WASHINGTON - The Maple Tapping Access Program (Maple TAP) Act, has passed the Senate as part of the 2012 Farm Bill. This legislation would provide grants to states that create programs to help maple farmers access trees that are currently untapped on private lands. The bill creates grants to states to support the domestic maple syrup industry through the promotion of related research, education, natural resource sustainability and marketing, as well as the expansion of maple-sugaring activities.

New York currently taps less than 1 percent of the state’s nearly 300 million maple trees, forcing the U.S. to import four times as much maple syrup as it produces. The state has not been able to take full advantage of its maple resources in part because nearly three quarters of the tappable maple trees are on privately owned land, potentially leaving over $80 million worth of maple sap inside the trees. Despite having 200 million fewer maple trees than New York, the Canadian province of Quebec taps roughly a third of its maple trees and is able to put out over 40 million more maple taps every year, cementing its standing as the world’s leader in syrup production. This Senate-passed bill will encourage private land owners to open their lands to maple tapping, while also encouraging market promotion, research and education surrounding the industry, all while helping to create jobs in New York and provide an economic boost to the region.
 
“The passage of the Maple TAP Act as part of the Senate’s Farm Bill is a sweet success for Upstate New York and Hudson Valley maple producers as well as the local economy and jobs in the maple-rich region,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, who proposed the legislation. “Upstate New York and the Hudson Valley stand ready and able to unleash the untapped potential of its maple syrup industry, and this legislation would help them do just that. Hundreds of millions of untapped trees are just sitting there, full of a lucrative natural resource that could propel New York to the top of the maple industry, and that’s why this legislation, which provides grants to help open up private lands for tapping, and for research and education in syrup production, further bolsters our efforts to make sure that New York’s agricultural market can reap the benefits of its natural resources. They say money doesn’t grow on trees, but with millions of trees waiting to be tapped, there may be bucketfuls of dollars inside them. The Maple TAP Act will help New Yorkers tap into this incredible business opportunity, and I will fight tooth and nail for it to be included in the House Farm Bill.”

“We’re grateful for this amendment which will provide new assistance to maple producers and brings recognition of the importance of maple research and marketing,” Dwayne Hill, President, New York State Maple Producers Association. “Maple is an important agriculture commodity and we look forward to continued growth in New York’s maple industry. There’s no stronger advocate for the New York maple syrup industry than Senator Schumer and we thank him for his hard work.“

According to a Cornell University analysis of U.S. Forest Service data, New York currently has approximately 280,000,000 potential maple taps, while actual taps are at 1,860,000.