Vermont produced 21% less maple syrup in 2021 than the year before, according to data released Thursday by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Warm weather was a key reason for the drop in production, said Wendy Tucker, a sugarmaker in Westford. Tucker said she could produce only about half as much syrup this year as she did last year and heard some sugarmakers were able to make only a third of their typical output.
“We didn’t have enough cold nights and warmer days,” she said. “When it hits 70, it just warms the sap too much. We want cold sap. Cold sap makes good syrup.”
The state’s sugaring season was shorter than average this year, lasting just 28 days at the end of January and in February, versus 38 days in 2020. Nationwide, the average sugaring season was a week shorter than it was in 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“We were expecting a decline in production based on the weather conditions that we faced, particularly in March where we had some unheard of 60-, 70-degree weather,” said Anson Tebbetts, secretary of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. “That really put a stop to things.”
In total, Vermont produced 1.54 million gallons of maple syrup this year, which was still more than any other state in the country. New York was second, with 647,000 gallons. Maine was third, with 495,000.
Vermont’s syrup producers put out 5.9 million maple taps this year, which is 4% more than last year, according to the USDA. But yield per tap is estimated to have decreased this year, from 0.342 gallons to 0.261 gallons.
“The sugar content was low this season, so it took more gallons of sap to make a gallon of syrup,” Tucker said.
She added that, while some sugarmakers have additional jobs outside of the industry — such as selling apples or Christmas trees — she does not, which increases the impact of a lower crop yield.
“I don’t want to take on something else and neglect my maple business,” Tucker said. “I just won’t do anything this year to grow because I won’t have the extra to sell.”
Vermont’s maple syrup production was valued at $52.7 million last year, according to the new USDA data, down 9% from the previous season.
The average price per gallon of syrup increased by 2%, up to $45.50.
