with the Lapierre UVM PMRC sugarhouse upgrades in Equipment HyperBrix RO and Vol- 2018 and is gratefully recognized. cano 2000 evaporator has proved to be an excellent fit to the UVM PMRC Spout/Tubing Sanitation operation, and has resulted in significant improvements in energy and Publication to be time savings without compromising available in June our high standards for syrup qual- The UVM Proctor Maple Research ity. This equipment will also serve as Center and Cornell Maple Program a platform for continued research on conducted a multi-year joint research sap processing. project investigating spout and tub- Acknowledgments ing sanitation methods. The full research report will be released in June Our thanks to Lapierre Equipment 2018, with summaries to be pub- for partnering with UVM PMRC on lished in upcoming editions of the this project. In particular we wish to Maple Syrup Digest and the Maple thank Donald and Carl Lapierre, as News. To receive a PDF copy of the well as Jeff Goulet and Eric Miller. In full report when it is released, please addition, we thank Brendan Haynes, email [email protected]

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14 Maple Syrup Digest 2018 Crop Reports Connecticut session on identifying off-flavors using samples produced by UVM courtesy of The 2018 season yielded an average NAMSC, a candy making demo show- crop, with results varying widely across ing members how to make candy with- the state and even between neighboring out the need for an expensive candy zip codes. Some had a great year while making machine, and a session that others had a subpar year. Generally, dealt with the equipment needs and however, for all Connecticut maple pro- other considerations that should be ad- ducers the 2018 season was much better dressed in moving from a small 50 tap than the 2017 season. Common to most or less operation to a much larger one. was low sap sugar content, high niter content, an unusual move from dark- The 2018 membership meeting will er to lighter syrup as the season pro- have three speakers: Kathy Hopkins gressed, and an early, almost abrupt, (University of Maine) addressing qual- end to the season despite a forecast of ity issues, Tim Wilmot (UVM and D&G favorable temperatures. Evaporator) addressing 3/16 tubing, and Bruce Gillian (Leader Evaporator) The MSPAC Annual Member- addressing equipment options to con- ship Meeting was held on November sider as a maple producers scale up 4, 2017 at Session Woods State Park their operation. The date is November in Burlington, CT. Following the an- 10, 2018 and the location will be annual business meeting, there were two nounced soon. guest speakers. First, Dr, Abby van den Berg from the University of Vermont Indiana brought everyone up to date on what Information in this crop report rep- is brewing (or maybe better “boiling”) resents only a small fraction of Hoosier at the Proctor Maple Research Center sugar makers and does not contain data at UVM and provided some advice on from either the Indiana Department of how small sugar makers, as many of us Natural Resources survey or NASS. are in Connecticut, can maximize both the quantity and quality of the maple The past three maple seasons in In- syrup we make. Second, Diane Hirsch diana have not fit into the normal pat- from UCONN helped members better tern, but who is to say what is normal understand the Food Safety Modern- anymore. During this span it has been ization Act (FSMA) and how it will af- ‘normal’ to tap in January and some- fect Connecticut sugarmakers. times early in that month. Forty years ago it was ‘normal’ in the Hoosier state The MSPAC Pre-season Meeting to tap around Valentine’s Day and now was held on January 20, 2018 at Lyman half of our production occurs prior to Memorial High school in Lebanon, CT. that date. As in the past, there were three special- ized workshops that followed the one Of the camps surveyed for this early guest speaker, Brenda Noiseux, from crop report, this year’s tapping began New Hampshire, who told the group in some areas as early as January 8 and how to “Cultivate a Web Presence.” most producers were done tapping The three workshops, which the 120 attendees rotated through, included a Crop Reports: continued on page 16 June 2018 15 Crop Reports: continued from page 15 2018, it appears that there will still be by very early in February. The season good supply of all four table grades of ended all over the state between March Pure Maine Maple Syrup, the Official 15 and March 28. All of those produc- Sweetener of Maine. ers responding to my early inquiries Massachusetts reported an above average season as far as production. Some sugarmakers In Massachusetts, as in much of the were making light syrup right up to the rest of the sugaring region, we had end of the season. Dark syrup has been March in February, and February in much in demand by Hoosier consum- March. A few early tappers boiled at ers and some of us made very little of the very end of January. Most were that grade. well under way in February, with some making more than half of their crop by Most sugarmakers reported a sap the end of the month, though a few 70 sugar content of 1.5-2.5°Brix. In my degree days had many worried that the camp the sugar content never dropped season would end very early. But then below 2.2°Brix. Several producers saw all came to a screeching halt as March the flow of sap decline in the middle of brought several storms and frigid tem- February due to several warm days and peratures and gave everyone a break re-tapped their trees. I usually saw little from boiling for a while. Warmups in benefit in following this practice, but late March and early April revived the this year it sure paid off. season, and a few continued on until the last week of April. Maine Sap sugar content was generally Maine saw a huge range of produc- low, and reports of excellent quality tion results from the 2018 sugaring sea- syrup of all grades came from sugar- son. Southern and lower-central Maine makers around the state. had most producers done tapping by early- to mid-February. For most in The big news is that celebrating ma- this area it proved to be a very long, ple in March is no longer just fun here dragged-out season. The cold snaps in Massachusetts – it’s the law! The carried us well into April. Most produc- governor signed “An Act designating ers had an average season, but a few the month of March as Massachusetts had a great season. Maple Month.” Upper-central and northern Maine, Michigan home to some of our largest producers, had a slow start because of the cold. Southwestern Lower Michigan: First This made for a somewhat shorter sea- boil was February 8 with the last boil on son than normal for many, with most April 7. Dates varied for producers, al- producers wrapping up by mid-May. though this was the average. The grade Some producers reported that produc- was mostly strong Amber to Dark, with tion was down as much as 30% over an average sugar content for sap at previous years but again, similar to 1.9°Brix. Most made an average crop. Southern Maine, some pockets showed Central Lower Michigan: First boil good production. was between February 19-22. Of the With the volume of syrup down for producers reporting, sap flowed for six to eight weeks. Record crop reported, 16 Maple Syrup Digest with one producer reporting lighter Some producers in the middle and than normal and one not making any southern parts of the state had excellent light syrup – all Amber with great fla- crops, regardless of whether or not they vor all season. Sap quit before much were using tubing. Lots of large snow- robust syrup was produced. Sugar con- storms with deep snow affected their tent fluctuated between 1.5-3°Brix. production. Thumb area: 2/3 of a normal crop New Brunswick was reported. Weather conditions were This year’s maple syrup production just not good for our Thumb produc- was not a great year. ers. Season lasted for approximately six weeks, however weather would freeze The southern region of the province for several days, warm up and freeze had very little snow cover. Weather this again, so boiling days were few and far winter was very unstable, with many between. fluctuations in temperatures. We had everything from a severe cold spell, to Minnesota many snowstorms changing to rain. 2018 will be a year to remember for By about mid-February there was very a while in Minnesota. Most of northern little snow on the ground so many start- Minnesota had weather that we would ed to tap. Those who tapped early saw call “Goldilocks weather.” The temper- some early runs in late February. March atures were either too cold or too hot rolled in and remained below the freez- and not enough just right. ing point pretty much all month, with some days barely reaching above melt- The north had too much snow and ing. Mid-March saw three major snow- it wasn’t disappearing around the tree falls amassing a thick blanket of snow. trunks – in fact more ice was forming on We had more snow cover then than we our lakes when it suppose to be thaw- had all winter. ing. The days finally started warming up a little before the end of March but April finally provided us with de- the nights were still very cold. It didn’t cent running conditions. However, the make any difference if you were on only producers who saw great runs buckets or on vacuum systems with were those in low-lying areas. The tubing. Then we got two weeks of very higher elevations saw only moder- cold weather, with no sap at all. Final- ate runs throughout the season. Sugar ly, when our season would normally content of the sap was around 1% to be almost done, it started to warm up. 2%, with some in a few areas reporting Some small sap runs, then the weather higher percentages. Most producers in got warm and the frogs were croaking. the south got varying degrees of grade. Even though there was ice on ponds Some golden and amber grades were and the pussy willows weren’t filled made and the season ended before the out, trees were starting to bud. dark and very dark were produced. Many of the northern producers The further north you progressed made 1/2 to 3/4 of an average crop, and into New Brunswick the deeper the a lot of darker syrup was made. Many snow cover became. The snow accumu- small producers using buckets won- lated to well over five feet in many ar- dered what was wrong and gave up. Crop Reports: continued on page 18

