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International Maple News
by Mary Douglass
2001 World Crop
While many in Michigan had a much improved season over last year,
the vast majority of the maple production region had a very poor
crop this past season. This year, it seems the further south you
were, the better you did. Ohio producers had one of their best
crops ever. In Michigan, those along the southern border did quite
well, while production dropped as you headed north. It seemed to
be a very uneven crop as well, with near neighbors reporting
substantially different yields. Most northern production areas,
including the northeastern states and Canadian provinces, had
substantially below average production-in most areas a 50-75%
crop. Availability of bulk syrup is tighter than we've seen in
many years and, accordingly, bulk and wholesale prices have gone
up considerably.
Paraformaldehyde Pellets
Surely the biggest issue of discussion in the industry has been
the alleged use of paraformaldehyde pellets as a tap hole
disinfectant. Though used widely in the
U.S. and Canada several decades ago, paraformaldehyde has not been
a registered product for use in either country since the early
1990's. Use of paraformaldehyde for this purpose is illegal and is
considered adulteration in the final product. Further, research
suggests that paraformaldehyde use is damaging to trees. While it
retards the growth of microorganisms in the tap hole, it may also
reduce the tree's defense mechanisms. Finally, in this age of
consumer awareness, allegations of paraformaldehyde use are
serious business. In an industry that lives and thrives on the
notion of a pure, natural product, suggestions of pesticide use in
its production just don’t sit well, even though there has never
been a health risk to the consumer. Nearly all members of our
industry agree: paraformaldehyde use is an unacceptable practice
in today's market; it is illegal, it is adulteration and it poses
a danger to our precious natural resource. Though rumors of
continued paraformaldehyde use have been kicking around for years,
specific allegations surfaced at the October 2000 IMSI meeting.
The IMSI is unique in its ability to address such concerns;
because such a broad spectrum of players sits at the IMSI table
(including producers, equipment manufacturers, packers,
researchers and government representatives) issues of grave
concern to the entire industry can be discussed and acted upon. At
the October meetings, our executive committee had a chance to sit
down with government regulators from both countries to encourage
investigation and follow-up on the allegations. Later, on behalf
of the IMSI Board, I wrote letters to all the State and province
Directors of Agriculture expressing our concern about continued
use and encouraging their participation in monitoring the problem.
Paraformaldehyde has continued to be an important topic at our
subsequent IMSI meetings. I'm pleased to report that government
officials have been aggressive about making on-site bush
inspections, including pulling taps and inspecting for the
presence of pellets.
Pellet users have gotten the message that neither the industry,
nor government officials will tolerate the use of this illegal
substance. Though there is still much work to be done in
monitoring this problem, some very important steps have been taken
to assure a pure product worldwide and an even playing field for
all producers.
Adulteration Testing
The IMSI is working to expand our program of random testing for
adulteration (mainly added sugars) in maple syrup worldwide. The
good news is that only one sample has been suspicious in our
nearly 2 years of testing; many believe the testing program itself
is a strong deterrent to would-be cheaters. The bad news is that
although we have processed numerous samples, we have not done
nearly as much testing as we would like. At our July meeting, we
pledged to increase our commitment (both in $ spent and no. of
samples processed) by formulating a broader, fairer method of
attaining samples. The majority of sampling to date has been in
response to specific questionable samples. While we'll continue to
accept suspicious samples (usually for being sold at an
unbelievably low price), we're putting in place a larger scale
program aimed at maple syrup packaged and sold in all areas of the
U.S., Canada and overseas. We're working closely with government
officials to prepare regulators for action, should a suspicious
sample arise--another way the IMSI is working to protect and
promote your pure maple products!
The Future of the IMSI
Finally, we've been engaged in a serious discussion about the
future of the IMSI. Organizations like the IMSI (and MMSA) are
limited in the programs they can conceive and carry out because of
limited resources-both financial and, especially, manpower from
their volunteers! We've begun planning for the next few years:
What can the IMSI do better than anyone else in the industry can?
Where should we put our resources to work to get the biggest bang?
How should we organize our volunteer board to function the most
efficiently? If you have suggestions about the role the IMSI
should play in our industry, I'd love to hear from you. The more
you participate in the programs of the MMSA, IMSI and NAMSC, the
stronger our industry. Stay informed and participate. You'll find
it educational, fun and rewarding!
The International Maple Syrup Institute (IMSI) is an
organization representing maple producers, processors, handlers
and equipment manufacturers in eighteen U.S. states and Canadian
provinces. The IMSI was organized in 1975 to promote and protect
pure maple products. MMSA pays annual dues to the IMSI on behalf
of the membership, making you a fully represented member of the
IMSI. Mary Fogle Douglass is currently serving as IMSI President.
Money in the bank is like toothpaste in the tube. Easy to take
out, hard to put back. -Earl Wilson |
