In 2022, we worked with our partners to develop and run a comprehensive needs assessment survey. With responses from 682 maple producers, the survey examined the landscape of Wisconsin maple syrup production along with current opportunities and challenges. 

The full report is now available, and you can download it here. Here are some of the highlights of the report:

• The majority of maple syrup producers surveyed have produced maple syrup for fewer than 10 seasons, are first-generation producers, and self-identified as hobbyists who produce only for themselves and family or friends without selling any products.
• About 90% of respondents are private landowners who tap trees in their own sugarbush to produce maple syrup. Most have a primary residence on their property (64%), and 46% own between 10-99 acres of woodlands where they tap their trees.
• Respondents are interested in managing forest health in the next five years and learning about forest health, such as unwanted insects and diseases. They are also moderately confident in their forest management ability and do not see forest health management as a barrier to expansion.
• The majority of the woodland owners surveyed are not currently enrolled in the state’s landowner property tax incentive program (the Managed Forest Law program) that encourages sustainable forestry, do not have a written forest management or stewardship plan for any of the land where they tap trees, or have not taken any actions in the past five years to manage their land that they tap trees on.
• Most maple syrup producers do maple sugaring activities because they enjoy being in the forest and the harvest, as well as because it is a tradition and an opportunity to bond with their family or community.
• Although a lack of time and difficulty collecting and handling sap efficiently are key barriers to expansion, most producers are interested in increasing production quantity and adopting energy-efficient sugaring technology in the next five years. They are also interested in learning about collecting and handling sap efficiently and using efficient concentrating and cooking technologies such as reverse osmosis.
• Commercial producers are interested in market expansion in the next five years. They are interested in learning about marketing skills, product diversification, industry regulations, and climate change impacts.
• The five main sources where most respondents receive information on how to manage their sugarbush or maple sugaring activities are:
  1) equipment dealers and suppliers
  2) landowners/producers on the Internet
  3) landowners/producers in the local community
  4) large producers
  5) Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association
• The five most trusted information sources are:
  1) Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association
  2) University and Extension specialists
  3) landowners and producers in the local community
  4) state foresters
  5) equipment dealers and suppliers.
• Among respondents with Tribal affiliations, the five most trusted information sources are:
  1) Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association
  2) University and Extension specialists
  3) landowners and producers in the local community
  4) Natural Resources Conservation Service
  5) Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
• About one-third of respondents agree that climate change will affect their maple sugaring activities negatively in the next 10 years, particularly in terms of prevalence of invasive species and timing of sugaring season.
• Respondents with Tribal affiliations are generally certain about the impact of climate change—either positively or negatively—on their maple sugaring activities in the next 10 years, especially regarding prevalence of invasive species and sap production per tap. Respondents with Tribal affiliations are confident in their ability to adapt to potential climate change impacts, and they have undertaken or planned to take actions in the next 10 years specifically out of concern for a changing climate.

Thank you to the advisory board, pilot testers, and everyone who responded to our survey. We are also grateful to Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association, Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association, Wisconsin Farmers Union, Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council, Forest Data Network, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, UW-Stevens Point Forestry Center, Roth Sugarbush, Maple Hollow, Maple Dude, Smoky Lake, and Sippl’s Sugarbush for administering the survey. We hope our findings can help natural resource professionals and other stakeholders tailor educational programming and materials to better serve maple syrup producers in Wisconsin.