News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Maple syrup producers reported a record-breaking production of more than five million pounds of syrup in the province, an increase of more than one million pounds over last year, during their annual visit to the legislative assembly.

New Brunswick Maple Syrup Association board chair Michael Salmon and general manager Yvon Poitras were welcomed by Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Michael Olscamp. They presented each member and staff of the legislative assembly with a bottle of maple syrup.

"Maple syrup is one of New Brunswick's best known value-added products both here at home and around the world," said Olscamp. "Our maple syrup industry has grown from $3 million in farm cash receipts in 2000 to nearly $20 million in 2012. For 2013, all our maple syrup production is sold. We have no surplus which speaks to the high demand for our product around the world."

The majority of maple syrup production in New Brunswick takes place on 9,500 hectares of leased Crown land. The Department of Natural Resources is working closely with maple syrup producers to ensure continued development of the industry.

Natural Resources Minister Bruce Northrup said additional Crown land will be made available for maple syrup production later this year.

"Last year, I convened a new committee with a mandate to foster the growth of New Brunswick's maple syrup industry while maintaining strong support for the province's hardwood industry,'' said Northrup. "As a result of work done so far by the maple committee, we have identified additional Crown land suitable for maple syrup production and we plan to issue a request for proposals by mid to late summer of this year for these sites. As well, we are looking at other options that would allow us to further increase maple syrup production on Crown land.''

New Brunswick is the third largest maple syrup producer in the world, after Quebec and Vermont. The industry in the province has more than 200 maple syrup producers. Employment generated during the production season is about 2,285 seasonal and full-time jobs.

Next fall, for the first time, New Brunswick will host The International Maple Syrup Institute and the North American Maple Syrup Council Conference. This major event will attract about 300 to 400 people from four provinces and from 14 maple syrup-producing states.