NYS Maple Producer’s Association Mid-Winter Maple Classic Conference

Making the Grade – It’s All About Quality!

Event Date: January 10th through 11th, 2025
Location: The OnCenter – 800 S. State Street, Syracuse, New York

Anyone with access to maple trees and a willingness to learn can produce maple syrup, making it an accessible and rewarding endeavor for hobbyists and small-scale producers alike.

Workshop sessions will focus on a broad range of topics relevant to sugarmakers of all sizes and experience levels.  This year’s theme of Quality is backed by presentations from top experts discussing how to preserve sap quality during collection and storage, filtration methods, proper finishing and grading techniques, food safety, and a friendly overview of regulatory compliance with state food inspectors. Several workshops will highlight value-added products including best practices for traditional maple confections, and opportunities for novel products and scaled up production.  Forests and climate will be another focus with talks addressing sugarbush health and productivity in an era of climate change, as well as ideas for generating additional income from the woodlot. There will also be business management sessions, and a special presentation on indigenous sugaring traditions provided by the Onondaga Nation.

For the Farmers

This conference offers an invaluable opportunity for maple producers to enhance the quality of their maple syrup and explore the latest industry equipment. Gain insights from experts and fellow producers to elevate your operations.

For Exhibitors

We invite our vendor partners to sponsor the event and engage with local farmers, fostering meaningful relationships and showcasing your products and services.

For High Schools:

All high schools with a maple program are warmly welcomed to participate. Students will have the chance to:

• Learn directly from local farmers
• Connect with industry experts and researchers
• Discover the latest equipment available from vendors