The Wisconsin Farm Bureau has announced the state’s 2012 maple syrup production was 50,000 gallons, down 68 percent from 155,000 gallons in 2011. Sugar content of sap required 44 gallons of sap for one gallon of syrup, up from 38 gallons last year. Number of taps decreased from 660,000 in 2011 to 600,000 in 2012. Yields decreased 65 percent from 0.235 gallons per tap last year to 0.083 gallons per tap this year.
In 2011, the average price Wisconsin maple syrup producers received was $36.30 per gallon, down from $39.50 in 2010.
The 2012 Wisconsin maple syrup season began on January 25, eight days earlier than last year, and ended on April 25, compared with May 7 last year. This year’s season averaged 10 days, which is 18 days shorter than last
Ninety‐seven percent of Wisconsin producers who responded reported that temperatures this season were too warm for sap flow. This was a major change from the 2011 season, when only 8 percent of producers who responded reported that temperatures were too warm. The remaining 3 percent of the respondents indicated that temperatures this season were favorable for sap flow.year.
Producers in the state reported that 69 percent of the maple syrup was dark, 27 percent was medium color, and 4 percent was light. Last year, 24 percent of the syrup was dark, while 59 percent was medium color and 17 percent was light.
Nationally, maple syrup production for 2012 totaled 1.91 million gallons, down 32 percent from last year’s 2.79 million gallons. All states except Maine saw a decrease in production from 2011. Most producers in all states reported that temperatures were too warm for sap flow. Vermont led all states in production with 750,000 gallons, followed by New York and Maine at 360,000 gallons each. Number of taps in 2012 was 9.77 million, 2 percent above the 2011 total of 9.58 million. Yield per tap was 0.195 gallons in 2012, down 33 percent from 0.292 gallons last year. The maple syrup season lasted 24 days on average, compared to 32 days last year. The 2011 U.S. price per gallon averaged $37.90, up $0.40 from the 2010 price.