Transportation and Marketing

Acer Access and Development Program

Fiscal Year 2020 Description of Funded Projects

Number of Grants Awarded: 12

Amount of Funds Awarded: $5,436,983.78

For more information, please visit the grant program's website: https://www.ams.usda.gov/acer

NOTE: The below project descriptions were provided by the grant recipients.

Connecticut

Recipient: Yale University, New Haven, CT

Project Type: Producer and Landowner Education

Award Amount: $394,035.00

Sap, syrup, and silviculture training to support Southern New England maple syrup producers 

Maple syrup producers in southern New England are disadvantaged due to a lack of educational 

opportunities for experiential education in sap collection, maple syrup production, and forest 

management. Additionally, the sugar and red maple forests of Southern New England are on the front 

lines of challenges due to climate change. Maple producers are scrambling to adapt to unpredictable sap 

flow events and reduced sap and sugar yields, unaware of steps they can take to actively mitigate some 

of these changes.

This educational campaign will provide maple producers in Southern New England with training through 

workshops and demonstration areas. This effort will help them continue the tradition of producing 

maple syrup and provide them with the knowledge and hands‐on training necessary to adapt their 

operations for long‐term sustainable production. This effort will also fill a niche by providing educational 

training in maple syrup production and forest management for aspiring maple producers and forest 

landowners. A total of 18 workshops will take place in Southern New England over a three-year period in

the three topic areas of sap collection, maple syrup production, and maple silviculture.

Benefits of this project include adoption of more efficient sap and syrup production systems and 

healthier, more resilient sugarbushes. Our educational campaign will encourage landowners to adopt 

efficient sap collection and syrup making practices while managing their sugarbush for long term 

sustained yields in the face of climate uncertainty.
Kentucky

Recipient: University of Kentucky Research Foundation, Lexington, KY

Project Type: Producer and Landowner Education

Award Amount: $499,440.00

Enhancing the Awareness, Knowledge, and Understanding of Sustainable Maple Syrup Production 

Practices Among Current and Potential Maple Syrup Producers 

Sustainable maple syrup production is dependent upon many factors, including forest stand dynamics, 

the number and size of sugar and red maple trees suitable for tapping, and the optimal temperature 

range during the tapping season. Furthermore, forest succession, climate change, and natural 

disturbances all influence these factors. The interplay among these factors determine potential level of 

maple syrup production in a particular locality. The long‐term goal of this project is to develop education 

and extension training resources, building on integrated research to enhance producer and landowner 

awareness, understanding, and knowledge of sustainable maple syrup production in Kentucky and other 

maple producing states. To achieve this long‐term goal, several activities will be implemented under two 

specific objectives: (i) develop spatiotemporal‐economic education and extension analytic tools to 

enhance maple syrup production by county in syrup producing states, and (ii) develop and implement 

novel education and extension resources targeting new and current maple syrup producers in Kentucky. 

The project will utilize the most current and forecasted data on maple syrup production for all maple 

syrup producing states by county with flexibility for similar application at individual producer and 

landowner unit in an easy to use online dashboard portal. This project will recruit new maple syrup 

producers, expand current maple syrup production, and educate landowners and operators about the 

economic benefits of maple syrup production as a viable business and a sustainable natural resource 

activity.

Michigan

Recipient: Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

Project Type: Producer and Landowner Education

Award Amount: $449,653.13

Creating the next generation of modern maple producers by pairing the Land Grant University 

Mission with FFA student chapters, Tribal Schools, and Forestry Clubs across the Upper Midwest 

This project will use a unique partnership model that links land grant university experts and state maple 

association members with geographically dispersed high school FFA units, a tribal maple entity and a 

collegiate forestry club to enhance regional maple production knowledge in Michigan and Wisconsin, 

Increasing maple knowledge of younger maple producers with hybrid learning opportunities is critical to 

the sustained growth of the industry, and will serve as a working template for other states in the entire 

maple region to follow. The proposed project blends intensive hands on maple trainings using a “train 

the trainer” model for adult instructors with hybrid learning opportunities for the next generation of 

producers, and community maple outreach education driven by the local FFA students. Hybrid online 

learning platforms will link each of the participating schools together and be fully scalable to meet the 

needs of students from high school to adults who are life‐long learners across the country. Lastly, it 
actively partners nearby state maple association members with each school unit to serve as a local 

mentor and a direct link to the respective state associations.

