A history of Vermont's maple sugar industryVermont Maple Sugar Makers Association
History
A history of Vermont's maple sugar industry
Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association
Arboriculture; Maple sugar
It is evident from the above résumé of the subject that the
adulteration of maple syrup is practiced to an enormous extent.
As stated by one of the witnesses, it is doubtful if more than 5
percent of the amount sold in this country is the genuine article.
It is evident that the makers of the genuine article are forced into
competition with these extensive adulterations, thus lowering the
legitimate price. Every grove of maple trees in the United States would
be worth a great deal more to its owner if the state and national laws
should be so framed as to eradicate this great evil. Such laws would
permit the sale of these mixed goods under their proper names, and thus
protect both the manufacturer and consumer.
Necessity for Sugar Makers’ Organizations.
With a steadily growing demand for maple syrup, which today is almost
entirely supplied by the mixer, the producers of pure syrup can hope
to control the trade only through organization. The difference between
the pure and the adulterated product is so marked that there would
be little question as to choice, with the genuine sugar known to the
popular trade. A large number of the consumers hardly know pure maple
syrup when they taste it, and as so great a part of that on the market
is spurious, they have little chance to learn. Under such a condition
the market can be gained for the pure product only by means of united
action. An example of such action is the present Vermont Sugar Growers’
Association.
The situation is very similar to that which has already been
successfully met, in the case of certain other farm products, by
organized cooperation of producers. Sometimes, as in Germany and
Canada, this has been initiated and substantially aided by government
action; sometimes, as in Ireland and England, it has been carried
through entirely by private enterprise. Some years ago Canadian dairy
products formed but an insignificant proportion of the exports of these
articles to Great Britain. Now, through the efforts of the Canadian
government to foster intelligent and honest methods of production, an
English market has been secured for the Canadian output. The Irish
Agricultural Organization Society has gone far toward bringing about an
economic regeneration of the island, and in Germany rural prosperity
has been vastly increased by the same methods. In all these cases the
principal purposes aimed at have been the improvement of methods of
production, and furnishing a guaranty of purity to consumers.
In the case of maple sugar producers the first necessity is a market
for high grade, unadulterated sugar and syrup. This they should be able
to secure without much difficulty through responsible association,
which can guarantee the quality of all the product bearing its name or
stamp. * * *
The Amount of Sugar in Maple Sap.
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