June 2018 17 Crop Reports: continued from page 17 Most first boils were reported in eas of the north. Larger producers who late February. Very good quality syrup tapped early saw a bit of sap early in was made, with early runs producing February, but most didn’t come until darker syrup with robust flavor, turn- late into the season, around the first of ing lighter in color and more delicate in April, and some producers boiled up flavor as the season progressed. to the first of May. Most producers in Many producers were frozen up on the north had a year they would rather Maple Weekend and were forced to boil soon forget. The production reports water for visitors. When April finally coming in were only about 25%-33% of warmed up many tapholes had dried a season, down drastically. The produc- up and a less than normal amount of tion per tap was around 1.5-2 pounds, syrup was produced in April. Many very low for an area that usually sees between 4-5 pounds per tap. With the bulk of our production in the north our overall season will be down significantly. Sales are still very strong and maple expansion is always ongoing. With a number of larger sugar bushes starting up or expanding we are closing in on close to 3 million taps. New Hampshire New Hampshire’s northern region reported 70% of a normal crop, with the central and southern regions reporting full to excellent crops, but very site specific. Cold temperatures negated the benefits of early tapping. Sug- arbushes with lower elevations and south facing slopes were most productive.

18 Maple Syrup Digest southern producers reported the most off the spiles. Then the woodpeckers squirrel damage in memory. moved in causing another headache. Some producers spent more time in the New York woods than in the past. Syrup production in New York State It is the same old story that some varied greatly from region to region producers reported that they had a and producer to producer. Some pro- banner year and some had a hard time ducers started tapping in January and believing their production. There were had a half of a normal crop made by others that hardly made expenses. March 1. There were only one or two good runs. Syrup generally was a little darker In some cases it took two or three days’ in January and February and lightened run to make it feasible to boil. up after the cold weather in March. On the whole Nova Scotia had an Syrup color overall was lighter in 2018 average crop or slightly above. In some than it was in 2017. Sap sugar content cases syrup was not as light as last year was lower than normal throughout the but did not turn as dark as some years. whole season. The season was longer than other years, In general, the southern regions and some boiled up to the first of May. Sales lower elevation warmer woods had have been good or better than in previ- close to a normal year. Some of the cold- ous years. er woods had a half of a crop. I think Ohio that New York State will come up with about 90 percent of what was produced Maple Syrup production in Ohio last year – which is better than the rest was on par with last year, but in some of the industry overall. Producers that locations the season reset enough to de- had extensive forest tent caterpillar de- liver an average year. What made 2018 foliation last summer did very poorly. unique was the extreme weather conditions, which once again have become As usual, the spout and dropline normal. It was as if we had two maple sanitization program that producers seasons in one. are implementing makes a big difference in overall production. Maple production in Ohio has two regions, north and south, with the state Nova Scotia capital of Columbus and Interstate 70 Most producers started to tap around being the dividing line. In the south, February 15, when there was very little producers normally tap soon after the snow in the woods. Some areas did not first of the year and hope to make syr- have to wear snowshoes. Some produc- up into March. The sight of red maples ers boiled in February. reaching full bloom in the first week of March is not unusual. The 70-degree Then came March, cold and stormy. temperatures in February pushed the One week in some areas there were season to an early end in regions south three nor-easters which left about 100 of Columbus, very similar to the 2017 cm of snow. Some producers had a season. hard time getting to their woods. Due to the extreme cold followed by thaw- In the northern Ohio, the season typ- ing, some drop lines were pushed Crop Reports: continued on page 20

June 2018 19 Crop Reports: continued from page 19 happen next. Not being able to make syrup for ten days in the middle of ically runs from mid-February to the March definitely hurts production. end of March. Based on their experi- Once the cold weather subsided, the ences over the last two years many pro- season continued into early April. This ducers are starting to tap in January. left many of the early tappers wonder- In this area, an early start to the season ing if their trees would continue pro- can prove to be either a blessing or a ducing sap at the end of March. Sev- handicap depending on the year. The eral producers in NE Ohio pulled taps last two seasons ended early in March. on April 12. This is almost two weeks This year the temperatures at the end after the traditional end to the season. of February once again went above 70 The weather held up with snow and degrees and it looked like a replay of cold well into April. However, trees the 2017 season. However, unlike last tapped early are on the clock and ex- year, the warm weather did not hang tended periods between runs resulted around. The first three weeks of March in diminishing returns. saw some very cold weather move across the area. Even if the cold weather hurt overall production, it proved to be With the cold came frozen tap holes very beneficial for syrup quality. The that yielded very little sap for 10 days. warm February weather had every- This left local maple producers that one making dark syrup shortly after depend heavily on favorable weather the first run. What happened then conditions from March 1 through St was very unusual, and definitely not Patrick’s Day wondering what would normal. In the first week of March,

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20 Maple Syrup Digest

We ship daily. Open all year round. Everything for the sugarmaker, since 1934. the cold weather set in and the cloudy experienced much colder temperatures sap became clear and the color of the throughout the season and resulted in a syrup went from dark to light, and it very poor crop yield across this region. remained that way for the rest of the More than 70 producers participated month. Another factor that made this in this year’s OMSPA “Maple Week- season unique was the low percentage end.” This province-wide event is gain- of sugar in the sap. Locally, producing popularity with both consumers ers saw sap sugar content dip to 1%. and producers as an excellent way to It is hard to produce a big crop when promote Ontario maple syrup and exit takes 70 plus gallons of sap to make perience the first agricultural product a gallon of syrup. Sugar sand and fil- produced in the year. Maple Weekend tering the syrup was very problematic is in conjunction with many long es- early in the season. It became less of a tablished (over 50 years) local festivals problem after the cold weather set in throughout the province that attract and the sap cleared. Once again, just large attendance (60,000 plus for a one the opposite of a normal year. day event). These events offer an excel- Combine all of the above into one lent venue for consumers to experience season and you have one remarkable locally produced maple products and and challenging year. After talking meet producers. with producers across the state and lo- The 52nd OMSPA Summer Tour is cally, 2018 will go into the books as sta- being held in Sault Ste Marie this year, tistically average or slightly below av- July 12-14, presenting technical speak- erage depending on your location. One ers and tour stops including the largest thing for sure, the weather conditions producer in the province. Please accept in recent years have altered the defini- this as your invitation to attend OM- tion of a normal season. SPA’s Summer Tour. Ontario Pennsylvania The season started in mid-February The Northwestern Pennsylvania for most throughout the province and area had a long but not very produc- continued until late April. Some north- tive season. The season began in mid- ern producers boiled into May. It was January with the heaviest runs early an exceptionally long season with small producing darker grades of syrup from sap runs followed by long freezing pe- sap with 1% sugar content. The season riods and no major sap runs occurring finished in the second week of April during the season. with most producers reporting 75% of Sap sugar content remained around an average crop. 2% or better for most for the entire sea- In the southern part of the state, the son, producing excellent flavor and all Somerset area on the Allegany Plateau, grades, with the majority being Amber. the season started on January 21 and The majority of the province is report- lasted until as late as April 17. Most pro- ing an average sized crop, although the ducers experienced 1% to 1.5% sap sug- more southern producers seemed to ar content and made dark syrup early be reporting higher yields than those in the season. The early season ended north of Highway 7. Our most northern producers along the Great Lakes Crop Reports: continued on page 23