New Hampshire

Recipient: University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH

Project Type: Producer and Landowner Education

Award Amount: $427,615.00

Developing and testing a novel tap design for increasing sugarbush sap yields and sustainability 

through research, extension, and producer partnerships 

Today’s maple taps seat very tightly inside tap holes and restrict sap flow at sapwood depths up to 1” 

beneath the cambium. Sap flow studies in sugar maples during the growing season have found that 

maximum sap flows occur at more shallow sapwood depths (0.4” and 0.6”), and that sap flows decrease 

at deeper depths. Tall, vertical nonconductive wood columns (NWCs) that form above and below tap 

holes reduce sapwood hydraulic conductivity and decrease radial sugar maple growth rates, and larger 

tap holes create larger NWCs. Thus, taps that are less restrictive of sap flow at shallow sapwood depths 

and utilize smaller tap holes may increase sap yields and reduce volumes of NWC. However, the 

knowledge about dormant season winter sap flow and NWC formation in sugar maple critical for 

optimizing tap design is currently lacking. This proposal seeks to explore these opportunities to improve 

maple tap design by accomplishing four objectives: 1) determine the depth of maximum winter dormant 

season sap flow; 2) correlate sap flow data with sap yield for both our novel Prototype I tap and the 

industry‐standard tap; 3) assess the impacts of tap hole dimensions on NWC volume; and 4) integrate 

the results into tap design and development. A Protype II tap will be tested on‐farm by cooperating 

sugar producers, refined based on their input into a Protype III Tap, and field‐tested again by producers. 

Strong collaboration with diverse partners will facilitate outreach and dissemination of results and 

promote adoption of novel tap technologies.

New York

Recipient: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Project Type: Producer and Landowner Education

Award Amount: $496,495.00

Best Practices for Increasing Maple Production through Forest Management and Extending Sap 

Collection Season 

Maple producers can expand the productive capacity of their sugarbush by growing more trees, 

purchasing additional land and equipment, or by increasing the productive output of individual trees. Of 

these options, the most cost and time effective is increasing individual tree productivity. By overcoming 

barriers that limit the duration of the sap collection season and the volume of sap collected from each 

tree, this project will increase syrup production for maple businesses while also creating guidance to 

ensure the health and long‐term sustainability of maple trees. The Cornell Maple Program will 

accomplish these objectives by establishing guidelines for maximizing sap collection from all dormant 

season sap flows while protecting the tappable sustainability of the trees, thinning forests for increased 
light availability to promote health and sugar production and, providing proper soil nutrients. 

Additionally, real‐time comparison benchmark data will be generated and made available online for 

producers to utilize as a decision-making tool during the sugaring season. By establishing a robust

educational framework that communicates these strategies, we will increase the productivity and 

profitability of maple operations.

Recipient: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Project Type: Producer and Landowner Education

Award Amount: $500,000.00

Maximizing productivity of maple enterprises through increased sap utilization and development 

of new value‐added products 

Continued expansion of the maple products industry requires producers to address several key 

constraints to growth. These limiting factors include the productive capacity of the sugarbush and 

demand for maple products in the marketplace. The Cornell Maple Program will address these 

impediments with a four‐part plan that includes innovative research approaches coupled with rigorous 

extension activities to promote increased production of maple products: 1) Develop high‐value options 

for buddy maple syrup, allowing producers to utilize a greater amount of the total productive potential 

of the sugarbush. 2) Create novel, high‐value maple products, including gourmet maple chocolate, and 

improve the quality of existing maple confections to give maple producers access to lucrative new 

markets. 3) Establish technical guidelines for the safe bottling and sale of maple sap to expand the 

presence of maple in the beverage industry 4) Produce a monthly podcast series to improve accessibility 

to research in the maple industry. Project staff will increase producer knowledge and normalize 

adoption of new products and processes in each of these focus areas through a comprehensive 

educational outreach program. This effort will entail extension through workshops, maple schools, 

publication of technical guidelines in print and digital formats, and development of online, multimedia 

resources conducted in collaboration with regional maple programs for a broad impact across all maple 

producing states.

