I 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1275 

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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 30, 2011 

Mr. WELCH (for himself and Mr. OWENS) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

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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1 SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR STATE AND TRIBAL GOVERNMENT 

2 EFFORTS TO PROMOTE DOMESTIC MAPLE 

3 SYRUP INDUSTRY. 

4 (a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED; AUTHORIZED ACTIVI5 TIES.—The Secretary of Agriculture may make grants to 

6 States and tribal governments to support their efforts to 

7 promote the domestic maple syrup industry through the 

8 following activities: 

9 (1) Promotion of research and education related 

10 to maple syrup production. 

11 (2) Promotion of natural resource sustainability 

12 in the maple syrup industry. 

13 (3) Market promotion for maple syrup and 

14 maple-sap products. 

15 (4) Encouragement of owners and operators of 

16 privately held land containing species of tree in the 

17 genus Acer— 

18 (A) to initiate or expand maple-sugaring 

19 activities on the land; or 

20 (B) to voluntarily make the land available, 

21 including by lease or other means, for access by 

22 the public for maple-sugaring activities. 

23 (b) APPLICATIONS.—In submitting an application for 

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

25 shall include— 


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1 (1) a description of the activities to be sup2 ported using the grant funds; 

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

4 or tribal government intends to achieve as a result 

5 of engaging in such activities; and 

6 (3) an estimate of the increase in maple-sug7 aring activities or maple syrup production that the 

8 State or tribal government anticipates will occur as 

9 a result of engaging in such activities. 

10 (c) RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.—Nothing in 

11 this section preempts a State or tribal government law, 

12 including any State or tribal government liability law. 

13 (d) DEFINITION OF MAPLE SUGARING.—In this sec14 tion, the term ‘‘maple-sugaring’’ means the collection of 

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

16 purpose of boiling to produce food. 

17 (e) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary of Agriculture 

18 shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to 

19 carry out this section. 

20 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

21 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

22 $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2015. 

Æ 


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