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22 Maple Syrup Digest Crop Reports: continued from page 21 areas were producing until the begin- for some with a warm spell at the end ning of May. According to information of February. Some producers re-tapped gathered, these areas had yields that after that and made golden and amber were lower than those of last year. syrup in late March and April. Citadelle Maple Syrup Producers’ In the north central part of the state Cooperative consists of 2,000 producers the producers experienced mixed re- who generate sufficient supply for the sults – some had a very poor season, processing and marketing of high qual- some below average and a few had an ity maple products in over 45 countries. okay season. Only one producer re- The vision of quality and purity hand- ported a second-best year ever. Grades ed down to us by our predecessors and of syrup made were from dark to light founders remains with us always. We throughout the season. are dedicated to offering 100% pure products of a quality that satisfies the From the middle of the state, one needs of consumers around the world. producer reported making 19 drums of Since 1925 it’s what has set us apart and very light syrup between February 20 made our reputation, as we are after all and March 1. “Producers of pure innovation.” March 2018 will be remembered Rhode Island in Pennsylvania and probably every- where! We had a heavy wet snow- If you want to know anything about storm here overnight which brought little ole Rhode Island, look no further down trees and limbs throughout the than its state motto: Hope. area. But worse than that was the cold We continue to grow as an associa- weather, with single temps at night and tion, with three new members, and we highs of only 20’s to 30’s. This lasted for hope to add more n 2019. the first three weeks of March until the thaw came again, with only small sap Even as the last few seasons have runs to the end of the season. had drought, winter moths, gypsy moths, no snow, low sap sugar con- Quebec tent, unseasonably warm temperatures At the end of February and on a few – you get the idea – for Rhode Island days in March, there was a flood of sap sugar makers, we still held out hope in the western portion of the province. that 2018 would be better than the last After that, good harvest conditions few years. were a long time in coming. Variable Most of Rhode Island’s syrup pro- temperatures experienced in March ducers tapped their trees between the and April, especially in eastern Quebec, middle and end of January. The sap resulted in highs and lows in provincial flow was promising. Unfortunately, production. though January and the first part of The central and western portions February went well, the rest of Febru- of Quebec saw their sugar season end ary warmed up so substantially that in the third week of April. Yields were the sap flow slowed drastically and the variable from one sector to another, stored sap spoiled quickly if not boiled ranging from average to poor. Syrup down fast. quality remained high. Some eastern Crop Reports: continued on page 26

June 2018 23 Crop Reports: continued from page 23 this area of the state was very fast paced in early March, with the majority of the It seemed that spring had arrived crop being made in only a few weeks. early, and the trees were in a hurry Syrup quality was excellent with most to begin the healing process. Our sea- in the Golden grade. Production in the son seemed to be over as quickly as it southern third of the state concluded started. But then March came. It got for most producers by the second week cold again, and the temperatures were of April. as they should be. We had hope again, yet March didn’t go as well as hoped The Central part of the state had for those who tapped the earliest, but about 70% of an average crop, with for those who tapped later in the season production starting in the first week of the trees were still running. March. The season started with very weak sugar in the first part of March, Last year, Association sugarhouses but as the season continued the sugar set 8,082 taps and produced a total of for most producers jumped to 3 Brix 1,062 gallons of mostly very dark syr- even on the high vacuum tubing sys- up. This year, we produced 1,341 gal- tems. Syrup quality was excellent with lons of mostly dark robust syrup, and most in the Golden grade. The average then very dark syrup with a total of snow cover and a tremendous amount 7,608 taps. So the season was a little bet- of snow in March and April slowed ter than last year. Rhode Island weather production to a snail’s pace until mid- was as usual, uncertain, and it proved April, and when the warmth finally to be a challenge once again. Yet, we came the calendar said it was time to still have hope for 2019. quit. Wisconsin The Northern third of the state had The 2018 Wisconsin maple syrup a slower start to the season, with one of season for most producers started be- the coldest springs on record for most fore March 1. Snow cover in South- areas. A blanket of snow covered the ern and Central Wisconsin was at a ground that received a tremendous minimum for the fourth year in a row, amount of frost before the first of the while sections of the northern third of year. This area of the state had a very the state had abundant snowfall. Early late start with some producer’s first winter gave us some below average boiling on the 10th of April. This region temperatures, setting a tremendous was at 35% to 60% of an average crop. amount of frost in the ground. With Overall the production in the state the cold weather the snowfall did not of Wisconsin was down for the second come until late winter, laying a blanket year in a row. The saving grace for most of insulating snow on top of the frozen producers was the high sap sugar con- ground, which led to production issues tent the state had for the majority of the for most Wisconsin producers. season, and the cold weather that en- The Southern third of the state had abled producers to make a very good a good crop with average yields. Very quality crop. warm weather conditions and very little snow cover in this region thawed the ground very quickly and started the See more crop reports on pages 45-46. season off very quickly. Production in

24 Maple Syrup Digest U.S. Crop Production Report Released June 12, 2018, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 9 8 18 18 72 13 90 539 125 163 806 142 225 4,159 1,940 1 2018 (1,000 gallons) 2018 9 (1,000 dollars) 20 12 84 14 80 709 110 154 760 139 200 4,271 1,980 2017 (1,000 gallons) 602 932 330 Production 1,244 4,217 5,632 6,699 3,080 4,768 6,280 23,893 29,640 53,460 6 140,777 19 12 77 90 14 70 675 169 707 143 235 2017 4,207 1,990 2016 (1,000 (1,000 dollars) gallons) Value Value of production 600 920 290 0.247 0.257 0.288 0.225 0.275 0.200 0.291 0.295 0.225 0.212 0.342 0.121 0.300 0.304 1,321 4,297 4,032 9,329 2,786 4,490 7,873 20,250 31,320 59,700 2018 147,208 2016 (1,000 dollars) 0.233 0.194 0.375 0.263 0.250 0.182 0.280 0.287 0.200 0.211 0.366 0.148 0.272 0.320 2017 Yield per tap 1 2018 0.224 0.200 0.363 0.244 0.225 0.184 0.310 0.281 0.189 0.217 0.410 0.118 0.307 0.335 (dollars) 2016 73 70 65 66 320 455 560 400 670 750 1,870 2,730 5,670 62.20 50.20 33.70 50.20 51.20 66.60 43.50 39.00 38.50 34.30 27.00 36.70 31.40 33.00 States and United and States States: 2016-2018 released Junereleased 2019. 13,699 2018 – 2017 (dollars) 86 62 77 61 320 440 550 400 660 735 1,890 2,650 5,410 13,341 Average price per gallon 2017 Crop Production States and UnitedStates States: 2016-2018 69.50 50.00 30.00 55.80 44.80 65.70 55.20 44.30 39.80 31.40 30.00 48.40 33.50 35.00 – Numbertaps of 85 60 76 51 315 400 545 370 660 765 2016 1,860 2,515 4,850 (dollars) 12,552 2016 (1,000 taps) (1,000 taps) (1,000 taps) (gallons) (gallons) (gallons) ...... State State Price and value for 2018 will be published in in be 2018 Price and published for will value Wisconsin Wisconsin ...... Wisconsin ...... States ...... United Connecticut Connecticut ...... Indiana ...... Maine ...... Massachusetts Michigan ...... Minnesota Hampshire New ...... York ...... New ...... Ohio Pennsylvania ...... Vermont Vir ginia West States ...... United Connecticut ...... Indiana ...... Maine ...... Massachusetts Michigan ...... Minnesota Hampshire New ...... York ...... New ...... Ohio Pennsylvania ...... Vermont Vir ginia West 1 Maple Syrup Taps, Yield, and Production Production Yield, and Taps, Syrup Maple Value Price and Syrup Maple cells[Blank data estimation indicate period has not yet begun] 2018) (June Crop Production USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

