By JORDAN STRICKLER

Kentucky Correspondent

EDMONTON, Ky. — Another crop is gaining attention in the Bluegrass State, as local maple syrup is becoming a sweet option for some Kentucky residents.

Traditionally a staple in the Northeast and upper Midwest, maple syrup production is beginning to crop up as more of an established industry in the eastern part of this state. With low startup costs for small-scale production, the return on investment can be quick – generally within two years.

“I believe this can be a real money-maker,” said Richard Hines, owner of Richard Hines Outdoors. “If you own plenty of woodland, it can be a great alternative to logging the land. While you can sell logs for (a decent price), you can tap maple trees and get a yearly return much higher than that. And it’s a great crop to produce in the off-season of normal crop production.”

Maple syrup is one of the oldest forms of sweeteners, its use dating back hundreds of years. Pure maple syrup has been shown to have enhanced antioxidant levels compared to other foods. In addition to its nutritional content, researchers have found it contains numerous phenolic compounds, commonly found in other agricultural products such as berries, tea, red wine and flax seed.

Maple sap is collected from living trees and boiled down to create the syrup. Several trees are used for syrup, but the traditional species tapped for maple syrup production is the sugar maple, as it has the highest content of sap of any of the maple species.

While Kentucky is not likely to be competitive with established northern markets, there are good opportunities for producing “Kentucky” or “southern” maple syrup on a smaller scale, especially as a niche market product.

“The majority of the Kentucky-produced syrup is direct-marketed or sold into some smaller groceries and restaurants that place value on the ‘localness’ of the product,” said Brett Wolff, of the Center for Crop Diversification in the University of Kentucky’s Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program.

New to assist producers is the Kentucky Maple Syrup Assoc. The nonprofit encourages its two dozen or so members in their endeavors and looks to promote and provide education on the Kentucky maple syrup industry.

The organization involves itself in such activities such as the Kentucky-Virginia Maple Syrup School, an event which consisted of various workshops covering subjects from beginning maple production to sugar bush management.

One reason the industry has gained the attention of growers are the low startup expenses. “The costs were really minimal to start producing,” said Hines. “Mostly you need buckets, taps and an evaporator. You can start a small-scale commercial operation for $2,000 to $3,000. A full commercial operation can cost around $15,000.”

While production and niche marketing are beginning to pick up, Wolff thinks attention has been on the maple syrup industry for a long time. “I think the rise in popularity has more to do with visibility in the media rather than a sharp uptick in producer interest. Many of these folks have been interested in syrup for quite a while.”

Currently, Kentucky maple syrup production is minimal, but nationally, the crop is growing. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2017 U.S. maple syrup production totaled 4.27 million gallons, up 2 percent from the previous year. The number of taps is estimated at 13.3 million, up 6 percent from the 2016 total.

“I think this is great for the state,” said Hines. “There is plenty of room for everyone and I can really see the industry going up.”