Increasing maple producer sales and incomes with

quality value-added products

Coordinator
Summary Peter Smallidge, Project
The primary focus of the first year of the project "Increasing Maple Producer Sales and Coordinator
Incomes with Quality Value Added Products" was to collect the best information available on Cornell University
116 Fernow Hall
making quality maple confections and begin research on improving their quality, shelf life and Ithaca, NY 14867
marketability. We have developed this information into a Maple Confections Notebook for Phone: 607-592-3640
producers, with over 200 pages of detailed training and directions. Next the plan was to conduct Fax: 607-255-2815
E-mail: pjs23@cornell.edu
workshops to educate producers on improved methods of evaluating maple syrup for it's Website:
suitability for making confections and procedures for making, pricing and marketing value http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/ext/fore
added maple products for on site consumption. At this point 21 such workshops have been held stconnect/
with 306 participants including maple producers representing 184 maple operations and 23
Participants
Extension personal. Workshops have been divided into a level-one workshop dealing with the Stephen Childs, Project Contact:
basics of invert sugar in maple syrup, sugar crystal formation and the making of maple cream, Cornell University
granulated sugar, molded sugar and crystal coating. The second-level workshop demonstrates
the production of an array of maple products suitable for retail marketing and on site SARE Grant
$63,800
consumption. Currently 100 of the 306 who have attended workshops have attended this newer
second-level workshop. Matching Non-Federal
Funds
Following the initial review of a number of methods of measuring invert sugar in maple $77,999
syrup, research conducted at the Cornell Food Venture Center verified the use of the common
diabetic meter for these measurements. The Center has also completed research on improved Project Number
guidelines for maple jelly, maple syrup straws, maple sugar straws, maple marshmallow, single LNE06-246
serve sealed maple syrup containers, maple slushies, maple smoothies, maple soft drinks, maple
meringues, maple soft drink and 100 percent maple suckers. The Maple Confections Notebook Type
Research and Education Project
has been developed and distributed to 306 maple producers and Extension personal for their use
and evaluation. These 306 participants first attended one of 21 different workshops, where they Region
were trained on the use of the new meters and in making high quality maple value added Northeast
products. The participating producers represented 4388 years of maple production experience,
produce 51,241 gallons of maple annually and have 238,193 taps. Report Year
2007

At this point, nine of the attending maple producers have completed the first year of the in-
depth financial study of the impact of making and marketing value added products on their
business profitability. Survey materials were developed in the first year were distributed in
2007. Currently additional workshops are being scheduled with the anticipation that at least 10
more will be conducted in 2008, and includes Pennsylvania, Ohio and Quebec sites in addition
to New York.

Objectives/Performance Targets
Through maple product research and participation in maple kitchen value added workshops,
improve profits of 35 of the 50 participating maple producers by 20% by expanded retail sales
of new value-added maple products to be consumed on site at fairs, farmers markets,. shows and
festivals.

Maple producers need to sell more of their syrup as value added products. While a
significant portion of maple products are sold at fairs, farmers markets, shows, open houses and
festivals, there is a serious lack of maple products designed for customers to consume directly at
these settings. This project seeks to increase the diversity, quality and profitability of maple
production without tapping an additional tree, making another trip to the sugar bush, or purchase
major equipment. Profitable maple sugar making leads to sustainable forests, managed to
provide consistent farmer income rather than destructive harvest giving the farm family a one
time enhancement. Maple confections are natural healthy sweeteners and flavor ingredient.
Making maple production a more profitable enterprise can help farmers meet family financial
expectations.

One hundred twenty six participants have completed an initial assessment of current
practices and current value added sales when they began the program. Sixty one have
completed a second assessment about one year after taking the first workshop. The three test
marketing trials have been conducted to evaluate various maple value added products. The nine
producers who have completed the economic analysis will be participating again after one year
for a complete economic evaluation of how the financial situation has changed in their
operations following the training and test marketing.

Accomplishments/Milestones
The first milestone was to notify 600 maple producers of workshop opportunities. This was
accomplished through media releases, announcement at maple meetings, maple producer
association mailings and through county extension offices.

By 12 months the Extension and Food Venture Center staff was to have compiled and
tested a draft set of recipes and standards for new value added maple products appropriate for on
market site consumption and incorporate this into a Maple Confections Notebook.

The Center has also completed research on improved guidelines for maple jelly, maple
syrup straws, maple sugar straws, maple marshmallow, single serve sealed maple syrup
containers, maple slushies, maple smoothies, maple soft drinks, maple meringues and 100
percent maple suckers. The Maple Confections Notebook has been developed and distributed to
306 maple producers and Extension personal for their use and evaluation. These 306
participants first attended one of 21 different workshops, where they were trained on the use of
the new meters and in making high quality maple value added products. The participating
producers represented 4388 years of maple production experience, produce 51,241 gallons of
maple annually and have 238,193 taps.
These workshops were also run in cooperation with the New York State Farm Viability
Institute.