June 2018 25 26 Maple Syrup Digest June 2018 27 Ask Proctor Mark L. Isselhardt, Maple Specialist University of Vermont Extension Proctor Maple Research Center

ould the sugar maples have bro- of cold weather. Generally speaking, ken bud during unusually warm sugar maple requires a greater amount CJanuary temperatures? of chilling then red maple. According to the Silvics of North America (God- man et. al. 1990), sugar maple grown in Trees like sugar or red maple (Acer northern latitudes require the greatest saccharum and Acer rubrum respec- amount of chilling hours before they tively) living in cold climates pro- can be released from true dormancy. tect themselves from winter damage An estimate of around 2500 hours of through the process of dormancy. continuous chilling is offered. It is also Dormancy is essentially a period of thought that not all levels of cold con- low metabolic designed so that just the tribute equally to the plants required most basic and essential processes are total chilling requirement. Tempera- continued to keep living cells alive until tures between 35-40F seem to be ideal. more hospitable temperatures return. There is evidence to suggest that a lati- Trees have developed a sophisticated tudinal gradient exists relative to the process to trigger the entry and exit chilling requirements of sugar maple. from dormancy so as to avoid the dam- Although technically not out of the aging effects of freezing on delicate leaf question, a January sugar maple bud tissue. The process of initiating spring break in northern Vermont is so ex- bud break is not tied to a particular cal- tremely unlikely as to make it practical- endar date or for that matter reaching ly impossible. Normally sugar maple a particular temperature. The process bud break in northern Vermont occurs is actually driven by balance of growth from late April through early May. The promoting and inhibiting chemicals. spring of 2012 serves as a good illustra- These chemicals are alternatively built tion of how well the dormancy system up or broken down by the tree depend- works in sugar maple. In the middle of ing on the environmental stimulus. A March of 2012 Vermont saw five days period of cold temperatures is needed of temperatures in the 70’s and even 80 for a tree to both enter and exit dor- degrees in some places. Despite the ex- mancy. The amount of accumulated tended period of record warmth, sugar cold temperatures (also known as chill- maples did not immediately initiate ing) is inversely related to the amount bud break. Thanks to long term moni- of warming needed to break dormancy toring data from Vermont Department and varies by species. Said another of Forest Parks and Recreation and the way, if a dormant maple has not been Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Coopera- exposed to very much cold weather tive (then Vermont Monitoring Coop- it will take a greater amount of warm erative) we know that sugar maples did weather to break bud then if the same experience earlier than average spring tree had experienced a longer amount bud break in 2012 but not until the mid-

28 Maple Syrup Digest dle of April. By January in Vermont all Friday is dedicated to research pre- trees growing in the forested environ- sentations pertinent to the purpose of ment would have lost their leaves and the Symposium. Researchers from The entered true dormancy, but the chilling Proctor Maple Research Center, Cornell requirements would not necessarily University, West Virginia University, have been met. Virginia Tech, Ohio State and others will be on the agenda. The goal is to We know that the phenology of bud learn about the sap and syrup research development is extremely variable. work being done, how it applies to en- Buds do not usually exit dormancy to- vironmental conditions in the Central gether in one discrete event even within Appalachians, and identify areas that the same individual let alone the same need further exploration. stand. If environmental conditions suit- able for bud break were met January Saturday will be time for our maple it is still only likely that a portion of experts to interact with sap and syr- the buds would break at any one time. up producers. The day is structured This would leave another portion of around a series of panel discussions on the trees buds safely in dormancy and topics to include: Sanitation, Agrofor- possibly outlasting the warm tempera- estry, Entrepreneurship and marketing, tures. Sorghum, Technological Innovations, and Alternative Tree Saps. There will also be a session for producers to share Southern Syrup their experiences as they grapple with issues pertinent to sap and syrup pro- Research Symposium duction in the region. Saturday also September 28 and 29 features a plenary session on climate Summersville, WV change and syrup production. The maple world will turn south Friday evening will feature a spe- this September to focus its attention on cial West Virginia Welcome reception, the potential for syrup production in including a square dance featuring a the Central Appalachians. With plen- dance called “The Maple Syrup Real,” ty of maple, as well as birch, walnut, choreographed especially for this sycamore, sorghum, and a relatively event. The Symposium also features a untapped market, the Central Appala- Vendor Trade Show and a poster ses- chian and surrounding region is experi- sion featuring maple initiatives taking encing renewed interest and growth in place in colleges and schools. the making of syrup. West Virginia or- ganized a producers association 4 years For more information, and to reg- ago and Kentucky just last fall. ister go to: http://www.syrupsym- posium.com or email Mike Rechlin: The purpose of the Southern Syrup [email protected] Research Symposium is to focus attention on the specific opportunities and challenges of sap and syrup production in this region. It is to bring together scientists, extension specialists and producers to learn and to discuss the issues.

June 2018 29 2018 American Maple Hall of Fame Inductee Bruce Gillilan

ruce Gillilan has dedicated his he has accumulated well over 2 million lifetime to his love of the maple miles traveling throughout the North Bindustry; professionally for over American Maple Industry. He has do- 40 years at Leader Evaporator, as a life- nated his time to countless county, lo- long producer and marketer of maple cal, provincial and state organizations syrup in Fletcher, VT, and as a guest as a presenter in: Vermont, New York, presenter all around North America. New Hampshire, Maine, Massachu- Dedicated to making the best maple setts, Connecticut, Ohio, Pennsylvania, syrup possible, whether it was at home Wisconsin, Virginia, Ontario and New or in the hundreds of maple operations Brunswick. he has been in to help As a producer, a producers improve deep commitment to their techniques. quality drives the fam- Bruce’s career start- ily operation. This tra- ed at Leader Evaporator dition handed down Company in March of from his father Cleon 1975 where he worked has led the family to in the manufacturing great heights in syrup plant. From there he contests all over North would move into ship- America. Gillilan Fam- ping, then to sales, and ily Maple has won Best in 1991 was elected Vice of Show four times at President of Leader the NAMSC/IMSI con- Evaporator, a position tests, and a total of 41 he still holds today. Best of Show in Syrup During his tenure at Contests throughout the Lader Evaporator, Bruce started attend- maple industry. In addition, 214 times ing the NAMSC/IMSI annual meetings his syrup has been either Best of Class in Wausau, WI, October of 1980, and or 2nd in Class. has been a steady presence ever since. Bruce was an associate member of the NAMSC from 2014-2016. For most of the past 42 years during the sugaring season, each spring you would have a hard time to find Bruce at Leader Evaporator. That is because his passion is to help teach producers proper techniques in the sugar house. Add in the time spent teaching producers proper tubing installation techniques, R/O operation, and anything else maple related and you can understand how

30 Maple Syrup Digest 2018 American Maple Hall of Fame Inductee Eric Randall

ric A. Randall was born and raised farm and has served as a bud source for on a western New York dairy and grafted trees now in his plantation in Ecash crops farm and comes from Alexander, NY. Nearly thirty years ago a family with a long history of sugar- Eric was awarded a NAMSC Research making in the region. The family has re- Council grant coupled with other fund- corded documentation of maple syrup ing opportunities, to study the impact manufacture dating to 1848. Following of ultrafiltration of maple sap prior to his graduation from Letchworth CS in separation/concentration by reverse os- 1964, he matriculated at SUNY-Oswego mosis. Much of that early work is now and completed a BS Biology program incorporated in the prefiltering of sap in three years and then used by the industry. commenced a graduate Dr. Randall has been program of study in Bot- session presenter, key- any at The Pennsylva- note speaker, panelist nia State University. He or moderator at maple earned a PhD in Botany meetings, field days, in 1973 followed by an specialists meetings for academic appointment over four decades. in the Department of Bi- Eric has served ology at SUNY-Buffalo as member, director State. This teaching/ and President of Lo- research appointment cal (Wyoming County included an extensive Maple Producers), State teaching obligation (New York State Maple as well as an expecta- Producers Assn.), Na- tion and opportunities tional and International for externally funded Maple bodies. He rep- research. A plant taxonomist/anato- resented the 750 members of the New mist by training, Dr. Randall taught, York State Maple Producers as Director authored or reconstructed nearly two to the International Maple Syrup Insti- dozen plant science and forest botany tute for nearly twenty years and then courses at graduate and undergraduate became New York’s Director to the levels during his twenty five year ten- North American Maple Syrup Council. ure at BuffaloState. His research led to a He recently completed a two year term sizable herbarium (preserved plant col- as President of the Council. lections of nearly 200,000 specimens); a significant forensic botany collection; Academically, he attained the rank dendrology, wood, and forestry experi- of Professor, served as Chair of the mentation projects relating to maple Department of Biology, Director of the syrup production and expansion of tis- Great Lakes Center for Environmental sue culture of sweet trees. Ironically, research, was Associate Dean and In- one of the original (1940’s Josh Cope, terim Dean of the College of Natural Cornell) sweet trees was on the family Randall continued on page 32

