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Thread: Maple Tap Act

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Greer View Post
    So now a year has gone by, and I haven't heard a word about ANY of this. Have the frittered away the money doing a study? Has anyone been assisted by the TAP act? Has anyone heard from the State that there's a program of some sort running?
    The Maple Tap Act was passed as part of the larger budget bill last year, meaning that $20M was authorized. However, authorized doesn't mean it was funded. There were no funds ever appropriated for this use, so there was no money spent for this purpose. No study was done, no pockets lined....nothing.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  2. #12
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    I'd like to propose a new program... I think I'll call it the Maple Upgrade Act. My idea is that if the State has any money to pass around, they should give it directly to producers, depending on the size of the operation, to fund whatever the next logical upgrade might be. For some this might be as small as new 5/16 taps to replace the old ones. For others it could assist with the thinning of a wood-lot for fuel and sap production. Still larger producers might need road building assistance, or an equipment upgrade.
    My point is; This could be done without any study, and with a fairly small staff to look over proposals, and ALL of these ideas and upgrades would create product, commerce, and wealth, and spread the money down here where the real folks live.

  3. #13
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    They have spent some money in Pennsylvania. I know of three RO's that were purchased with a 80% grant funded by the TAP act. They will also fund other upgrades, but everyone goes for the big purchase.
    Last edited by Foremaple; 04-08-2015 at 10:23 PM.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Foremaple View Post
    I know of three RO's that were purchased with a 80% grant funded by the TAP act.
    Totally different pot of $. Those are (probably) USDA energy efficiency grants, not Maple Tap Act funds (which don't actually exist). Maple also occasionally gets federal $ from Specialty Crop Block Grants that go to each state. The states are in charge of determining how to spend these funds (within the specified permitted uses). Often the amount an agricultural group receives depends upon how big the industry is....which is a good argument for reporting your production to USDA NASS each year.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Greer View Post
    For some this might be as small as new 5/16 taps to replace the old ones.
    While there are plenty of ways to spend money, I think pretty much all the research that has been done shows that replacing spouts provides an economic net benefit to producers (though increases in sap yield) regardless of who is paying for it. Sometimes you've gotta spend a nickel to make a dime.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  6. #16
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    Yes of course, and I'm a big believer in infrastructure investment. My own operation includes a new sugarhouse that will serve my needs for decades to come, and will pay for itself in about 15 years... Still a bit of real, custom-tailored help would be great, especially in a year like 2016 when our season may just start and end in the same week, and my production may not even cover the needs of my own household. With any luck I may see a nickel made for each dollar spent this season.

  7. #17
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    Update, Nothing new has changed since the Maple Tap Act was introduced. Only one producer in our area may have took NYS up on it they had the Governor and Assembly members visit the sugar house had the media there for photos and local news coverage. From what I could see it was all just smoke and mirrors. But in a way I'm glad NYS has kept it's distance from something we treasure so much with the track record they have they would just screw it up anyway.
    Tap'em if ya got'em.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Burnt sap View Post
    Update, Nothing new has changed since the Maple Tap Act was introduced. Only one producer in our area may have took NYS up on it...
    The Maple Tap Act was Federal, and was included as part of the 2014 (?) Farm Bill, which runs for 5 years. It passed, however no $ were ever appropriated to fund it. Therefore NOBODY every got any funding from this source....and probably never will.
    Dr. Tim Perkins
    UVM Proctor Maple Research Ctr
    http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc
    https://mapleresearch.org
    Timothy.Perkins@uvm.edu

  9. #19
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    Guess that about sums it up. Thanks Doc.
    Tap'em if ya got'em.

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