- [Mark] This is Mark Isselhardt, Maple Specialist,
with the University of Vermont Extension.
This is a Vermont Maple Minute.
Certified organic maple syrup is produced
by many Vermont maple producers,
and generally commands a higher price in the marketplace.
In order to legally market your syrup as organic,
an approved third party certifier,
such as Vermont Organic Farmers,
must inspect all aspects of your operation.
What makes one operation's syrup organic and another's not
has more to do with the process of making the syrup
than with the final product.
The application and inspection process
will determine if all the requirements have been met
and if sufficient record keeping is done
to trace a given container of syrup
back to the day it was produced.
The keys to certification include documenting
that cultural practices are being followed
to ensure a healthy, diverse, forest ecosystem,
and that no synthetic materials are used
in the production of sap or syrup.
Additionally, certified organic maple operations
must adhere to a specific set of tapping guidelines,
forest management, and syrup production practices
approved by the particular certifier.