II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 879 

To support State and tribal government efforts to promote research and 

education related to maple syrup production, natural resource sustainability in the maple syrup industry, market promotion of maple products, 

and greater access to lands containing maple trees for maple-sugaring 

activities, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 7, 2013 

Mr. SCHUMER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 

A BILL 

To support State and tribal government efforts to promote 

research and education related to maple syrup production, natural resource sustainability in the maple syrup 

industry, market promotion of maple products, and 

greater access to lands containing maple trees for maplesugaring activities, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Maple Tapping Access 

5 Program Act’’. 


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•S 879 IS

1 SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR STATE AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENT 

2 EFFORTS TO PROMOTE DOMESTIC MAPLE 

3 SYRUP INDUSTRY. 

4 (a) DEFINITION OF MAPLE SUGARING.—In this sec5 tion, the term ‘‘maple-sugaring’’ means the collection of 

6 sap from any species of tree in the genus Acer for the 

7 purpose of boiling to produce food. 

8 (b) GRANTS AUTHORIZED; AUTHORIZED ACTIVI9 TIES.—The Secretary of Agriculture may make grants to 

10 States and tribal governments to support their efforts to 

11 promote the domestic maple syrup industry through the 

12 following activities: 

13 (1) Promotion of research and education related 

14 to maple syrup production. 

15 (2) Promotion of natural resource sustainability 

16 in the maple syrup industry. 

17 (3) Market promotion for maple syrup and 

18 maple-sap products. 

19 (4) Encouragement of owners and operators of 

20 privately held land containing species of tree in the 

21 genus Acer— 

22 (A) to initiate or expand maple-sugaring 

23 activities on the land; or 

24 (B) to voluntarily make the land available, 

25 including by lease or other means, for access by 

26 the public for maple-sugaring activities. 


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•S 879 IS

1 (c) APPLICATIONS.—In submitting an application for 

2 a grant under this section, a State or tribal government 

3 shall include— 

4 (1) a description of the activities to be sup5 ported using the grant funds; 

6 (2) a description of the benefits that the State 

7 or tribal government intends to achieve as a result 

8 of engaging in such activities; and 

9 (3) an estimate of the increase in maple-sug10 aring activities or maple syrup production that the 

11 State or tribal government anticipates will occur as 

12 a result of engaging in such activities. 

13 (d) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.—Nothing in 

14 this section preempts a State or tribal government law, 

15 including any State or tribal government liability law. 

16 (e) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Agriculture 

17 shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to 

18 carry out this section. 

19 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

20 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

21 $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2017. 

Æ 


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