The third milestone is to occur by 18 months with 50 maple producers and five county
extension educators completing a current practices assessment and participating in one day
value added kitchen workshops at one of five locations around NY, PA and OH. Currently 21
workshops have been held with the 306 total participants, representing 184 maple operations
and 23 Extension staff. At least 10 more will be conducted in 2008 that will include
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Quebec and New York sites.

County or Regional Cornell Cooperative Extension Educators who cooperated in

organizing workshops:

Contact: Janet L. Aldrich, Senior Extension Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of

Delaware County, P. O. Box 184, 34570, State Highway 10, Hamden, NY 13782-0184, Tel:
607-865-6531

Contact: Lutie Batt, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Wyoming County, 401 North Main
Street, Warsaw NY 14569, Phone: 585-786-2251

Contact: Michele Ledoux , Cornell Cooperative Extension Lewis County, 5274 Outer
Stowe Street, P.O. Box 72, Lowville, New York 13367, Phone: 315-376-5270

Contact: Laurel R. Gailor, Natural Resource Educator, lrg6@cornell.edu, Cornell

Cooperative Extension, Warren County, 377 Schroon River Road, Warrensburg, NY 12885,
Phone: 518-623-3291, 518-668-4881,

Contact: JJ Schell, jjs69@cornell.edu, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schoharie County,

173 South Grand Street, Cobleskill NY 12839, Phone: 518-234-4303

Contact: Richard L. Gast, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Franklin County, 355 West
Main St., Malone, NY 12953, Phone:(518)483-7403, FAX:(518)483-6214, rlg24@cornell.edu

Contact: Robert S. Hansen, D.F., Extension Educator - Forest Resources, Penn State
Cooperative Extension, 701 South Fourth Street, Towanda, PA 18848-1023, (570) 265-2896,
rsh7@psu.edu

Contact: David L. Munsee, CCE of Chautauqua County, 3542 Turner Road, Jamestown,
NY 14701, (716) 664-9502 Ext 202, (716) 664-6327 Fax, dm276@cornell.edu

Maple Producer Associations who assisted with promotion:

New York State Maple Producers Association

Western NY Maple Producers Association
Chautauqua County Maple Producers Association
Wyoming County Maple Producers Association
Central Area Maple Producers Association
Chenango County Maple Producers Association
Lewis County Maple Producers Association
St. Lawrence County Maple Producers Association
Catskill Area Maple Producers Association
Upper Hudson Maple Producers Association

At 20 months 12 producer volunteer are to have completed costs of production and

marketing cost evaluations. At this point 9 of the attending maple producers have completed the
in-depth financial study of the impact of making and marketing value added products on their
business profitability. More have agreed to participate and new producers are being solicited to
participate. Survey materials for this were developed and distributed in of 2007.

By 22 months five cooperative sub-groups of producers from the workshops will have
conducted test markets where new products were made and sold and profit evaluated at five
fairs, shows or festivals. Evaluations have been conducted with 61 maple operations who
initially participated in a confection workshop and after one year completed the evaluation. Of
these sixty one thirty nine percent indicated they are now making confections that are new to
their business. Eighty five percent reported having greater success making maple confections
that they had already been producing. Sixty two percent claimed to be selling more dollars
worth of value added product in the year following the workshop and these sixty two percent
claimed confection sales to be up by an average of sixty percent. Seventy percent of those
surveyed indicated that they were actually using the diabetic meters to measure the invert sugar
levels in syrup and selecting syrups for confections based on that information.

At 24 months we are to complete final financial analysis with 12 producer volunteers.

At 25 months two hundred maple producers who did not attend the kitchen workshops will
be classroom trained and have access to the recipes, standards and profit potential of the new
value added products at sessions of the winter maple schools. Winter schools begin in January
2008. Twelve winter schools are currently scheduled and the Maple Confection Notebooks,
handouts and presentations are ready for moving ahead.

By 30 months NY Maple Weekend participants will be evaluated for having marketed

value added products on maple weekend 2008.
Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes
At this point we have not reached the goal of evaluating the profitability of value added
maple products on individual farms income but nine producers completed the financial
evaluation materials and will be soon be able to contribute the second year information.
Additional producers are being solicited to participate in this important aspect of this project.

Interest in and demand for the Maple Confections Workshops has been outstanding.
Currently 21 workshops have been held with the 306 total participants, representing 184 maple
operations and 23 Extension staff. At least 10 more will be conducted in 2008 that will include
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Quebec and New York sites. Evaluations have been conducted with 61
maple operations who initially participated in a confection workshop and after one year
completed the follow up evaluation. Of these sixty one, thirty nine percent indicated now
making confections that are new to their business. Eighty five percent reported having greater
success making maple confections that they had already been producing. Sixty two percent
claimed to be selling more dollars worth of value added product in the year following the
workshop and of these sixty two percent confection sales increased from 5 to 400 percent and
averaged up by sixty percent. Seventy percent of those surveyed indicated that they were
actually using the diabetic meters to measure the invert sugar levels in syrup and selecting
syrups for confections based on that information.