So now that maple season is over I have a chance to comment on this topic of a new style of collecting sap that is being developed and researched by UVM extension maple program.

Let me start by saying I do believe in technology and research in the maple industry. We are learning so much from what these folks are doing and it is very beneficial to the industry. There was an article in the maple news, about ethical practices in the maple industry, I believe from the cornell maple program, including Over tapping trees, tapping small trees, keeping maple production "looking good" to the public to keep the "good reputation" of the maple industry. Yet there is now a way to produce maple syrup by cutting the trees and capping the top and using vacuum to suck the sap.

I am sure I am alone in thinking that this is not the direction most sugarmakers want maple research to go. With the modern techonologies that many of us use, including myself, with vacuum tubing, RO's, Steamaways, etc. we can make maple syrup easier then ever before. Where 1000 or more taps can easily be handled by 1 person with a smaller evaporator with the proper setup. With big food production companies and big Agriculture, both with very deep pockets and world wide investors, could easily step in and purchase a large plot of land and begin to plant maple trees and begin "factory farming" maple syrup with in just a few years time. To me this is really scary for the entire maple industry. That being said with the way companies are developing GMO's this really opens the door for trees developed in a lab to maximize sugar in sap just for the purpose of a plantation/ field planting type of Maple Syrup Production.

This new method really destroys the ethical reputation of making maple syrup and being good stewards of nature that we all enjoy striving for.