Wisconsin Ag Connection - State Maple Syrup Production Much Higher in '08

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State Maple Syrup Production Much Higher in '08
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 06/11/2008

Wisconsin's maple syrup production this spring totaled about 130,000 gallons--up 73 percent from last year's output. However, the state's agriculture department reports that sugar content of the sap decreased from last year, requiring 37 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of maple syrup. Over 500 maple producers reported their production and price information in April and May, in which they received $35.70 per gallon for their 2007 production, $4.50 more than a year earlier.

The estimated number of taps set during the 2008 season was 540,000, an increase of 15 percent over last year. The average yield per tap for Wisconsin producers was 0.241 gallons, up from 0.160 last year, but down slightly from 2006.

Wisconsin's maple syrup season began on February 17 and closed on May 10. This year's season consisted of several runs with excellent flow and averaged 25 days, one day shorter than last year.

Also, 24-percent of the producers indicated that temperatures were too cold for sap flow, and six percent reported temperatures were too warm. For favorable sap flow, warm days and cold nights are desired.

Nationally, maple syrup production for 2008 totaled 1.64 million gallons, up 30 percent from last year's production of 1.26 million gallons. Number of taps set was 7.46 million, an increase of two percent from the 2007 total of 7.29 million. Yield per tap is estimated to be 0.219 gallons, up 27 percent from the previous season. The U.S. price per gallon for the 2007 production averaged $33.20, up $1.90 from the 2006 price of $31.30.

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