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Bascom's announces a 20-cent increase for new crop syrup
Peter Gregg | March 23, 2026
ALSTEAD, N.H.—The nation’s largest bulk syrup buyer on Monday announced a 20-cent increase for the 2026 crop, citing strong demand.
Bascom Maple Farms said it will pay $2.60 per pound for Golden and Amber syrup, $2.55 for Dark, $2.35 for Very Dark and $1.60 for processing-grade syrup. Organic syrup will earn a 15-cent premium.
“While the past few months have been erratic to say the least, with everything from tariffs to exchange rates to foreign governments, we are optimistic about the future of the maple industry,” the company said in a statement announcing the new prices.
Other bulk buyers in Vermont have already adopted similar pricing for the season.
The increase comes amid record global demand. Last year’s crop — the second largest on record — was largely sold out by January, leaving buyers scrambling for supply.
“Sales were unprecedented this past year,” said Bruce Bascom, adding that worldwide demand has been growing about 8% annually.
[ MORE ]
Vermont experts explain why sap might not flow right away
Peter Gregg | February 9, 2026
UNDERHILL CTR., Vt. — You may get warm temperatures at the beginning of the season and wonder:
Where's the sap?
Early warm spells can look perfect, yet sap may flow weakly or not at all.
UVM Proctor Maple researchers explain why.
Trees are large and have thermal inertia, so internal temperatures change slowly, UVM researchers found.
Air can warm quickly, but the mass of wood takes much longer, especially after a prolonged cold like we've had this winter.
Even when air temperatures reach the 40s, stems can remain frozen, preventing sap flow from tapholes, UVM researchers said.
Moisture inside the tree can also limit sap. [ MORE ]
Future of maple looks good, but with challenges
Peter Gregg | January 6, 2026
RANDOLPH, Vt.—Industry experts were cautiously optimistic about the future of maple as we enter a new season.
“I think the industry is in a good spot,” said Matthew Bascom of Bascom Maple Farms during a panel discussion at the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association annual meeting in Randolph, Vt. on Dec. 13. “Sales have been good lately.”
Fran Sladyk, forester for Butternut Mountain Farms of Morrisville, Vt. agreed.
“I think the bulk market is good,” he said.
Prices for bulk syrup have been hovering around the $2.30 per pound mark all year.
In Vermont, about 85 percent of the syrup made is sold into the bulk market, with Bascom and Butternut being among the top buyers of it. Just 20 years ago, the bulk market was only 45 percent of production.
Prompted by moderator Mark Isselhardt, the panel was asked about threats to the industry.
Sladyk seemed most concerned about invasive insects. He mentioned a new insect that has been killing off beech trees over the past couple of years.
“If something like that comes for maple, we could be in real trouble,” he said. [ MORE ]
Bulk syrup in demand across Maple Belt
Peter Gregg | January 6, 2026
JEFFERSON, Ohio—Syrup demand is carrying into the new year, with buyers on the hunt for drums.
"Demand is strong," said Nate Bissell of Bissell Maple Farms, one of the nation’s biggest bulk buyers.
Dwayne Hill of Shaver-Hill Maple in Harpersfield, N.Y., who is a regional buyer for Bissell, said that the storage warehouse is almost empty at his farm.
“We are sending another load to Nate next week and we will be down to basically enough for ourselves,” Hill told The Maple News. “Nate is looking for 7 tractor trailer loads as we speak right now."
Hill said he will likely behunting for more syrup in January.
Meanwhile, at Bascom Maple Farms in Alstead, N.H., owner Bruce Bascom told The Maple News that supply and demand have been keeping up with each other. [ MORE ]
CDL acquires Maple Expert Solutions (M.E.S)
| November 25, 2025
ST. ALBANS, Vt. — CDL USA announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Maple Expert Solutions of Henniker, N.H., owned by Clayton Christie.
“This acquisition reflects CDL’s ongoing commitment to providing US producers with the most innovative, reliable, and efficient tools available,” said Martin Chabot, Co-owner, CDL USA.
“Maple Expert Solutions has built a strong reputation for expertise and customer service, and integrating their team and technologies into CDL will bring even greater value to sugarmakers all across the US.” [ MORE ]
New equipment deliveries on the increase this fall
Peter Gregg | November 11, 2025
OHNSON, Vt.—Sterling Mountain Farm, owned by Rob Maynard and Deb Ravenelle, in Johnson, Vt. bought a new Force 5 Lapierre evaporator and had it delivered last month.
Neighbors from Umbrella Hill Maple, Arnie Piper, Beth Piper and from Poor Farm Sugar Works, Donald Schroeder, Valerie Schroeder pitched in to help set it up.
The sale was made by Larrs Hardy of Lapierre USA in Swanton.
Sugarmakers across the Maple Belt were accepting deliveries of equipment ordered last spring, gearing up for a new season ahead. [ MORE ]
How color and flavor determine quality in syrup
Les Ober, OSU Ext. | September 23, 2025
BURTON, Ohio—The requirements for USDA Grade Maple Syrup are a density of not less than 66 brix and not over 68.9.
This may vary by state of origin.
The sample must be clear not cloudy. What about Color?
It has been used to identify the different grades from the beginning.
Is this the most important grade characteristic? What about flavor? Flavor often sells your product and is very important to the consumer.
Does that make Flavor more important than Color? Because they are often considered to be interrelated, the answer to this question is often up for debate?
Let’s take a “Deeper Dive” into the role that Color and Flavor play in determining the quality of pure maple syrup.
[ MORE ]
Bear rummages sugarhouse for syrup and eats syrup
Peter Gregg | September 23, 2025
WILLIAMSBURG, Mass.—Making maple means dealing with wildlife from time to time, but typically that happens in the woods, not the sugarhouse.
Sugarmaker Paul Zononi lost a couple gallons of syrup to a bear with a sweet tooth, after one snuck into the sugarhouse this spring.
“I get to the sugarhouse one morning and there’s syrup all over the floor,” Zononi said.
He had left a back sliding door open to load firewood and that is how the bear got inside. [ MORE ]
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