SAP Reality TV

[peckfarm]

Folks,
Been awhile since I wondered the hallowed threads of Maple Trader so this subject may have already come up.
I just received an email from a reality tv producer looking to film sugar makers. This smells bad folks. My point of view is that our industry needs to maintain a level of professionalism that will not be served well by this type of exposure. I will not respond to this request, I hope you all think the same. The body of the email is as follows:


"Hey!

My name is Jake Rosen and I am a Development Producer, at a Crybaby Media in NYC. We have created shows for History, Discovery, Nat Geo, and many other networks. I am always on the hunt for new show ideas and larger than life characters! While researching, I came across American Sugar Shacks and now I can't stop thinking about this pursuit for LIQUID GOLD. If your business is SAP - this is for you!

We want to more about your operation and guys!! Doesn't matter how big or how small your operation may be. Looking for the biggest characters of the SAP WORLD. If interested, call or email anytime and we will be in touch! And hurry up, cause we'll be coming up to New England in the next couple weeks to film a team we already love! Looking for 2-3 more teams! Talk soon!"

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

Thad will sign up for this one

[syrup2nv]

I also recieved the same email today.:confused:

[happy thoughts]

It sounds like this show is already in the works??? Someone suggested the idea here last year, just for fun I think.

http://mapletrader.com/community/showthread.php?17482-Maple-Makers-Could-it-be-the-next-Swamp-People

Most who replied to that thread were against it but had some fun with it. I dunno. I suppose the publicity could be good for the industry though "Swamp People" did not give me the urge to go out and buy alligator meat :)

[maple flats]

Not me. All of the "reality shows" I've seen make one truly wonder what the insurance companies of those covered think (and do to their rates). For example Axe Men, the things they do on there are too far fetched, there is no way the industry gets any positive benefit from such exposure. The workman's comp. costs must shoot sky high after just 1 episode.
No way would I do it, bound to make syrup look very unprofessional and risky for consumers to trust!

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

I need their email so I can respond please.

[Thad Blaisdell]

Thad will sign up for this one

As I look up and see the tail lights of the bus that just ran over me.

[wiam]

As I look up and see the tail lights of the bus that just ran over me.

Come on Thad I would get a TV just to watch you. Flat threw you under but did you see who was driving. :cool:

[Flat Lander Sugaring]

BEEP BEEP VROOOOOOOOOOOM:evil:

[Thad Blaisdell]

did you see who was driving. :cool:

It was the short bus and it had a USPS label on the back

[madmapler]

Not me. All of the "reality shows" I've seen make one truly wonder what the insurance companies of those covered think (and do to their rates). For example Axe Men, the things they do on there are too far fetched, there is no way the industry gets any positive benefit from such exposure. The workman's comp. costs must shoot sky high after just 1 episode.
No way would I do it, bound to make syrup look very unprofessional and risky for consumers to trust! I agree 100%. My wife and I killed our tv about 5 years ago because of all the junk that was being brought into our home in the form of "entertainment". One thing is for sure, the entertainment industry could'nt care less about the hard work and attention to quality that sugarmakers put in to their craft. You wont see them hanging around Proctor or Cornell waiting for the latest technological advances either. Thats the last thing they'll want viewers to see. They will ignore all that and present us as a bunch of hicks. Thats entertainment. Another thing to consider is how might it cause the FDA to react?

[red maples]

maybe for someone with too many $$$ signs in their eyes!!!

I did a quick search and couldn't find too much but what they did do doesn't look too bad but at the same time doesn't seem good reality TV to me well maybe because we are crazy about maple anyway so we would watch it. Hopefully they don't get the guy that uses Valvaline oil buckets for sap gathering!!! then we are in trouble!!!

[madmapler]

Hopefully they don't get the guy that uses Valvaline oil buckets for sap gathering!!! then we are in trouble!!! I'm afraid thats just the guy they'll be looking for.

