More Maple in the news - this time potentially good

[danno]

I believe that is our very own Sapman quoted.

http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1236675316212640.xml&coll=1

[220 maple]

Danno
I read the article that was in the NY times online, My first thought was it had a miss print. I was hoping it refered to public land access not private, but I soon found out they are trying to create incentives for private land owners to open their woods to sugarmakers. The easy way to get landowners in the state where I make syrup to allow access to their sugar trees would be allowing the landowner to claim their land as agriculture there by lowering their taxes. That will never happen! The other tidbit from that article that should concern everyone is the central storage and bottling facilities. The bottom line they want to know how much you are making. They want every penny of tax from every drop. Again MY 2 CENTS WORTH.

Mark 220 Maple

[KenWP]

I have a freind who wants me to tap his trees badly as he pays a $1000 bucks a week in property taxs on his land which is beside this huge lake and because hes over 70 he isn't strong enough to work it as any kind of farm land. It does not have enough sugar maples for any big guy to take over and tap but would be exxcellent for a little guy like me. Even if some other person gets the benifit of the work he can still class it as farm land then and his taxs go down like 75%. I am seriously considering it for next year.

[220 maple]

KenWP,
I know some states do allow landowners to claim the land as agriculture, therefore lowering there tax bill, this would open up alot of access to sugar trees in the Mountain State of West Virginia. The sad truth is I have never met a politician who didn't love a tax. So the odds of us convincing them to allow a land owner to get 75% reduction in the Taxes owed because there land reverts from recreational to farm use will not happen. If we had a WV maple producers association we could make some noise. That would be are only hope I believe, Again my 2 cents worth

Mark 220 Maple

[mapleman3]

I know a few of you in WV could always start an association! why not I bet there are more that would get involved and help get it started, then you could lobby state for recognition as a maple producing state. and who knows...

[KenWP]

I have always been a joiner but am hampered here in Quebec with the language with anything to do with maple as they refuse to work in English. I have to muddle thru the paper work for a few things the best I can.