Hearing on Proposed Grading Changes

[DrTimPerkins]

Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association

Public Comment Sought on Proposed Maple Grade Changes

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, in partnership with the Vermont Sugarmakers Association and UVM Extension, will hold three public meetings to take comment on the proposed changes to the maple grading system.

The changes have been proposed to align the Vermont grading system with the standard recommended by the International Maple Syrup Institute. Members of the public will be given the opportunity to provide comment.

Meeting dates and locations are as follows:
• Tuesday, October 16 - Middlebury American Legion Post 27, 49 Wilson Road, Middlebury
• Wednesday, October 17 - South Woodstock Fire Station, Rt. 106, South Woodstock
• Thursday, October 18 - Lamoille Union Tech Center, Rt. 15, Hyde Park
The meetings will begin promptly at 7:00pm. After a brief presentation outlining the proposed changes, discussion will be moderated by Lynn Coale, Director of the Hannaford Career Center and a member of the Agriculture and Forest Products Development Board.

Input from these meetings will inform future consideration of the maple grading system standards.

For more information, please contact Henry Marckres at the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets: 802-828-3458


To All VMSMA Members:

I would like to encourage all of you to attend at least one of the three informational meetings that will be held by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, October 16, 17, and 18. An effort is being made to hold them at several locations so that you will not need to travel excessive distances to attend. Your attendance is very important whether you are in favor or not in favor of the proposed changes.

The directors of the VMSMA have voted unanimously to support the proposed Maple Syrup Grading changes. This process has been in the works for over 10 years and has also been approved by the board of directors of our International Maple Syrup Institute (IMSI), an organization which has representation from 12 US maple producing States and 4 Canadian Provinces. The proposed changes were the result of a lot of study, discussion, and negotiation. The final version, which is now proposed, is the one that was submitted by the Vermont Maple Industry Council to the IMSI and adopted at the October 2009 annual meeting which was held in Bar Harbor Maine.

The proposal would have Grade A with 4 Classes and Processing Grade. Vermont's more stringent density requirement will remain the same as they are now.

1.) The light transmittance of the lightest class (Golden Color and Delicate Taste) remains the same, at not less than 75% and Vermont producers may still use Fancy if they wish to, as long as the new terminology is also used.

2.) The next class, (Amber Color and Rich Taste) less than 75% to 50% light transmittance, includes the present Grade A medium amber and the top of the present Grade A dark amber.

3.) Dark Color and Robust Taste (the darker portion of the present A dark Amber and the lighter part of the present VT Grade B) less than 50% to 25% light transmittance.

4.) Very Dark Color and Strong Taste includes some syrup that is presently not legally able to be sold in retail containers. This will provide producers the ability to command a higher price for syrup that is only legally sold as commercial grade in bulk containers.
For Grade A, in all classes, the syrup must meet density requirements and be free from off or damaged flavors.

Processing grade: Fails other grade requirements (density, flavor, unfiltered, etc.).

For more information about these proposed changes, please take a look at the chart which compares the present assortment of maple grading that exists within the maple producing regions. To have them all be uniform and include some flavor characteristics, would put everybody on an even playing field and be much less confusing for consumers. This has been proven in consumer studies that have been conducted by the IMSI in some metropolitan areas.

Please make an effort to attend one of the meetings and bring some of your producer friends so that everybody who wants to ask questions or make comments will have the opportunity.

Thank you,
Jacques Couture, Chairman
VMSMA Board of Directors

[noreast maple]

DR. Tim, How come they are only having the meetings in the top half of state and at night time in middle of week? Its like the lower half of state dont matter, much like vtrans. some of southern nh would probably show up too if they were to hold one meeting further south. Just wondering and wondering why not on a saturday? Thanks in advance for a reply , Maybe? Noreast Maple.

[rgmaple]

Dr. Perkins - I have a question on the processing grade that is being offered for the new grading system with the light transmittance of less than 25%. As you know, buddy and sour syrup are often very light in color. Do these come under this catagory?

[red maples]

That has to a misprint in the card I have put out by the IMSI the very dark maple syrup says less than 25% Tc and strong taste.

they are as follows....
golden 75%
amber 75% to 50%
dark 50% to 25%
very dark less than 25%

So it basically saying that the Very dark syrup has no color end or it can be as dark as night as long as there are no off or damaging flavors.

As Far as commercial or processing grade they can be any color grade but again off or damaging flavors, ie buddy, burnt, chemical ,what ever the case may be, it can't be labeled anything else in the grade A catagories.

[rgmaple]

So, if I am reading this right - The "processing" grade will be anything that is basically crap, and whatever color it is, it is. There is no color scale to be met on this grade? This could look yellow and still be within the specs.

[red maples]

yep. Even by todays standards if its bad its bad period. your not going to take a syrup that is light or fancy in color but tastes very buddy and sell it!!!! You can't. just because a syrup comes out above the processing grade color characteristic doesn't mean it good syrup.

By NH standards right now Grade B has no bottom end color like VT does. So I can make syrup until its buddy reguardless of color. As long as it doesn't have off flavors to it and its darker than the dark color then its Grade B. and this is how it will be when new grading standards are in place for everyone. I personally don't understand the issue with a syrup being darker but still tastes good, I don't understand that one at all!!! but thats just me

[rgmaple]

I agree with you...I'm just wondering if the new maple laws agree with you on the color issue of the processed syrup. Does the processed syrup have to be very dark in color in order to be within the specs of "processed" which will not be sold as retail. With today's technology, the color does not relate to the flavor when it becomes buddy or sour. How does this work with the "new" standards and the light transmittance requirements.

[DrTimPerkins]

DR. Tim, How come they are only having the meetings in the top half of state and at night time in middle of week? Its like the lower half of state dont matter, much like vtrans. some of southern nh would probably show up too if they were to hold one meeting further south. Just wondering and wondering why not on a saturday? Thanks in advance for a reply , Maybe? Noreast Maple.

These meetings were arranged by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. They are for those producers and others from Vermont who are interested in how the Agency will deal with the proposed grade changes. I would imagine other states will handle it in their own fashion. Keep in mind I'm only passing on the info....I don't have any idea of the hows/whys/whens of decisions, but if I had to guess, I'd say that they are trying to cover as much of the state as possible, particularly those areas with fairly high concentrations of maple producers and others involved in the maple industry. Vermont isn't so large that it won't take anyone more than a couple of hours to get to one of these meetings.

[DrTimPerkins]

Dr. Perkins - I have a question on the processing grade that is being offered for the new grading system with the light transmittance of less than 25%. As you know, buddy and sour syrup are often very light in color. Do these come under this catagory?

No. Under the proposed regulations, off-flavored syrup of any type would be considered "Processing Grade" (equivalent to "Substandard" syrup currently), regardless of light transmittance. Also, buddy syrup is most often quite dark-colored (this year being an exception).

[DrTimPerkins]

So it basically saying that the Very dark syrup has no color end or it can be as dark as night as long as there are no off or damaging flavors.

Correct

As Far as commercial or processing grade they can be any color grade but again off or damaging flavors, ie buddy, burnt, chemical ,what ever the case may be, it can't be labeled anything else in the grade A catagories.

Correct. For detailed information on the proposed IMSI grade proposal, see http://www.internationalmaplesyrupin...-services.html and scroll down to the grade standards sections.