[wiam]

It was the short bus and it had a USPS label on the back

Ouch........ But funny. :lol:

[markct]

Lets just hope that whoever it is that ends up on this show is a sugaring operation that is a good representation of our industry and wont play into the producers antics as much as some of these reality characters do. I recall the swamp loggers series, they were pretty mild for the most part, the co owner wasn't a made up hot head who yelled all day, he was a realistic guy that explained stuff well and didn't over dramatize every thing, not surprisingly the series isn't on anymore guess it wasn't exciting enough for ratings. The gold mining guys show is another that I watched a couple time and just about when I would get interested by them starting to take a machine apart or do some welding and fabrication work then they would cut away to show a few guys yelling and screaming in an argument.

[spud]

You would have to be willing to make an *** out of yourself to get a spot on this show. Their not looking for normal.

Spud

[wdchuck]

For the right amount of money, they could make me into anything they want!

[spud]

For the right amount of money, they could make me into anything they want!

I remember when John and Kate split and their show ended (Thank God) it was said they were making $70,000 per show.

Spud

[Big John]

I think this could be what the industry needs. I was told we made about 200 million gallons last year 2013(world wide) and they can only sell 120 million. I am told the federation is worried. We all know if more people in the world tried our products they would love it. I understand what you all are saying. I think if it is done right it will be very good.

[PerryFamily]

Things that are done right don't generally make good tv.
I would think a marketing campaign would be better time, money and effort better spent.

[Big John]

I agree but I am a dairy farmer as well, and a portion of each one of our milk checks goes towards marketing. And yet milk is still the same price as 1972!!! I think the money just gets wasted on paper work and ideas that never happen. I am not saying TV is the answer I canceled mine 2 years ago. But I don't think there is super bowl adds for maple products? You need to think big picture more people being introduced to something can be great! Have you not watch nat geo? those are great shows. Fake? I know I know it will be a reality show. hence term reality{ not real}. If they asked me I would do it but on my terms, so it is perceived correctly. Maybe more $$$$ people would want to buy into it. sell it,eat it, bath in it. I don't care if they use it for glue.

[unc23win]

I think this could be what the industry needs. I was told we made about 200 million gallons last year 2013(world wide) and they can only sell 120 million.

That number seems rather high according to the Sugarmakers Companion in 2013 the US made 3 Million gallons and Canada made 10 Million gallons. I don't think the rest of the world makes 185 million gallons. It is my understanding that other countries make far less. In 2013 the average person in the US consumes only 3 ounces of Pure Maple Products per year so the consumption would be less throughout the world excluding Canada so expansion of the market is very possible. Interesting that in 1860 the US made 2 times the syrup and the average person consumed 10 times as much.

[DrTimPerkins]

I was told we made about 200 million gallons last year 2013(world wide) and they can only sell 120 million.

That would be pounds (lbs, #), not gallons.

The Federation currently has 60 M lbs in their strategic reserve. They "want" to have about 40 M lbs carry-over (strategic reserve), more or less. 60 M lbs is definitely on the high end of the range, and I'm sure they don't want it going higher than that.

We got to this point as a result of 3 things (mainly):
1) relaxation of the quota in Quebec (from 75% to 100% in 2009) and the addition of 5 million new taps starting in 2009.
2) growth of the U.S. maple industry through addition of taps and increases in yield (syrup/tap).
3) good seasons in Quebec in 2009-2012 (most of U.S. had a relatively poor crop in 2010 and 2012), followed by an EXCELLENT season industry-wide in 2013. In Quebec alone, 2013 was a 65% increase over the last 4-5 yrs.....that's just not likely to happen every year.

8177
(Sorry, these values are in gallons instead of lbs)

I would argue that #1 and #3 are probably the biggest reasons for the current surplus, and that #2, while an irritant to Quebec producers, is really a rather small contributor to the overall problem.