June 2018 31 Randall: continued from page 23 Lakes region of New York and has won and Social Sciences before retiring from a competitive grant for monitoring/ the SUNY system in 1997. After a few detecting aquatic invasive species by hours of retirement, he became Dean ROV/AUV instrumentation. of Science, Management and Technol- Eric and Eleanor Randall operate a ogy at Edinboro University of Pennsyl- 3200 tap maple operation on two farms vania, a position he held until retire- in Genesee and Wyoming Counties, ment fourteen years later. Outside the NY. They and ten fellow sugarmak- academy, Eric served six years as one ers were the architects of the New of the nine member US Army Corps York Maple Weekend program started of Engineers Environmental Advisory twenty three years ago. They annually Board, a decade on the bench as an host guests at their picturesque facility elected Justice in the Town of Darien, and frequently “appear” on newscasts, NY; a decade as member and President advertisements for maple and “the” of the Alexander CS Board of Educa- weekend because of their educational tion, and past President of the Cornell program, artifacts from the family’s Cooperative Extension Association of past and their iconic 1928 Baltimore Genesee County. He currently serves and Ohio caboose near the sugarhouse. as a consultant to the US Department Randall’s Maple Products participate of the Interior, Federal Invasive Species under the New York State “Grown and Council, conducts research on invasive Certified Program” and market all of plantBAS species ad-Maple within Digest.qxp_Layout the western 1 Finger 4/20/17 2:45their PM maple Page 1 products at their farmgate. One Source for All Your Maple Sugaring Needs

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32 Maple Syrup Digest Are You Coming to New Hampshire?

on’t miss the big event, Octo- visit the NH International Speedway ber 26-29, 2018. The NH Maple and museum. We’ll visit the Anheuser- DProducers Association is host- Bush Brewery, Moonlight Meadery and ing this year’s annual meetings of the Mac’s Apples. Companion tours are North American Maple Syrup Council being arranged for Shaker Village, NH & International Maple Syrup Institute Telephone Museum and Mt. Kearsarge in Concord, New Hampshire. Hun- Indian Museum. Not all of these tours dreds of maple producers and sup- are carved in stone yet, so there may be pliers from across North America will a change or two in the near future. gather to share ideas and show some of Bring your best maple syrup, cream the latest equipment available. and sugar to enter into the internation- Our planning committee has been al contest. Who knows, you may win working for two years to ensure this “best of show!” If you enjoy photogra- convention will be fun and educational. phy, enter your best photo of a sugar- It will be held at the beautiful Grap- bush scene, maple people on the job or pone Conference Center at the Marriott creative maple photography. We will Hotel. Comfortable hotel rooms also hold a silent auction and are available at the Marriott or have some wonderful raffle it other nearby hotels, and should ems. be reserved soon. To register for the conven- The NAMSC & IMSI meet- tion or learn more about the ings will update you on the tours and contests, go to nhma- most recent progress of these pleproducers.com and click on two organizations that protect and sup- “2018 NAMSC & IMSI Conference,” port the maple industry. The technical event registration, and download the sessions will inform and motivate you registration form. to make your maple operation more New Hampshire’s maple producers productive and efficient. These sessions are proud to host this annual meeting are still in the planning stages, but will and hope you will come so you can be conducted by some of the world ex- learn about the latest innovations in perts on maple production. More infor- maple production, check out the new mation will be available soon. equipment and visit some of the fas- We will be offering bus tours to cinating places that make NH such a fascinating places in the area, such as: memorable place to visit. We’re looking Pleasant View Gardens, where they forward to seeing you in October! raise “Proven Winners” plants; the Bolduc Farm, where they’ve been tapping trees since 1779; and Windswept Maples, where high-quality maple syrup is made. Then there’s Sanborn Mills Farm, which teaches sustainable agriculture and uses a sawmill, grist mill and blacksmith shop. We may also

June 2018 33 34 Maple Syrup Digest Marketing: Sales The Season is Over: Now, How Will You Sell Your Syrup? Olga Peters ny sugarmaker will tell you keep a few jugs on hand for when cus- that it’s a slippery slope from tomers ask. ‘just hanging a few buckets’ as A The Chelsea Royal is the only off- a hobby, to buying lots of shiny equip- farm outlet where Matt sells his syrup. ment and not getting a full night of He also sells it from his farm to adven- sleep from February through April. turous visitors who turn off southern Intentionally turning a backyard sugar Vermont’s twisty Route 9 after spot- operation into a business, however, re- ting Matt’s sign. Repeat customers even quires thought and planning. drive from as far away as New Hamp- And no two sugarmakers follow the shire, he says. exact same path. For some, their busi- For a few years, Matt invested in ness grows slowly, one weekend farm- a state-sanctioned road sign that the ers market at a time, and they prefer to Agency of Transportation installed on stay small. Others build their backyard Route 9. Matt gave the sign up, how- operations into wholesale businesses ever. He felt it cost too much and didn’t that keep them busy year-round. Some bring in as many visitors as his own enjoy selling directly to their custom- sign at the end of his road. ers. And others would rather focus on production, and let established retailers Matt has approximately 1,800 taps. take care of the rest. In an average season, the farm produces 450 to 500 gallons of syrup. Out These snapshots of four sugaring of preference, he does not use reverse enterprises illustrate just a few of those osmosis. His son Eric helps with a lot successful models. of the sugaring. Other family members Matt’s Maple Syrup help when their schedules allow. Marlboro, VT And Matt is fine with the size of his As with many New England restau- sugaring operation. He has no desire to rants, wait staff at the popular Brattle- focus on maple all year. Matt also hays boro eatery, the Chelsea Royal Diner, and sells firewood. He enjoys the vari- offer diners a choice: table syrup, or for ety, he says. an extra fee, real maple syrup with their “I’m great at making syrup,” Matt waffles or pancakes. A flyer on the door says of his one-restaurant contract. “I’m notifies customers that they can also not so great at marketing.” purchase jugs of Matt’s Maple Syrup on the premises. Vermont’s maple market is saturat- ed, Matt continued. He says he would “The waitresses sell the syrup as a feel odd bringing a sample of his syrup favor,” says sugarmaker Dave Matt. to a store or restaurant that is already The jugs aren’t part of the restaurant’s inventory, he explains. The wait staff Selling continued on page 37

June 2018 35 Think

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36 Maple Syrup Digest Selling: continued from page 35 never become a “point-and-click” business. Nor do they have aspirations of selling his neighbor’s syrup. “I don’t selling their syrup in bulk. Neither want to step on anyone’s toes,” he says. business model is personal enough for Thurston and Peters Sugarhouse, LLC them. West Newfield, ME Most of their customers come to the “I don’t want to be a robot filling or- farm for the maple soft-serve ice cream, ders all day for people I haven’t met,” says Debi. She estimates 90 percent of says Debi Hartford who, with her hus- their business is on the farm. Debi also band Harry, owns Thurston and Peters makes a popular soft-serve maple pie. Sugarhouse in Newfield, Maine. Their They are in the process of creating a operation includes 2,100 taps, a sugar- small educational installation in a sec- house, a small shop, and an ice-cream ond sugarhouse. stand. Debi notes that they planned very Almost all of the Hartfords’ prod- little of their business. At least not in ucts are sold on the farm, and their the traditional way. They haven’t sat store carries a down and variety of oth- created longer retail items, term outlooks like pancake or business mixes, jellies, plans. In- honey, and stead, the crafts. company has grown Debi and organically. Harry are re- Debi says, the tired teachers, successful en- and educa- terprises like tion courses the soft-serve through every maple ice aspect of the “Provide packaging that looks professional,” says Stu cream, “just couple’s busi- Peterson of Camp Aquila in Dent, Minnesota. “Pack- happened.” ness. They age in glass where your quality product can be seen designed and use an attractive/unique label.” So why is their business the couple to be people- successful oriented, and they make a point of and happy with Thurston and Peters? educating customers on what it takes According to Debi, they’ve always to boil sap into maple syrup. They dis- been honest with themselves. Honest cuss the product’s nutritional features. about where they felt willing to put They also share the importance of for- their effort. Honest about how they est health with visitors. Debi jokes that wanted to spend their time. The couple she is the quick “just the facts m’am” knew from the start that they wanted to kind of tour guide. Harry provides long teach and work with people. tours with a lot of detail. Debi says Thurston and Peters will Selling continued on page 38

