Improving profits for maple producers through tubing sanitation

Improving profits for maple producers through tubing sanitation

Summary

Sap yield was measured throughout the 2015 sugaring season in three sites at two locations (UVM Proctor Maple Research Center in Underhill Ctr., VT, and Arnot Forest in Van Etten, NY). The effectiveness of replacement, cleaning, and replacement with cleaning strategies on sap production were compared under vacuum conditions.  Studies were also made of labor and supply costs to allow calculations of the net profit for each strategy.  In general, replacement strategies (spout replacement, use of Check-valve spouts or adapters, or dropline replacement) produced the highest net profits.  Cleaning produced an intermediate level of net profit.   Cleaning with spout replacement resulted in the lowest net profit.  None of the chemical sanitizers tested were clearly more advantageous than the others.  Thirty-four presentations were conducted during 2015 to over 1,250 attendees.

Objectives/Performance Targets

On a total of 850,000 tapped trees, 450 maple producers adopt a more beneficial practice to combat sap yield losses from microbial contamination, resulting in an increase in annual net profits of $1 to $3 per tap.

Accomplishments/Milestones

1. Four-thousand maple producers learn about the project through an announcement distributed to members of producer organizations and forums in the project area, and receive a link to an online survey. Completed May 2014.
2. Fifteen-hundred of these producers complete the online survey about their current practices and knowledge, and their intention to participate in the education program. Completed May 2014.
3. Nine-hundred of these producers participate in the project’s education program by attending a local presentation, webinar, or viewing the presentation online, where they learn about the project and its performance target, the net profits gained through cleaning and replacement sanitation strategies, how to best implement these strategies in their operations, and other best practices for maximizing sap yields in their operations. Accomplishment technically reached April 2015, however we are still conducting outreach efforts.
4. Six-hundred and seventy-five of these producers complete an online survey and communicate to the project team whether they intend to adopt a different sanitation practice; they also receive a data collection template, one-on-one assistance if needed, and a link to the online survey to be used after the production season for performance target verification.  Because the 2014 and 2015 seasons were both very similar and somewhat unusual (very late, very cold, very short), we have temporarily delayed the completion of this milestone. We are planning to collect sap yield research in at least one of the project research sites during the 2016 season to ensure that our results are more broadly applicable over a wider range of sugaring season conditions . The spreadsheet tools for predicting and estimating sanitation effects are therefore still in draft mode until the April 2016, at which point the new results will be incorporated and the analytical tool finalized. At that point we will also finalize our online video instruction that will accompany the tool, and link to the online survey to assess producer impact.
5. Five hundred of these producers document their change in net profits following adoption of a more beneficial cleaning or replacement strategy by submitting completed verification information to the project team. Ongoing.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Over the past two sugaring seasons (2014 and 2015) we have determined the effect of different sanitation strategies (replacement, cleaning, or cleaning plus replacement) on sap yield, cost of implementation, and net profit on a per tap basis. The results are clear that the highest net profits are gained through replacement strategies, that cleaning produces a somewhat lower net profit, and that a combined cleaning plus replacement strategy produces the least net profit.  However because maple producers may have other reasons for adopting a particular approach, we are presenting all the results to allow them to make a more informed decision on how their chosen sanitation strategy will affect their bottom line.  Over 2,000 maple producers have attended presentations describing the interim results of this project since its inception.  Hundreds of maple producers have signed up to receive the analytical tools when they are finalized.  When the tool and instructional materials are released (Anticipated April 2016) we will be able to document the specific number of producers, taps, and the resulting net profits resulting from changes in strategy adoption resulting from this project.

• Net profit by sanitization strategy

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