Consultations on Maple Production in Public Forestlands Come to a Close

The Ball Now Rests in the Hands of the Québec Government

Public consultations came to a close today on the Ministerial Master Plan for the Development of Maple Syrup Production in Public Forests, initiated on May 26 by the Ministère de la Forêt, de la Faune et des Parcs (MFFP). Québec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP) took the opportunity to reiterate its demands and encourage the general public to support them to ensure the future of the industry.

QMSP has worked hard over the past month to explain the issues maple producers face, putting forth its proposals for a better coexistence of users in public forests. The organization submitted its brief to MFFP; regional producer chapters and industry partners added their comments and observations as well. These efforts will continue in the coming weeks.

QMSP President Luc Goulet expressed confidence that MFFP will consider their arguments with an open mind. “The maple industry in Québec is 13,300 producers, 8,000 enterprises, and a dynamic ecosystem of buyers, processors, and equipment manufacturers. It is exports that are up by more than 20%, a record harvest of 211 million pounds of maple syrup in 2022, and hundreds of millions of dollars in sales. Maple syrup is not only part of our heritage—it’s a tremendous lever of economic development. The government has a duty to protect our maple forest resource and make sure this important industry continues to grow.”

The outcome of this public consultation is crucial because the proportion of maple syrup produced in public forests will have to increase over the years to come. QMSP has been calling for the protection of 200,000 hectares of public forests for months. This is only reasonable, as it represents a mere 6% of the hardwood resource identified as needed by the wood industry for the next 60 years. Maple producers also oppose the new 24-centimetre tapping standard because it would eliminate 1.8 million taps from public forestland, as well as the proposed financial maturity size which would sacrifice mature maple trees to the logging industry, trees that are prized for syrup production.

About Québec Maple Syrup Producers and the Érable du Québec Brand

Québec Maple Syrup Producers (QMSP) represents the interests of 13,300 women and men and more than 8,000 enterprises that produce maple syrup. Québec provides an average 72% of the world’s maple syrup supply, exporting it to some 60 nations.

QMSP.ca – @AcericoleQc
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