June 2018 37 Selling: continued from page 37 Stu tapped his first sugar maples in Debi recommends the same honesty 2000. By 2003 he obtained the neces- to prospective entrepreneurs. “Work sary licenses to sell his syrup, and later around your passion,” she says. Cus- received organic certification. Having tomers know when you’re not having these licenses made selling to approxi- fun. mately 15 to 20 stores in the area much easier. He explained that the maple Stu and Corinne Peterson market is small in Minnesota, and so Camp Aquila, Dent, MN is customers’ understanding of the product. The licenses helped legitimize Stu and Corinne Camp Aquila’s syr- Peterson operate up for any nervous Camp Aquila in retail outlets. Minnesota. They have 1,250 taps, That, and Stu and the business is could look business a size that they can owners in the eye manage with just and say Camp Aq- the two of them. uila was a locally- Stu says he’s not in- made and -sourced terested in getting product. He pro- bigger than that. vided stores with rack cards explain- “Everything is in ing that the syrup balance,” he says. was 100 percent Stu describes local. Minnesota as a Most of Stu’s “syrup deficit neighbors are back- state.” The state yard hobbyists. For rests at the west- the first three years ernmost edge of that Peterson har- sugar maple trees’ vested maple, he habitat, and maple boiled with a friend “Quality products sell themselves!” says syrup is a “demand just for fun. He has Michael Bryant of Hilltop Boilers Maple waiting to be met,” continued to learn Syrup in West Newfield, Maine. he says. Compared from fellow sugar- to a state like Ver- makers through the mont where the maple industry is deep Minnesota Syrup Producers’ Associa- and commercial, Minnesota has a “bou- tion. tique” or niche industry, he says. “It’s a hobby that got way out of con- Stu prefers the wholesale market trol,” Stu says about his love for maple. to selling retail. The farm is hard to find with roads that are impassible for Stu’s transition into a sugarmaker something like a school bus, he says. started when a local forester surveyed They sell approximately 90 percent of what was then the couple’s then second their syrup wholesale to local stores home. The tree doctor told Peterson and restaurants. and his wife that their land would be

38 Maple Syrup Digest perfect for a sugarbush. Stu offers what he calls his “Lucky Seven” pieces of advice for new sugar- In 2000, Stu decided to take early re- makers: tirement from his job as a commercial lender specializing in the agricultural 1. Be sure you are confident in your industry. He tapped 50 trees that year. ability to produce a consistent, quality product using best practices and His initial retail sales did not come using all food grade equipment. Your easily. Maple might be in high demand product is your reputation. Don’t in Minnesota. But, that doesn’t mean oversell your ability to supply. that customers or retailers understood it. Stu says he spent a number of his 2. Be sure you are licensed and inspect- early days educating people about ma- ed according to state requirements. ple syrup. 3. Start locally and establish close rela- Stu reminds new entrepreneurs tionships with retailers and restau- that it’s important to produce a quality rants who appreciate and promote product. And, produce it consistently. locally produced products. Build a relationship with local buyers. That Stu says Camp Aquila has a good is your niche. Build out from there as reputation. So good that he dropped the conditions permit. Promote what sets organic certificate recently. He hasn’t your operation apart from the rest of changed how it produces the syrup, but the pack. simply saves the $300 inspection fee. Selling continued on page 40 Tap into Vacuum

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June 2018 39 Selling: continued from page 39 product liability insurance. Some 4. Build your reputation as a consistent buyers will want proof of insurance reliable supplier of quality pure ma- before they will carry your product. ple syrup products. Seek out press in- 7. Keep good records for analyzing terviews and publicity. Get involved your business and for tax purposes. in local events and celebrations. These records will help you under- 5. Provide packaging that looks profes- stand which customers, product siz- sional. Package in glass where your es, packaging and value-added prod- quality product can be seen and use ucts are worth the effort. an attractive/unique label that meets Hilltop Boilers all state and federal requirements. West Newfield, ME This will set you apart from those who package in plastic using generic Michael Bryant started Hilltop Boil- containers. ers with his brother Mark in 1984. The then middle-school aged boys learned 6. Selling to the public is a business with how to sugar from their grandfathers. risks. Separate your business from your personal finances by forming a More than three decades later the corporation or LLC. Why put every- brothers are still 50-50 owners. Michael thing you own at risk? A legitimate tends to the marketing and finance side business operation can also provide of the business while Mark deals most- some useful tax deductions. And be ly with maintaining the operation’s sure you have sufficient general and equipment.

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40 Maple Syrup Digest Hilltop is a four-seasons working ing. The maple associations know ma- farm. Along with the family’s maple ple, he says. But opportunities to learn syrup and baked goods, the farm also broader marketing, financing, and oth- sells hay, tilling services, firewood, and er business skills abound. He recom- custom woodworking services with a mends signing up for every non-maple focus on cabinetry. marketing course an entrepreneur can find. Michael says in the past two to four years, he has pushed to grow the maple As an example, Michael says his business. According to him, the fam- wife recently attended the Maine Gov- ily’s children are old enough to partici- ernor’s Tourism Conference. The event pate in Hilltop. Bryant says he sees the opened “massive doors” for Hilltop, business as the Bryant kids’ future. Michael continued. Opening similar doors at a maple convention can prove Hilltop’s production has grown sub- sticky, since the other attendees are also stantially. Last winter, Hilltop built a the competition. new sugarhouse. This summer the family hopes to complete their farm store. It’s easy to get stuck in marketing Michael says Hilltop taps trees on land to people similar to one’s self, Michael owned by 41 different people. says. Remember, maple famers are not the average customer. “We’re working hard to grow,” he says. Local Chambers of Commerce are good resources, adds Michael. Some of the business growth has come through planning. Some through Michael credits success to diligence chance, Michael says. and producing a quality product. Early on, Michael decided to invest No one with questions leaves the in customer service. “In 2018, people farm or a tasting without a jug of syrup, make decisions fast.” A lot of people Michael says. If someone stops by the like supporting farmers, he says, but farm asking about wedding favors, for they’ll go to Amazon if they can get example, then they leave with a sample. something faster. So Michael decided “A quality product will grow a busi- to sell Hilltop products through the ness,” Michael says. farm’s website. He likes that he can take orders and ship syrup “around the clock.” Free shipping on orders over $50.00 is a big draw, he says. Hilltop also sells its syrup in Christ- mas Tree Shops across Maine. Hilltop This article is the first in a series devoted to won the contract after a handful of marketing and selling maple products. Look Christmas Tree Shop employees fell in for more articles in pcoming issues, and on love with its syrup. The employees ral- the next few pages. lied their managers and requested the shop sell Hilltop. Michael advises fledgling entrepreneurs to look beyond their local maple association for training and network-

June 2018 41 Sales Advice From a Business “Hatchery” Olga Peters

usinesses grow and sustain on re- A website is important, but “people peat customers, says Jim Verzino. don’t realize the asset they have in a fan base,” Verzino says. B Verzino is the director and entrepreneur-in-residence at Windham For example, if a sugarmaker travels Grows, an agricultural and food busi- to multiple farmers markets, they can ness accelerator located in Brattleboro, build future retail contracts by asking Vermont. The program works with en- repeat customers to recommend them trepreneurs who want to grow their ex- to the customers’ favorite stores. isting businesses, who built their busi- Verzino recommends sugarmakers nesses to where they’re working full plan their business and finances before time and have at least one or two em- making their first sale. What type of ployees and need additional resources business do they want? Will they sell and mentorship. to their local general stores, or create a Verzino spent way too much time bulk maple business? perfecting his website and not enough Entrepreneurs also need to insert time building a customer base in his buffers into their business. “Assume ev- early days as a new entrepreneur, he erything will take more time and more says. money than you expect,” he says.

