Benefits of Sugar Bush Organic Certification?

[OrangeAgain]

In general I am a proponent of organic methods. As an new owner of a farm with a Forest Management plan and a substantial sugar bush that hasn't been tapped for years I am being asked by our forester if I envision wanting the bush certified organic.

In Vermont NOFA-VT performs the certification. We understand the certification requires that tops be left on the forest floor. Previous to being asked the question about certification my preference was to have the logger use the feller buncher method vs cut-to-length as the F-B method usually brings the whole trees out of the bush to a staging area where the tops and branches are removed and the logs cut to length. Having the tops and branches removed out of the bush would allow an easier job of installing pipeline.

What are the benefits of having our bush organically certified?

[lew]

generally ten cents a pound if selling bulk. It also can open up more markets for you if wholesaling.

[PerryFamily]

Plus: more $ for your syrup
Minus: cost $ to be certified
Last I knew it depended on your gross income but the minimum was $500. Don't quote me

I would like to see the term go away for syrup. Your syrup is no more organic than any others. Its mostly a marketing ploy in my opinion.

[nymapleguy607]

I would like to see the term go away for syrup. Your syrup is no more organic than any others. Its mostly a marketing ploy in my opinion.

Amen to that, honey is the same way. Do they track the bees to make sure they gather from organic flowers? I know there are a few differences between organic syrup producers and conventional mainly the type of defoamer you are allowed to use, but beyond that I don't see where there would be any difference. It seems like the word organic gets thrown around alot because its a good marketing buzz word, some are honest about it and some aren't. Just be sure to read all the restrictions and regulations of organic production before you decide.

[DrTimPerkins]

I know there are a few differences between organic syrup producers and conventional mainly the type of defoamer you are allowed to use, but beyond that I don't see where there would be any difference.

As Jeff says, there aren't a lot of tangible differences between organic and non-organic syrup. There are some fairly key requirements/restrictions though that you need to pay attention to (forest management plan, tapping/management guidelines, defoamer, etc.). None of these are real problematic, and getting certified is not terribly difficult for most producers, however there is a cost which is that a 3rd party must certify that the syrup is organic. The result is that you can get a higher price for your syrup. Realistically however, it comes down mostly to giving the consumer what they want. If some people want "certified" maple syrup, then who are we to complain about it or argue that there isn't much of a difference? If you want to target that market, don't try to convince those consumers otherwise, just give them what they want. The term "organic" is not going away.

[GeneralStark]

Plus: more $ for your syrup
Minus: cost $ to be certified
Last I knew it depended on your gross income but the minimum was $500. Don't quote me

I would like to see the term go away for syrup. Your syrup is no more organic than any others. Its mostly a marketing ploy in my opinion.

Maybe so but maybe not. There are some ways that organic certified syrup could be different from non certified syrup. The major one is lead levels. Organic certification requires lead testing, so if a producer of non-certified syrup is using galvanized sap buckets, galvanized storage tanks, and lead soldered pans, their syrup will likely be of a different quality and less "organic" in the sense implied by certification standards. It would likely not pass the certification.

I think part of the issue people have with the term "organic" is that they don't really understand how the term is used in reference to standards for food production. The term organic has a pretty broad meaning colloquially, but in reference to food production processes and techniques, it has a much more specific definition. In this sense, syrup high in lead is not "organic".

[GeneralStark]

Amen to that, honey is the same way. Do they track the bees to make sure they gather from organic flowers? I know there are a few differences between organic syrup producers and conventional mainly the type of defoamer you are allowed to use, but beyond that I don't see where there would be any difference. It seems like the word organic gets thrown around alot because its a good marketing buzz word, some are honest about it and some aren't. Just be sure to read all the restrictions and regulations of organic production before you decide.

I think there is potentially a broad difference between organic certified producers and non-certified producers. Sure there are producers like myself that are not certified that follow the organic requirements, but there is a pretty broad difference in techniques and equipment being used in maple production.

You could visit 10 different sugarhouses within 5 miles from me and see about 10 different set-ups. Several are still using galvanized equipment and soldered pans. Several are using trash cans and plastic stock tanks for sap storage. Many have sugarhouses that do not prevent animals from entering. The list of differences goes on and on.

There is potentially a substantial difference in syrup chemistry and quality between these different producers. There is more to this than just defoamer.

[GeneralStark]

In general I am a proponent of organic methods. As an new owner of a farm with a Forest Management plan and a substantial sugar bush that hasn't been tapped for years I am being asked by our forester if I envision wanting the bush certified organic.

In Vermont NOFA-VT performs the certification. We understand the certification requires that tops be left on the forest floor. Previous to being asked the question about certification my preference was to have the logger use the feller buncher method vs cut-to-length as the F-B method usually brings the whole trees out of the bush to a staging area where the tops and branches are removed and the logs cut to length. Having the tops and branches removed out of the bush would allow an easier job of installing pipeline.

What are the benefits of having our bush organically certified?

As others have noted there is certainly a potential financial benefit by certifying your sugarbush. Besides the financial aspect there are potential forest health impacts as well. For instance, organic standards require maintaining species diversity of at least 25% non sugar maple in your sugarbush. This is a significant factor as it is well documented that a more diverse sugar woods is less susceptible to disease and pest issues.

There is also, as you have stated, the requirement for the amount of woody debris that remains in the forest. Clearly it is beneficially to leave as much woody debris in the woods as is possible and this has been well documented also. The feller buncher or whole tree dstyle of logging certainly has advantages in terms of efficiency, safety and "cleanliness" but there are many potential disadvantages for forest health. One is obvious and relates to the removal of the tops. Another is the impact of skidding full trees through the sugarbush and injuring some of the remaining crop trees. Depending upon the layout of reads and the nature of the landscape, collateral damage can be significant using this technique. Most sugarbush owners I know do not think highly of feller buncher whole tree style logging in sugar woods. Instead they opt for less invasive techniques.

Sure it is done, and there are many examples of it here in VT, but in terms of long term forest health, it is probably not the best choice. Personally, I think it is possible to find a balance between the amount of woody debris left in the woods, and the inconvenience to setting up tubing. The challenge is finding a logger that understands this and isn't just looking to move on to the next job as quickly as possible.