- [Mark] This is Mark Isselhardt,
Maple Specialist with the University of Vermont Extension.
And this is another Vermont Maple Minute.
Vermont produces more maple syrup than any U.S. state.
According to statistics from the USDA,
Vermont made over 2.2 million gallons of syrup in 2020.
The crop is made by sugar makers
with operations of all sizes.
The average size of operation in Vermont
has been changing over time.
According to the most recent census of agriculture
of the over 5 million taps
used by sugar makers in Vermont in 2017,
76% came from operations with 5,000 taps or more.
This is despite the fact
that operations with more than 5,000 taps
only make up 20% of all the operations in the state.
Looking back at the statistics from 10 years before,
approximately 50% of the taps came from operations
with 5,000 taps or less.
While there is no single explanation for this change,
some of the reasons include,
efficiency of scale with larger operations,
increasing consumer demand outside of Vermont,
relatively stable prices for bulk syrup,
and increased availability of capital
from lending institutions.
No matter the size of operation,
all syrup must meet the strict quality standards
established in state and federal law.
This is Mark Isselhardt,
Maple Specialist with University of Vermont Extension.
And this has been another Vermont Maple Minute.