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42 Maple Syrup Digest New entrepreneurs will make mis- commitments to friends and family. takes and miscalculations, Verzino says. Keeping risks low, practicing 3. Do they have their family’s support? good money management, and not in- 4. Safety, safety, safety. Verzino rec- vesting in new markets or equipment ommends talking first with their lo- until there is demand will give sugar- cal town offices to find out if there makers the breathing room to make are any ordinances governing food mistakes. In other words, make enough businesses. Then call their local state money to support the business before agencies of agriculture. quitting any other jobs. 5. Build a business strategy with a Verzino says entrepreneurs should rough timeline of actions and results. ask themselves a number of questions If the business will consist of selling early in their process: to the local general store, then make 1. Do they have the financial space to a list of stores, who to contact at each grow the business? This includes store, and the date to make the call. If calculating all expenses, from the the business will become more com- monthly mortgage, to babysitting plex than that, then so will the busi- costs, to groceries, to purchasing new ness strategy. bottles for the maple syrup, to print- 6. Develop a marketing plan. How will ing brochures. their syrup stand out from everyone 2. Can they commit the time? The busi- else’s? Will it be a different bottle? A ness must fit an entrepreneur’s per- colorful label? A compelling story be- sonality, but must also fit with other hind the syrup? A unique flavor? Thank you to our Research Alliance Partners The research published in the Maple Syrup Digest is funded in part by the North American Maple Syrup Council Research Fund. The Fund is supported by Alliance Partners and other contributors who make generours donations each year. Please support these businesses and organizations.

Alliance Partners Contributors CDL Maple Equpiment David Cioffi Dominion & Grimm U.S.A. NY State Maple Foundation Haigh’s Maple Syrup & Supplies LLC Ohio Maple Producers Association Hillside Plastics, Inc Mark Lupton Indiana Maple Syrup Association Karen Haigh Memorial LaPierre Equipment Maple Hollow Maple Syrup Producers Association of CT MA Maple Producers Association NH Maple Producers Association Sugar Bush Supplies Co. Sunrise Metal Shop VT Maple Sugar Makers’ Association WI Maple Syrup Producers Association

June 2018 43 Business Advice From a Maple Specialist Olga Peters everse osmosis changed the “This [upfront work] can save maple industry, says New York people a lot of investment and time,” RState Maple Specialist Stephen Childs says. Childs. It helped make maple profit- What if all the best-laid plans fall able. apart? Childs says many things can That doesn’t mean people shouldn’t waylay a new, or established business. put hours of paper planning into their The market can change or an owner business before they tap their first tree, falls ill. If this happens it’s time to re- he says. “Educate yourself ahead of evaluate. time,” says Childs. Childs sees value-added products as “Understand what it is you like to the next trend in maple. Cornell Uni- do,” he says. Don’t like people? Then, versity, for example, is experimenting consider selling syrup wholesale, he with finding inexpensive ways to use says. Really love people and nurturing maple as a sweetener in soft drinks. relationships? Then retail is the path. “It’s the most natural and most Once that decision has been made, healthy sweetener,” he says. “Maple it’s time to paper plan, Childs says. can step above the crowd.” Study the local maple market. Explore Cornell University’s maple program who will do what work, when it will offers multiple resources. To learn get done, where, and what is the likely more, visit: http://blogs.cornell.edu/ outcome, he adds. cornellmaple/ For example, before setting up a booth at the local farmers’ market, visit the market. Talk to the vendors about the market’s ups and downs. What Award Winning Maple DVDs does an average day of sales look like? For Sugarmakers - Schools - Libraries - Chat with visitors. Ask people what Nature Centers - Parks they think of maple. How much do The Magical Maple Tree they buy? FOR CHILDREN All about Maple Syrup Next, discover how well potential 10 min. - $20.00 customers, and the target area know (French version now available) about maple. The Maple Sugaring Story FOR GENERAL AUDIENCES “There are many little details,” The History and Production Childs says. 30 min. - $27.00 Some states don’t understand that Voices from the Sugarwoods maple is boiled even, he says. This may Vermont Sugarmakers Tell the Story influence the type of licenses a sugar 14 min. - $20.00 maker needs to sell within different All items add $3.00 s&h, 6% VT tax to VT addresses - check or Pay Pal locations. Checking regulations is espe- www.perceptionsmaple.com cially important for sugar makers living in a cross-boarder region. 802-425-2783

44 Maple Syrup Digest Additional Crop Reports West Virginia er areas, there was enough warmup some days for a few hours of sap flow Many producers started tapping most days. Then came the third week around the middle of January despite of February, which ushered in seven the cold temperatures that had started straight days with temperature highs in in November. Some producers in the the 60’s and 70’s for most of the state, lower elevations saw good runs during with some producers seeing tempera- the last two weeks of January and pro- tures as high as 85 degrees. duced a significant amount of maple syrup. Many days during these two Some years, many producers are weeks were perfect sap temperatures, still frozen up the third week of Febru- but frost in the ground hindered sap ary with little or no syrup being pro- flows until the last week of the month. duced, but this was the second year in a row that we experienced such a February ushered in the fourth dramatic warm up during that week. month in a row of cold temperatures This proved to be a death blow for the with some days having perfect temper- season for most producers in elevations atures for sap flow. The temperatures below 1,200 feet. Producers in the high- from the already colder than normal er elevations let sap run on the ground winter pointed to a long and promising and many re-drilled slightly deeper ta- season. By the 10th of the month, nearly pholes to clean all the yeast out of the everyone was fully tapped and seeing tap holes and spouts. some good sap flows. Even in the cold- West Virginia: continued on page 46 Serving The Maple Industry For More Than 90 Years! Countryside Hardware

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West Virginia: continued from page 45 There was a long freeze in the middle of March that severely limited sap col- After that week, temperatures went lection. The final stage of the season back to below normal and remained so did not include a significant period of until nearly the middle of April, with high temperature, which allowed some March proving to be one of the cold- sugar makers in colder areas to make est on record. Producers in the lower up ground on production. elevations with warmer sugarbushes only made 25% to 50% of a normal While some producers saw sap with crop. Most producers in the colder ar- lower than average sweetness, this did eas and elevations about 2,500 feet had not appear to be the case statewide. a decent season with 70% to 100% of The cold weather not only had an im- a normal crop. Overall, the statewide pact on sap flow but may have resulted average was about 60% of an average in syrup a bit lighter than average in crop. Producers that were vigilant in color by keeping sap cool and relatively the woods fixing leaks and maintaining free of microbial contamination. high vacuum levels faired the best. If not for the one week in February, West There were no reports of significant Virginia would have likely had a record or widespread problems with syrup crop with producers being able to make flavor this season. Many producers re- syrup up to 10 weeks. Despite the week ported that it was a lack of sufficient of extreme temperatures, three of the sap flow that determined when the sea- states top six producers in 2018 were son ended and not the onset of buddy able to stretch the season out to ap- off-flavor. proximately eight weeks by re-drilling Most sugarhouses finished produc- slightly deeper and this increased the ing syrup in the last week of April. In sap flow tremendously during the lat- terms of overall syrup yield it appears ter part of the season. that most producers were seeing totals either side of long-term or expected average levels. Some producers were just Vermont shy of expected totals (85% of expected was a common number used). Other Perhaps the single best word to de- producers reported exceeding expected scribe the 2018 Vermont season was… yields by 10-15%. Cold. It seems like much of the concern about temperature impacting yields Quebec has centered around abnormally high temperatures, but this season many The Federation of Quebec Maple producers reported below average tem- Syrup Producers reports that overall peratures contributing to less than ideal production for the Province declined sap flow. Few producers reported see- by 22% from the record-setting 2017 ing any large sap runs or sap flow rates season. Total production was 118 mil- that tested the capacity of the operation. lion pounds of maple syrup from 46.8 Most sugarmakers characterized the million taps. season as having slow but steady runs, with at least two prolonged freezes. The season began for most producers in the first two weeks of February.

