The Michigan Maple Syrup Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of maple sugaring in Michigan and the promotion of Michigan pure maple products.

MMSA Objectives
The objectives of our organization are to:

• Become an organization which speaks with recognized authority and reliability in the interests of Michigan maple producers.
• Represent Michigan maple producers in any regional, national, and international maple organizations and any other organizations or forums designed to improve the maple industry.
• Develop and enhance advertising, educational, and publicity activities designed to promote Michigan maple products.
• Actively lobby for and encourage the adoption of State legislation that will protect and enhance Michigan maple products.
• Develop an MMSA logo as a standard of quality for use by members and to promulgate rules governing its use.
• Encourage and cooperate with the Michigan Dept. of Agriculture, the Extension Service, the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, and Michigan Colleges and Universities in the development of research, programs, and initiatives promoting the Michigan maple industry.
• Actively recruit membership in MMSA of all Michigan maple producers and of all related organizations.
• Communicate regularly with all members through scheduled meetings and through a newsletter.

Educational Benefits
Meetings: The annual meeting of the membership of the MMSA is generally held in January of each year at a central location in the state. The 2002 annual meeting was held January 19, 2002 at the Dougherty Hotel and Convention Center in Clare Michigan. The next annual meeting will be held on January 18, 2003, and will include a business meeting of the membership, educational sessions and a display area of sugaring equipment and supplies vendors. 

A second meeting of the membership, the Annual MMSA Fall Tour, is generally held the last weekend of September. This meeting moves to different areas of the state each year and features on-site visits of several sugaring camps and often other local attractions. 

As associate members of the North American Maple Syrup Council (NAMSC) and the International Maple Syrup Institute (IMSI), members are encouraged to take advantage of the joint annual meeting of these two organizations. The meeting is hosted at rotating sites each year, with each of the sixteen member states and provinces taking turns hosting. 

Video Library: We have a full library of most of the maple videos available and make them available to you for a reasonable rental fee. Our library contains the following titles currently: 

• Maple Sugaring Story (includes educational workbook for the classroom)
• Maple Sugaring - a Springtime Tradition (NEW)
• Sugar Bush Management--Cornell University
• Maple Sap Production--Cornell University
• Maple Sap Processing--Cornell University
• Frost and Fire

Newsletter
The MMSA publishes three newsletters each year -- March, August, and December -- which are sent to current members. The newsletter provides up-to-date information regarding:

• Dates of upcoming association and national maple events.
• Research findings from research projects of interest to the industry.
• Educational materials regarding the production and marketing of Michigan maple products.
• Advertising and classified ads regarding maple equipment and supplies available.
• Other information of general interest to our membership.

Affiliations
MMSA is a member of the International Maple Syrup Institute (IMSI), a promotion / marketing organization made up of U.S. and Canadian producers and processors. MMSA also sends a delegate to the meetings of the North American Maple Syrup Council, which is comprised of sixteen member states and provinces and was organized to promote and support maple research.

The North American Maple Syrup Council: The National Maple Syrup Council was organized in 1960 to promote research in the areas of 1) the chemistry and technology of maple sap and products, 2) maple bush management and disease control, and 3) standardization and marketing of maple products. Six states-- Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Wisconsin--became the charter members of the organization. Michigan joined the association in 1962, along with New Hampshire. Maine and Minnesota joined over the next few years and in 1973, with a Canadian province hosting for the first time, the council name was changed to its current "North American Maple Syrup Council." Since that time, Connecticut, New Brunswick, Quebec and Indiana have joined, bringing the total membership to sixteen. The council has grown enormously since its inception in 1961 and now represents basically all of the major maple producing areas of the world.

The International Maple Syrup Institute: The International Maple Syrup Institute was born from a meeting of nearly 60 industry representatives in the fall of 1974. It is a non-profit organization funded by membership dues and grants form the Government of Canada. It was founded to promote and protect pure maple products. It developed largely in response to a very depressed market condition for maple syrup, especially darker grades. Canadian production greatly increased during those mid-70’s years while weather variances brought on darker colored maple crops throughout the production regions. The original goals of the organization remain the goals of today--to promote the marketing of pure maple products worldwide as one unified industry body.

The council includes representatives from each producing state and province plus representatives from producer cooperatives, packers, equipment manufacturers, government and educational representatives and individual producers. The Board of Directors meets quarterly, with a short annual meeting held in conjunction with the NAMSC Annual meeting each October.

Promotional Benefits
The association has developed a number of promotional materials available to our members to promote their products and educate their communities about maple sugaring.  
Brochures

• It’s Spring in Michigan: Welcome to Maple, a tri-fold brochure on the history and how-to of sugaring in Michigan.
• Some Observations and Facts About Michigan Maple Syrup Production,a simple card of quick facts and maple jargon. Even includes a few recipes.
• Michigan Maple Syrup: the sweetness of Michigan is our first attempt at a brochure to help members advertise their products in a joint project. It lists 22 members who "bought" advertising space to jointly fund the project.
• Michigan Maple Syrup Recipes, a nice little 16 page booklet of recipes from the kitchens of Michigan’s leading maple producers. Lots of tried and true recipes your customers will love.

• Select Michigan (1.25" round sticker)
• MMSA Logo (1.25" round sticker)

• Maple Syrup For Sale Sign, featuring the IMSI Pure Maple Syrup Logo
• Maple Syrup License Plate, also features the IMSI logo.
• MMSA Logo Window Decal

Information Services
MMSA membership links you to the friendship and knowledge of 200 other sugar-makers, plus gains you access to educational and research centers and industry regulatory offices.

MMSA Board of Directors

President
Larry Haigh 
6903 Lacey Lake Road 
Bellevue, MI 49021 
269.763.3107

Vice President
Roger Vande Bunte

Secretary
Jean Maday

Treasurer
Steve Youdes

Directors
Craig Arnold
Mary Douglass
Ron Kistler
Tim Boonstra
Ron Thomas