$4 million in federal funding will help maple producers in NYS

New York State maple producers will get $1 million more through the Acer Access and Development Program, for a total of $4 million in funding, in the Senate minibus Fiscal Year 2019 spending bill.
The program provides opportunities for investment and research for maple syrup, helping farmers across Upstate New York increase their production and strengthen conservation.
Maple sugaring provides income to an estimated 10,000 maple producers spread across the country. U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said the funding increase will allow U.S. producers to better compete in the global marketplace with countries like Canada, which are responsible for 85 percent of the world’s maple product.
“New York is one of the leading maple-producing states in the nation, and these federal funds will help our state’s maple industry grow even more,” said Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. “Our Upstate maple producers are working tirelessly to increase production and expand to new markets, and I was proud to fight for this funding that will allow the Acer Program to provide this critical support. New York has one of our country’s best agriculture traditions, and I will always do everything I can to make sure our producers have the resources they need to succeed.”
Maple syrup is an important agricultural product across 10 states in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. According to the USDA, the United States in 2017 produced more than 4.27 million gallons of syrup, worth approximately $147 million.
The maple industry has seen significant growth in recent years. New York State ranks second in the nation for maple production, behind Vermont, with 806,000 gallons of maple syrup produced in 2018, according to New York State.