MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. — NYS Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball and Senator Jen Metzger, Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, will join maple producers from Finding Home Farms at a tree-tapping event to promote the first of two Maple Weekends of 2019.
Nearly 200 farms, museums, and “sugar houses” across New York State participate in this annual spring event – scheduled for March 23-24 and March 30-31. The events showcase New York’s maple producers, who rank second nationally in syrup production and generate an estimated economic impact of $141 million annually.
More than 400,000 agritourism visitors are expected to participate in breakfasts, tours, and demonstrations spotlighting New York State’s growing maple industry. Maple Weekend events boost awareness of New York’s syrup production, which has increased by nearly 50 percent in the last five years, hitting a 74-year record in 2018, with 806,000 gallons, or roughly 20 percent of the nation’s maple syrup yield, produced from 2.73 million taps.
–NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets
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