Organic Certification… A rigorous and worthwhile process!

The thorough Quality Assurance International (QAI) inspection begins with a walk through our sugarbush. The inspectors wind their way through our maze of buckets, tubes, pumps and tanks, and end up in our office.

First, inspectors evaluate our forest management practices and make sure that no chemical fertilizers are used on or near our trees. They even check to see if neighbors or town road crews are spraying chemicals. Then, the inspectors follow the path of the sap from spout, tube, and tank to the boiling and cleaning process looking for any possibility of contamination. Once filtered and packed, everything that comes into contact with the syrup -- filters, pumps, drums and so on -- is checked. Finally, the inspector reviews our office documentation to see how much we produced, what was purchased, and when and to whom it was sold.

Is all this worth the time and effort for a small family farmer? Yes! The QAI certification ensures for our consumers that we practice environmental responsibility and that our 100% pure organic maple syrup was produced in a manner that is in keeping with our values and theirs. Coombs is proud to be a certified organic maple producer.