Maple Marketing Tools Poll

[Parker]

What marketing can do is amazing...especially targeted marketing...syrup has some bennificial stuff in it that appeal to the "north face" crowd...the folks that have disposabel income...so im one of the only guys on here that make well over 1kgal a year,,,come on dude,,,
Try reading the book "how to win friends and influance people" its great that your passonate about the subject,,,but,,to get your point across,,,well,,, there are more effective ways.......

[minehart gap]

With at least a portion of the people in this forum having full time jobs and only producing maple syrup for fun or supplemental income, is there anyone that has a "real job" in the marketing and/or advertising field? Or a brother, sister, wife, husband, father, mother, etc.. that could help here?

Wally "the "free" stuff, such as available via USDA NRCS, isn't quite free. whatever funding is approved must still be claimed as income, and federal income taxes apply to the funding/grants. along with the strings of having uncle sam more involved in your operations than he already is."

Wally, you are 95% correct. there is little to no "free" stuff from NRCS. It is almost all "cost sharing". The method that is used is that NRCS pays the "operator"(you) a fixed amount for each of there practices based on quantity installed or treated upon completion. The operator in turn hires contractors (or does the work themselves) to preform the tasks to NRCS standards. Only after the practices is complete and functional is the operator given the cost share portion of funds from NRCS. The amount that the NRCS pays is not a percentage of the project, it is a fixed amount per practice. As far as Uncle Sam involvement, before and during the project you are correct, tax payers are about to invest a lot of money on your property, someone should be involved. It will be planned and inspected to ensure compliance. In addition, there are lifespans for each of the practices and the operator is expected to maintain the practice for that length of time. For example, If they put in a Access Road and Belt Breaker water divertors that have lifespans of 10 years, the operator is expected to keep the road up and belt breaker usable for 10 years. In my opinion, it is not a bad idea. Do your homework first. I was offered a special interest project for warbler habitat. This would be a limited contract and would not have given me the end result that I desire. I am holding out on a EQIP contract. Contact your local NRCS office if you are interested.