The real question is what is the Federation going to do about it? There are three pretty straight-forward ways of addressing it.
1.) Drop the price of syrup. This will affect the entire industry (both Canada and U.S. producers and packers). However, since the Federation has worked very hard to get the prices up (through negotiations with buyers), there is probably a good deal of resistance to dropping the price, as this would mean that they would then have to renegotiate the prices back up again over a period of time. In addition, it would also mean that the value of their strategic reserve would fall overnight....kind of like when the stock market takes a dive.
2.) Re-institute the quota in Quebec. The advantage of doing this is that the Federation could simply impose the quote without involving any other entities (the buyers) and without having to negotiate with anyone about it. Further, they could raise and lower the quota very simply to suit the supply and market needs. In fact, this is exactly what they did back in 2003. Will they do it again.....who knows? The disadvantage here is that the Quebec maple producers will be upset about it, however they take a hit either way (price drop or quota imposed). The other disadvantage is that it doesn't check U.S. industry growth....but take a look at the graph above and tell me how much of a threat we appear to be.
3.) Take a "wait and see" approach. We're close enough to the 2014 season to just wait and find out what Mother Nature gives us in the next season, and institute any changes after that. If it's a poor season, problem solved. If it's another great season, then action will probably be needed. This is what I suspect will happen (for now).

Who knows, maybe there are some real creative ideas they'll come up with.

More realistically however, despite all the stuff outlined above, for U.S. producers the thing that has impacted us the most over the past 10 yrs is the Canadian/U.S. Exchange rate. As long as the exchange rate is close to par, U.S. producers are likely to do fairly well. The recent small drop in prices is probably due more to a slight drop in the Canadian $ than to the current oversupply.

8176

[spud]

Thanks for the information Dr. Tim. The one thing I think would help the overall increase of maple syrup sales (world wide) is to lower the price. I know this is not what most people want to hear but I really think it would work. Most people around the world cannot afford maple syrup. Most people around the world have never tried maple syrup because their stores do not stock it. The reason the stores don't stock it is because they know nobody could afford to buy it. There is no point in putting something on a shelf if it is not going to sell. A person in the Philippines is not going to buy a quart of maple syrup for $30.00. Wal Mart has become the world leader in retail because their prices are low. Because of this more people shop their stores and more sales are made. Their thought is a penny made here and there will all add up (and it does). We might want to make $100.00 profit by selling 3 gallons of syrup but a big retailer has no problem selling 10 gallons to make the same. The sugarmaker's are the ones that would feel the pinch if the price dropped. The maple dealers would sell the same equipment for half the price. Instead of some making a killing now they would just make a living. Canada, Maine, New York and Vermont would then see an increase in large sugaring operations to supply the demand. The back yard producer will still sell his or her syrup to family and friends. The introduction to affordable Maple syrup in 2nd and 3rd world countries could double or triple the amount of syrup sold world wide. If a person needs to tap 8000-10,000 to make sugaring a full time business now he might need 15-25,000 if we lower the price.

Spud

[unc23win]

Spud thanks for forgetting PA :( ha ha!

I think we are all in a wait and see situation no matter how much we make ourselves. As Dr. Perkins said it changes a lot from one year to the next and he also mentioned maybe reserve is a little high but a poor year will fix that problem.

In my opinion there is room to grow by both increasing sales world wide and promoting all the uses such as natural sweetener for cooking. Seems to me that if the average person in the US only consumes 3 ounces a year their is plenty of room for growth in the US.

One thing that helps smaller producers in my area is the big guys have contracts (Cabellas) to meet so they usually have to buy syrup a bad year they buy more.

[DaveB]

I think there is a lot more demand out there than people are aware (on both sides of the aisle). I think food service is a good example. I'm seeing more and more restaurants and catering places buying syrup for sale because they know it's an easy sell. We're pushing the market and trying to sell in places outside of where it is traditionally available in restaurants. If that trend continued, that could lead to a lot of extra syrup sales. I know Cracker Barrel used to use 100% real maple syrup but they stopped several years ago when bulk prices skyrocketed. Now it's a blend.

If demand goes up, supply will go down. If they can keep pace, we're in a good spot. My fear is that there is no one single marketing push for demand and producers are on their own to find markets so there is a limit to growth. Like someone said, we need a marketing campaign like beef or milk producers.

