How does it work in Quebec?

[DaveB]

The other thread about "slowing down big producers" has me thinking about how they do things in Quebec. I know there is a Federation of all maple producers in the province but how does maple syrup eventually make it into the hands of the consumer? It's got me asking a bunch of questions....

Does the federation take everyone's syrup and then pay them the price per pound that they set? I know some of the syrup is reserved but do they then pack everyone's syrup or do the individual producers pack their own syrup and sell directly? If that's the case, how do know that anyone made more than they were supposed to?

Are there buyers that buy from the federation and they do the packing? Where do the U.S. companies like Maple Grove buy the syrup that they get from the province? Are there bulk buyers/sellers that sell to end users or is that all done through the federation.

I'm just trying to figure out how it is all controlled up there.

[CBOYER]

i will try to answer some of your questions.
First, i am not under the Federation, i produce only for family and friends.

Federation doesnt sell to Customers, only to approved Buyers.

Producers under Quotas could sell and deliver directly to approved buyers, but are paid by Federation.

Thy could pack themselves and retail or send to any business for retail but had a lot of paper work to do....

Any syrup produced is inspected and classified by Federation, inspectors are part of CentreAcer (researchcenter)

Syrup that is not directly deliver to Packers is going to Federation wharehouse.

Having a quota means that a forestry engineer had made inspection, and make a detailed drawing of the sugarbush (number of tap)

Everything that is produced over Quotas is send to the Federation, and will be paid only when all other quotas will be sold. A part of excedent of a good year (like 2016) could replace for a bad year when quotas is not reach.

Federation had a lot of rules about barrels quality, etc.

Some reading about the Fed:

http://fpaq.ca/en/