Showing 1 – 10 of 14 resources

The Next Maple Marketing Campaign

Over two-thirds of consumers say that living a more sustainable lifestyle is important to them. Eco-friendly and Fair Trade claims are attractive to consumers, but the marketplace is still trying to clarify what lies behind these claims and if shoppers really follow through with their interests in the form of purchases. Consumer sentiment research looked at retail sales from 2017-2020 and showed that consumer spending on products with environmental, social and governance (ESG) claims grew at a faster rate than products without such claims (Am et al., 2023).

Foresters’ Approach to Sugarbush Management in the Northeast U.S.

This research is focused on a first of its kind survey of professional foresters with the goal of not only understanding the technical approaches foresters use when working in sugarbushes, but also how the surveyed foresters view sugarbush management compared to managing stands for other forest products.

Maple Management

These Maple Management pages include a variety of educational resources related to business for current maple producers, prospective maple producers, and forest land managers. Includes annual cost of production analyses, legal resources, business resources, rental and pricing tips, and more.

Maple Quality in the Marketplace Today 

250 maple containers of pure maple syrup were purchased online in 2020 and tested for density, color grade and flavor. Learn how many samples met the grading standards, how different testing instruments compare, the most common grading problems and some best practices to ensure high quality syrup reaches your customers.

The Northeast Maple Economy: Crop Distribution and Outlook

As the US domestic maple syrup crop continues to grow the influence of different scales and types of business can shape local communities and national trends. Survey results presented here demonstrate the dramatic difference in the scale of maple enterprises as represented by tap count and the resulting working forest acres these businesses utilize.

Resilient Businesses: Adapting to Change 

Maple producers and sellers are adjusting many aspects of their businesses to adapt to the shifting environment of the national pandemic. During this session Mark Cannella, UVM Extension, shares successes and considerations from shifting operations, marketing, and financial approaches to remain viable. Canella is joined by Jenna and Jacob from Baird Farm to share some of their perspectives. 

Renting Taps to Enhance Viability 

Can access to more taps improve your business? Do you own forest land that you’d like to lease to sugar makers? Mark Cannella, UVM Extension, provides information on leasing taps and different approaches to setting rental rates. He also shares the new UVM Sugarbush Lease Guide and Sugarhouse Lease Guide with participants.

Sugarbush Lease 2020: An Annotated Guide

This educational resource is designed for maple syrup producers, maple sap producers and forest land owners to consider, discuss and formalize lease agreements. This resource is not intended to replace the guidance of a legal professional. The situation for each person and party is different and professional legal assistance is recommended to ensure your business agreements are accurate, appropriate and complete.