Recipient: New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Albany, NY

Project Type: Market Development and Promotion

Award Amount: $462,918.30

2020 ACER ACCESS AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM  Opportunities and Strategies to Increase

Consumer Awareness and Usage of Pure Maple Syrup 

New York State is a leader is maple syrup production. The State ranks #2 in production nationally, 

producing over 800,000 gallons annually1. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets 

(AGM) submits this proposal to conduct market‐based research that will drive consumer demand for 

pure maple syrup. Since 2005, USDA indicates maple syrup production has increased 341% across the

U.S. and 369% in New York2. As the supply of maple syrup continues to increase it is necessary to 

invigorate consumer demand or risk falling prices.
Increased demand for pure maple products will benefit brands and the industry overall. A study 

commissioned by the Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Association3 found that purchase decisions for maple 

syrup generally occur at the store shelf with little thought of brand or product attributes. Pointedly, 

consumer attitudes suggest confusion regarding the identity of pure maple syrup. To evolve, there is a 

need to intensify research and promotion efforts around consumer awareness and attitudes.

This project will expand research, education, and extension efforts involving market sizing, audience 

research, message testing, development, and planning to 1) identify market opportunities, 2) optimize 

messaging, and 3) develop a market promotion and evaluation plan. As a result of this work, the 

industry will be equipped with education, marketing tools, and methods to grow the awareness and 

relevance of pure maple syrup among audiences representing the greatest opportunity.

Ohio

Recipient: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Project Type: Producer and Landowner Education

Award Amount: $217,148.13

Freeman's Maple (red x silver) Potential for Syrup Production and Resilience in Ohio's Forests 

The Ohio State University will examine syrup production potential, climate adaptability, and resilience to 

forest pests of Freeman’s maple (Acer freemanii) – a naturally occurring Acer hybrid (red x silver maple) 

– in Ohio’s woodlands. Acer freemanii is a common nursery tree but little is known about the hybrid’s 

naturalized occurrence and its performance in maple operations. The project will be conducted at The 

Ohio State University‐Mansfield sugarbush and evaluate Freeman’s maple’s viability within the maple 

syrup industry. A tree inventory of the Mansfield sugarbush indicates a high density of Freeman’s maple 

occupies the middle range of growing conditions with sugar and red maples dominating the optimal and 

marginal growing space, respectively. Early data indicates that stand‐wide sap sugar content is 2.0% 

despite lower projections given the large percentage of non‐sugar maple taps. Genotyping for positive 

identification and single‐tree monitoring are needed to evaluate Freeman’s maple in comparison to 

traditional Acer tree species. Additionally, it is poorly understood how Acer freemanii responds to 

growing degree days (e.g., bud break, first bloom), an underutilized method to optimize tapping time. 

Lastly, Ohio’s maple producers are faced with threats that already impact other states’ producers –

spotted lanternfly and Asian longhorned beetle. Both are currently priority species for monitoring and 

control efforts, and producers are ideal first detectors if properly trained to examine their sugarbush 

woodlands for signs of initial infestation. Examining Acer freemanii to expand tapping potential and 

considering other factors to ensure future forest resilience and optimized production practices are foci 

of the proposal.
Oregon

Recipient: Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR

Project Type: Producer and Landowner Education

Award Amount: $500,000.00

Building a Sustainable Bigleaf Maple Sap Industry in Oregon through Landowner Awareness, 

Networking, Mapping, Education and Training 

This producer and landowner education project focuses on active and potential production of bigleaf 

maple ( Acer macrophyllum ) sap for food products in western Oregon. Bigleaf is native to the Pacific 

Northwest and substantial volumes occur throughout western Oregon. Bigleaf has many commercial 

uses including flooring, musical instruments, veneer and firewood, but its economic potential as a food 

is underdeveloped in Oregon. Collection of maple sap and processing into food products like syrup has a 

long history in Oregon as an informal pastime for hobbyists, but unlike in British Columbia, has a limited 

presence in commercial markets. The goal of this project is to catalyze development of a bigleaf maple 

sap industry that provides small agricultural and forest landowners, land trusts, and public agencies with 

an additional, ecologically sustainable, and economically significant revenue stream. The project will 

meet this goal through these following objectives: 1) build awareness of bigleaf maple sap economic 

opportunities; 2) create and recruit landowners into a formal network of producers; 3) develop a 

landowner‐based peer learning and planning group with professional assistance and training to 

inventory, set up, and monitor tapping and to assess samples for nutrients, flavor and bacteria; 4) pilot a 

mobile service program to expand the pool of landowners who want to provide trees for tapping but 

cannot provide the labor; and 5) record and spatially visualize quantitative and qualitative project 

information generated in a web‐based decision support tool.