46 Maple Syrup Digest Industry News: IMSI International Maple Syrup Institute News Dave Chapeskie R.P.F. Executive Director, IMSI he Board of Directors Meeting of fication because of the current demand the International Maple Syrup situation. Institute (IMSI) was held at the T Everyone reported that sales are American Maple Museum in Croghan, strong, with up to an 11% increase in NY on Friday, May 11. this quarter. Maple Syrup Supply & Demand Quality Assurance Roundtable Growth in maple syrup production Discussion capacity in the U.S. is estimated at one The IMSI table is a collection of some million taps. A planned expansion by of the most astute maple industry lead- five million taps is underway in Quebec ers. At times, we conduct a round table over a two-year period. Production ca- discussion on relevant issues and brain- pacity in Ontario and New Brunswick storm potential solutions. Everyone is is growing by up to 5-7% each year. asked to provide feedback Going into the 2018 pro- and some common ground duction season overall sup- on quality issues is shared. ply was still very good, with A few items that we need to about 80 million pounds of pay attention to in the near maple syrup in the Fed- and longer term: eration’s strategic reserve. • There is still “alternate Also, some packers/proces- equipment” that producers sors have held inventory are using that is not food surplus to meet their needs grade and is makeshift in over the past two years. nature. This sends an image It is expected that the smaller crop in that maple production can be done 2018 will lead to a drawdown both on with inferior supplies and “jury- the strategic research and on other in- rigged” to meet the situation. Often, ventories. This should lead to some these show up on You Tube as the re-balancing of supply and demand in sure fire way to make maple syrup. advance of the 2019 season. The strate- It damages the industry’s credibility gic reserve is meant to deal with annual and renders it visually as a simple crop fluctuations such as this, and all “Mickey Mouse” procedure. indications are that the industry will be able to meet demand in the upcoming • What to do to manage RO water as it sales year. is expelled from the RO? An interesting fact is that organic • There was broad consensus regard- maple syrup is now 36% of the intake ing the need to continue to provide into the strategic reserve, but demand education to small producers and for organic syrup has leveled off. It is other producers as needed on syrup not sure what that may mean in the quality, lead elimination, and the im- sales season ahead. It is possible that some producers may drop their certi- IMSI: continued on page 48 June 2018 47 IMSI: continued from page 47 ing in the recognition of off-flavored portance of utilizing proper equip- syrups, but of equal importance is ment recognition of good quality syrups • There should continue to be con- • Blending of off-flavored syrup with certed effort in the development and good flavored syrup is discouraged execution of 3rd party certification • Use less harsh chemicals in cleaning programs. Some argue that raising of RO’s and tubing. awareness and education need to be complemented by self-regulation • When new tubing is installed, do not collect first runs of sap due to the • There is evidence that off-flavored potential for added off-flavors in the syrups are entering retail markets. syrup This is potentially very damaging to the maple syrup industry. • Utilize defoamers that are acceptable and do not potentially contaminate • There is a need for additional train- maple syrup.

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48 Maple Syrup Digest NAMSC Weighs in on “Added Sugars” Issue The United States Food and Drug and having products that are identical Administration has proposed new nu- under the FDA standards for maple trition label requirements for pure ma- syrup with differing labels will limit ple products that NAMSC and other in- that understanding. dustry leaders are concerned will harm Our industry depends upon educat- our industry. Below is the text of a letter ed consumers, and consumers who seek submitted to the FDA by NAMSC on out our products are typically looking behalf of our members: for natural, minimally-processed, pure Dear Commissioner Gottlieb: sweeteners. Any implication on the nutrition label that suggests that the prod- The North American Maple Syrup uct contains anything other than pure Council is pleased to offer these com- maple syrup would mislead consumers ments on docket FDA-2018-D-0075, and could have a potentially devastat- “The Declaration of Added Sugars ing impact on our industry. on Honey, Maple Syrup, and Certain Cranberry Products: Guidance for In- We propose an exemption for single- dustry.” ingredient, pure maple products from the Added Sugar line requirement. The We write in opposition to the require- new nutrition labels will require, as the ment that pure maple products include current one does, the total sugars per the “Added Sugars” line as required by serving, and we feel that continuing to the FDA Office of Nutrition, Labeling offer the information about our prod- and Dietary Supplements regarding ucts in this manner adequately conveys Nutrition Facts Label “Added Sugars” the information the FDA is requiring on (21 CFR 101.9(c)(6)(iii)). This section re- the new labels. quires the inclusion of “A statement of the number of grams of added sugars The North American Maple Syrup in a serving” on food labels. Council, founded in 1959, represents maple producer trade associations While we welcome educating con- in 13 US states. We bring together in- sumers by providing them with industry leaders and affiliated groups formation about the foods they con- to share common interests, experience sume, this requirement would instead and knowledge for the advancement increase confusion by suggesting that and improvement of the maple syrup pure maple syrup – a single-source industry. Each year we fund research product that by definition is a sweeten- projects that improve the efficiency and er – has been adulterated through the quality of maple production, and sup- addition of other sugars. port the thousands of farmers who car- While we appreciate the FDA’s ef- ry on the uniquely American tradition fort to address this concern through of making pure maple syrup. the proposed guidance, we feel that the Thank you for the opportunity to of- suggested voluntary footnote to the la- fer these comments. We welcome any bel will only increase confusion, rather questions or requests for further infor- than lessen it. Consumer understand- mation as you consider the final guid- ing of and appreciation for pure maple ance. products depends upon consistency,

June 2018 49 North American Maple Syrup Council Research Fund The NAMSC Research Fund funds research that supports and advances the maple industry. In recent years we have given tens of thousands of dollars to projects that have developed innovative practices and technolo- gies, helped deepen our understanding of the science of sugarmaking, and promoted the products we all make.

You can make a difference! Research Alliance Partners CDL Maple Equpiment Concerned about the future of the Dominion & Grimm U.S.A. Haigh’s Maple Syrup & Supplies LLC Maple Industry? Make a contribu- Hillside Plastics, Inc tion to support the maple research Indiana Maple Syrup Association we fund. One easy way is to pledge LaPierre Equipment to send $.01 per container to the Maple Hollow Maple Syrup Producers Association of CT NAMSC Research Fund. Grant re- MA Maple Producers Association cipients are announced at NAMSC NH Maple Producers Association Convention each October. Sugar Bush Supplies Co. Sunrise Metal Shop VT Maple Sugar Makers’ Association WI Maple Syrup Producers Association

Please thank them when you do business with them. Research Fund Contribution Form

Name ______

Address ______

City/State/Zip/Country ______

Phone ______Email ______

Amount of Contribution ______containers x $.01 = $______

Suggested Contribution is $.01 per Container. Send to Treasurer Joe Polak at the address below.

For more information contact:

Winton Pitcoff, Chairman: PO Box 6, Plainfield, MA 01070 413-634-5728, [email protected] Joe Polak, Treasurer: W1887 Robinson Drive, Merrill, WI 54452 715-536-7251, fax 715-536-1295, [email protected]

The NAMSC Research Fund is a non-profit, volunteer committee of the North American Maple Syrup Council, Inc.

50 Maple Syrup Digest Subscriptions Most state associations include a Maple Syrup Digest subscription with your annual dues. Before subscribing, please check with your association to see if this is already a member benefit for you.

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Please Consider Including NAMSC in Your Estate Plan The North American Maple Syrup list NAMSC as the beneficiary of your Council has received a number of bank accounts, retirement plan or life generous bequests from sugarmakers insurance. Contact your attorney for who wanted to ensure that the impor- information on how to revise your tant work of our organization can car- will, or your financial institution, plan ry on. Those funds helps us promote administrator, or life insurance agent the maple industry and support our for the procedures required to revise members. Planned giving like this is a your beneficiary designations. way for you to show your support for The information needed for your the maple syrup industry for many legal documents is: North American years to come. It’s a simple process. Maple Syrup Council, PO Box 581, You can give a dollar amount or a Simsbury, CT 06070. percentage or your estate, or you can

June 2018 51 715-536-7251 Merrill, WI 54452 Merrill, W1887 Robinson Drive Drive W1887 Robinson [email protected] [email protected] www.maplehollowsyrup.com START AT MAPLE HOLLOW AT START subscription. If your mailing WHEN PLANNING A GREAT MAPLE SEASON, WHEN PLANNING A GREAT Please renew your Please label reads ‘REN’ this is your last paid issue. Maple Syrup Digest PO Box 6 01070 Plainfield, MA

52 Maple Syrup Digest