Welcome to the 2018 Vermont Maple Conferences!
A partnership between University of Vermont Extension and the Vermont
Maple Sugar Makers Association
The 2017 crop was another near record. Many in the maple industry are
concerned about overproduction, the decline in the bulk price of syrup, and
how to reach more customers. Many are also concerned about the long-term
health of the maple trees needed for syrup production. These conferences
are designed to help provide the most up-to-date information related to these
and other topics. The heart of this year’s program are four “subject tracks”:
Maple Production, Maple Marketing and Business Management, Sugarbush
Health and Climate and Maple Regulations. Attendees are welcome
to follow the same track or mix and match classes. Many thanks to all the
presenters for sharing their knowledge and expertise.
The days’ program will begin promptly at 8:15 a.m. with three brief (~10-
minute) presentations. This will give all attendees the chance to hear the latest
on the Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program in Worcester, Mass.
(from Program Leader Ryan Vazquez or alternate); what regulations such as
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) mean to sugar makers (from FDA
Food Specialist Joe Frost); and a brief market summary from a director of the
Federation Quebec of Maple Producers, David Hall. Later in the day, these
presenters will dive deeper on their topic in a full session.
We are pleased to return to the School for International Training (SIT) in
Brattleboro (January 20) and the Lamoille Union Middle School (January
27). There will be some slight changes to improve the experience: room rearrangements
allow for a larger tradeshow in Brattleboro, and we will enter the
Lamoille facility from the East Middle School entrance (stay right).
Registration is available online through the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers
Association website www.vermontmaple.org/maple-conferences or by filling
out the paper registration form included here.
Lastly, the past 12 months have seen the retirement of two longtime maple
specialists. Vermont Agency of Agriculture Consumer Protection Section Chief
Henry Marckres retired after 32 years of service, and UVM Extension Farm
Safety/Maple Specialist George Cook retired after 39 years. Congratulations
to Henry and George, and thank you for your dedication to the maple industry.
Hope you all can make it to the conference!
-Mark Isselhardt, UVM Extension Maple Specialist
The 2018 Addison County Maple Seminar will be held on January 13, 2018, at Middlebury Union High School in Middlebury, VT.
https://www.uvm.edu/sites/default/fi...ember-2017.pdf