Press Room
2009 Maple Sugaring Season Produces the Largest Crop in 75 Years!
July 16, 2009
Going into the 2009 season, the maple industry’s warehouses were empty. That’s because last year’s sub par production created a 30 million lbs. shortfall which produced higher maple syrup prices. To put it in perspective, the world demand in 2007 was approximately 120 million lbs.
Fortunately, Mother Nature was much better to us this spring. She bestowed us with a traditional sugaring season filled with freezing nights followed by warm days. The sap kept flowing and the sugarmakers kept boiling! The result gave us what just may be the largest crop in 75 years. While official reports haven’t been released yet, the estimates are that Canada and the U.S. produced an amazing 145 million lbs. of maple in 2009! We estimate that one-third of the total U.S. crop (which totaled 25 million lbs.) was produced by our hard-working independent family farmers in Vermont!
Because inventory levels were so depleted at the beginning of the season, it took time to refill the warehouses and store shelves. So, while prices have come down, there won’t be much of a surplus. The fact is that it took about 20 million lbs. just to get back “to zero”. Demand is back to 10 million lbs. per month so there most likely won’t be much of a carryover into the 2010 crop. The great news for maple lovers is that equipment sales to sugarmakers are way up so production could expand once again this year. Seems that no matter what Mother Nature throws at us, maple farming continues to grow in the United States.
Last but not least, 2009 was truly an excellent year for that wonderful clean maple flavor that we all love. So, stock up and enjoy!
About Coombs Family Farms
Pure maple has been a way of life at Coombs Family Farms for seven generations. Coombs Family Farms has produced 100% pure maple since 1840. Since 1988, Coombs Family Farms has produced certified organic maple syrup. A champion of small family farming, Coombs Family Farms also sources 100% pure organic certified maple from other small, independent farmers who share the Coombs commitment to quality, environmental stewardship, and sustainable forestry management.