[tuckermtn]

the federation says they have 60 Mil Lbs. in their reserve...but do they really know if all those barrels are full? I'm just saying are they absolutely sure that is what they actually have on hand...?

[DaveB]

One thing I wanted to mention in my original reply is that this kind of show could either be good or bad for all of us. It depends on how it's portrayed. If they get some good producers striving for production and quality we should be OK but if they are looking for back water types using old oil buckets for sap collection and just doing dumb stuff, that could be mountain of trouble for all of us both from a regulatory point of view but also sales. I think right now people have a certain image of us and a show like this can either make or break it. It all depends on what the show producers want.

[DrTimPerkins]

One thing I wanted to mention in my original reply is that this kind of show could either be good or bad for all of us.

True....could be good exposure, could be bad exposure. If those maple producers the show followed were doing a good job, and the show caught on, it could expose a huge potential audience to maple.

[spud]

Spud thanks for forgetting PA :( ha ha!

I think we are all in a wait and see situation no matter how much we make ourselves. As Dr. Perkins said it changes a lot from one year to the next and he also mentioned maybe reserve is a little high but a poor year will fix that problem.

In my opinion there is room to grow by both increasing sales world wide and promoting all the uses such as natural sweetener for cooking. Seems to me that if the average person in the US only consumes 3 ounces a year their is plenty of room for growth in the US.

One thing that helps smaller producers in my area is the big guys have contracts (Cabellas) to meet so they usually have to buy syrup a bad year they buy more.

Jared,

Sorry for forgetting you fine folks in PA. I know it has been mentioned that people in the USA only consume 3oz of syrup per year. I am not sure if we want Americans eating anymore syrup because we are fat enough as it is. :lol: It might be better to push our syrup on skinny people in other countries and let them get fat. In order to do that the price would have to lower to make Maple Syrup more affordable. If a reality show ever does happen the chance of everyone on the show making quality syrup would be slim. The big operations with all their high tech equipment should be fine but the back woods hillbilly cooking the sap (the old fashion way) could be a problem for all of us.



Spud

[slybird353]

I love the way these college kids are educated. I am not college educated but I know enough not to start a letter off with "hey there!"
This might be a fishing expedition for this Jake as he has approached many different walks including log home builders, Amish folk, maple syrup producers and others. A quick google search returned the following results.

Hey!

My name is Jake Rosen and I am a Development Producer, at a major television company based in NYC. We have created shows for Discovery, Destination American, History and many other networks. I am always on the hunt for new show ideas, and while researching ideas I came across the idea of towns thats fockle point is surrounded by one major theme. Whether it be Hershey PA where the town is all about chocolate or Wild Wild West themed town, I believe this topic could be a great show! I I have spoken to some people at networks who also think this could be a great fit! I came across Tombstone and think this may be the perfect town. If you have time I would love to set up a call and discuss this topic and see if we can work together in some way. Or if you know someone who would be better to assist me in my research that would be appreciated as well. Any help is appreciated!

Thanks!

Jake Rosen
crybaby media

Hey there! My name is Jake Rosen and I am a Development Producer, at a major television company based in NYC. We have created shows for Discovery, Destination American, History and many other networks. I am always on the hunt for new show ideas, and while researching ideas I came Amish builders. I have spoken to some people at networks who also think this could be a great fit! If you have time I would love to set up a call and discuss this topic and see if we can work together in some way. Any help is appreciated!

Thanks!


Not a bad résumé either for a kid who graduated college just last year.

[markct]

Guess they do a lot of fishing and hope they get a bite here and there, altho I do find it kind of ironic they would try and contact amish builders via email....maybe a little more research on there part would help!

[peckfarm]

Emphasizing thought and patience over exposure might help producers, promoters and researchers forsake hasty media attention in favor of consistent quality maple production.

[maple flats]

Must be his college education nor his spell checker knew how to spell "fockle point". I seriously question how many of those networks he has sold programs to. But, I'd never allow that type of program to feature me. However if a true educational, factual based producer approached me, things might be different. Such as the "How It's Made" mini clip type.

[Mark]

What happened with the filming of a maple reality show?