Vermont’s maple syrup production decreased by 20% this year following last season’s record high.
The United States Department of Agriculture announced Friday that Vermont produced just over two million gallons of maple syrup, a significant decrease from what the state’s 2,500+ sugar producers produced in 2022.
Several factors contribute to determining sap and syrup yield, including climate, snowpack, drought and sugar content. This year, weather conditions played an even more significant role.
More from Vermont Open: Vermont produced more maple syrup in 2022 than any other production year in the state’s modern history.
Allison Hope, the executive director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association, said that temperatures remained cold in parts of the state, preventing the snowpack from melting enough for sap to flow.
“The pockets of cold climates across the state didn’t see a decrease in snowpack around the base of the trees in a way that would have helped the sap to release,” she explained.
Cold pockets occurred frequently in northern Vermont, leaving these areas with less flowing sap.
Hope also mentioned the impacts of winter storm Elliott, which battered Vermont from December 22 to December 24, 2022. The storm caused significant tree damage to sugarbushes across the state, which is likely to affect maple production for many years.
“Sugar producers are playing the long game in terms of sugarbush health, and so downed maple trees that they had been counting on won’t regrow over the course of a few years,” Hope said.
However, despite the challenges of this year’s sugaring season, Hope stated that sugar content was sufficient to make up for some of the losses.
Sugar content refers to the amount of sugar naturally present in the sap. When the sugar content is higher, more maple syrup can be produced from the same amount of sap.
Although Hope acknowledges that these unpredictable weather patterns may become the norm, she believes that technology and following best practices will help sugar producers continue to produce syrup in the coming years. This includes improving education on which trees to tap, what tubing to use, and how to set up lines most efficiently.
Vermont still remains the top producer of maple syrup in the country, and Hope is confident that the state can maintain its beloved tradition.
“It’s going to be an interesting journey,” she said. “An extra dose of hopefulness and optimism will be needed.”
