Certifiable syrup: Tapping into the organic syrup market

If you’ve ever made maple syrup you’re aware of the enormous amount of input necessary to make it. But you also know the sweet and sticky result is well worth it – especially on hot blueberry waffles.

Some maple producers have upped their game by certifying their process as organic. One may think, “Of course it’s organic. It’s coming from a tree in the woods, so why the label?” It turns out there’s a lot of care and effort that goes into this certification – and it may well be worth the extra input for both the producer and consumer.

Sugarmakers may wonder what the benefits are to being organic, what certification entails and how to transition. In a recent webinar, Kristen Walker, an organic certification specialist and maple lead with the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association (MOFGA), spilled the sap on how to enter the organic syrup market.

Transitioning Organically

There are several benefits to organic certification. First, customers trust products more when producers are transparent about their practices and they can see the “Organic” label on their packaging. Organic practices tend to be better for the environment, improving water quality, conserving energy and increasing biodiversity with more natural, less impactful practices.

The recordkeeping which certification requires can greatly improve you as a farmer and help optimize your process for greater profitability. Cost-share programs and the value organic practices add can grant access to additional funding and technical assistance.

Lastly, retail and wholesale prices are better for business than conventional syrup, retailing 10% to 20% more for organic (20 cents/lb. or several dollars per gallon).

If you aren’t already certified but you do produce syrup organically, you may get certified if you meet the following criteria. Certify if you are doing over $5,000 gross in sales of organically marketed products, or if you’re distributing to a processor or handler that uses the claim “organic” in their product or ingredient label.

When considering transitioning to producing organic maple products, there are many organizations at your disposal. These include the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) MidAtlantic/ Northeast division and USDA’s Organic Transition Initiative, which provide mentorship, grants, technical assistance to develop your Organic System Plan (OSP) and prepare for inspection and guideline interpretation, workshops, community building, workforce development and more.

Check out organictransition.org or farmers.gov/organic-transition-initiative for more information.

The Certified Life

Start with a plan. Your OSP is a detailed blueprint showing compliance to organic standards. It outlines how to follow the rules in production, handling and sales. This living document is the foundation for your certification. It serves as a guide to follow and a communication tool between you, your workers and your certifying organization.

Certification is not just a certificate to hang on the wall – it’s an annual cycle. First, check for updates about their regulations and certification process. Then apply for or renew certification by submitting any required forms and fees. Whether new or renewing, producers undergo an onsite inspection every year.

Two of You in the Bush

Working with your inspector to create a sustainable forest for long-term viability of the sugarbush is a priority. Sugarbushes are important ecosystems that impact wildlife, air filtration and water quality. Maintaining species diversity in the sugarbush is a must.

The inspector will help producers meet guidelines impacting stand age to ensure the maples aren’t tapped too young or are being over-tapped for their maturity level. Maintaining adequate spacing between stands is also important for the health of your sugarbush.

Invasive plants encroaching on your sugarbush need to be identified and managed. The inspector can alert you to any species to be on the lookout for.

As an organic producer, use of synthetic chemicals in your sugarbush is closely restricted. Marking sugarbush trees with paint is not allowed, so investing in some brightly colored biodegradable ribbon may be a good option. Your inspector can help identify other ways of marking your stands.

Tapping In

Tapping guidelines might be slightly different from certifier to certifier, but it’s generally not recommended to put more than one tap in each tree because it’s better for the tree – and a healthier tree produces more sap. However, up to three taps are allowable for the thickest trees while maintaining compliance with the certifier.

Some important organic guidelines to keep in mind: (1) Galvanized buckets are restricted because they could contaminate the sap with lead. (2) If the tree’s health is struggling and its crown is weak it should not be tapped. (3) Don’t tap a tree that is less than 10 inches in diameter at breast height. (4) Tap holes shouldn’t be closer than four inches side to side and six inches up/ down to the tap made the year before. (5) Don’t use any containers to catch sap that have held a substance prohibited by the certifier. (6) Remove taps within 60 days of sap flow ending. (7) Don’t “double tap” a tree in the same season or reuse a tap hole by scraping it out.

A standard tap spout is 7/16-inch in diameter, but there are some taps that are only 5/16-inch or smaller (“health spouts”). Organic certifiers recommend using the smaller option with one tap per tree per season. They also permit lead-free metal or food-grade plastic sap buckets. Plastic tubing systems and vacuum pumps with pressure monitoring at the taps are also allowed.

Back at the Sugarhouse

Processing your sap into syrup has its own set of specific regulations. A clean organic sugarhouse operation should have a stainless steel holding tank (food-grade plastic will do) with lids to prevent debris in the sap; sand, cloth or felt sap filters or a reverse osmosis system; certified organic defoaming agents for evaporation with no synthetic or meat products; paper, felt or synthetic fiber to filter the syrup aided with food-grade diatomaceous earth or silica powder; stainless steel drums for bulk storage or glass if your syrup will be sold to a retailer; and chlorine materials with approved labels for sanitizing (along with biodegradable cleaners and propylene glycol for osmosis filter storage).

If you introduce a new product to your process, make sure you clear it with your inspector. Keeping a complete materials list, including manufacturers and EPA numbers, will make things easier for everyone.

What to Expect When You’re Inspected

Your inspector will tour the sugarbush and your facility and inspect recordkeeping. They will report their findings to your certification specialist and they will continue the conversation with you based on the information received.

Recordkeeping helps dial in efficiency and gives a documented history to look back on in case something goes wrong.

Records should keep track of field activities like thinning, tapping and tap removal; the field history for each maple stand; maps of your maple stands and overall production; a facility diagram that shows your sugarhouse and storage; receipts for all syrup inputs from other sources; organic certificates for all certified inputs of syrup from other sources; SOPs for cleaning, sanitizing and product flow; pest control records and the materials used (if applicable); traceable lot numbers on containers and wholesale and third party invoices; production and sales records by barrels or pounds sold for current and previous years; and your state maple license.

Avoiding Sticky Situations

During inspection, your inspector will perform audit exercises such as mass balance and traceback.

Mass balance is where the inspector finds a balance between input and output – how much was produced vs. how much is in inventory or was gifted or given away. This helps your inspector know the variable between how much you produced and how much went out the door as finished product – and also how much was produced per tap compared to your yields for the year.

Traceback is where the inspector starts with a barrel number or sale and traces it back through your recordkeeping. If you’ve kept good records it should be a painless process (especially if you only sell wholesale).

The perks of an organic certification can benefit you and our environment, and there are experienced organizations that make themselves available every step of the way. As a producer, tapping into this niche with your own organic maple certification may just help you find your sweet spot.

by Joseph Armstrong