Rhode Island

Recipient: University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI

Project Type: Market Development and Promotion

Award Amount: $491,350.00

Providing Publishable Standards of Identity and Unique Compositional Chemistry Findings of 

Maple Sap Products for Increased Market Promotion and Sales 

Maple sap (maple water) products are produced from sap tapped directly from maple trees but there is 

confusion and lack of industry consensus and consumer knowledge as to what constitutes ‘authentic’ 

maple water. With immense potential for growth in the multibillion-dollar functional beverage market

sector, the market promotion of maple water products hinges on establishing standards of identity (SI) 

which are currently lacking. Being a natural product, maple water is prone to alteration, adulteration, 

falsification, and fraudulent labeling. Thus, the establishment of reference points for its chemical 

composition, supported by validated laboratory assays, is critically needed less this great market 

opportunity be missed. This project will provide publishable SI and unique compositional chemistry 

findings of maple water which will help define, authenticate, and distinguish it from other functional 

beverages thereby positioning the maple industry for promotion and growth in this market sector. By 

leveraging: 1) the University of Rhode Island (URI) Maple Collaborative web portal and social media 
platforms created for maple promotion (www.uri.edu/maple), 2) URI’s Cooperative Extension outreach 

network, and 3) commercial U.S. maple water producers’ supply chain, retailers, websites, and social 

media, this project will increase consumer awareness of maple water products. As a global leader in 

maple chemical compositional and health benefits research, and with the aforementioned existing 

maple promotion platforms, we are uniquely qualified and strategically situated to accomplish this 

project.

Washington

Recipient: University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Project Type: Market Development and Promotion

Award Amount: $499,808.00

Increasing Exports of U.S. Maple Products 

Early reports indicate that 2020 will be an outstanding year for maple syrup production, reflecting 

favorable weather conditions, new technologies, and a growing number of producers. But social 

distancing requirements due to the coronavirus are limiting local market retail opportunities. Small 

producers are relying even more than usual on bulk sales, highlighting the vital role performed by bulk 

buyers and the importance of expanding markets and increasing global reach that ultimately benefits 

everyone in the supply chain.

While “stay at home” is, hopefully, a temporary phenomenon, growing maple production is an ongoing 

success. Efforts to attract more producers and improve production efficiency have been very effective. 

U.S. maple syrup production has doubled over the past ten years, with incredible potential for more. 

Expanding volume requires corresponding efforts to increase consumption and extend distribution. 

Rising demand helps maintain or improve prices and benefits all producers, large and small.

This project is focused on growing international demand for U.S. maple products. Recent changes in 

trade agreements have put American suppliers at a tariff disadvantage in key European and Japanese 

markets. We have identified six alternative markets where U.S. producers have competitive market 

share and potential for expansion. We will identify key consumers and end uses, options for promotion 

and distribution, potential trade barriers, and other basic information U.S. producers can use to tailor 

marketing strategies specific to their respective brands and products. This project will foster the 

development of relationships between U.S. maple producers and international buyers and traders, 

increasing the export of U.S. maple products.
West Virginia

Recipient: Future Generations University Corporation, Franklin, WV

Project Type: Market Development and Promotion

Award Amount: $498,521.22

Accessing South Atlantic Markets for US Maple Syrup: educating consumers and enhancing 

distribution networks 

This Market Development and Promotion project will support the growth of the U.S. maple syrup 

industry in the South Atlantic. It will enhance current markets in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia by 

increasing consumer awareness about U.S. maple syrup and sap products. It will also expand consumer 

access to U.S. maple products into new markets throughout Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, 

Washington D.C., Georgia, as well as North and South Carolina.

Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia’s maple industries have seen a resurgence in recent years, which 

presents an opportunity to support the entire U.S. maple syrup industry through market growth. The 

need and the opportunity for the maple industry to thrive in the Virginias and Maryland is finding access 

to new markets.

Future Generations University, Virginia Tech, Appalachian Sustainable Development, and Garrett County 

Economic Development have created a three‐state collaborative partnership to raise consumer 

awareness about the U.S. maple industry and expand access in the South Atlantic. If awarded funding, 

the project will: a) conduct market research to track industry growth; b) increase consumer knowledge 

and awareness c) analyze existing market demands and distribution trends to foster linkages between 

buyers, distributors, and sellers with local/regional producers.