Connecticut, the Nutmeg State, accounted for 1% of U.S. maple production this year, according a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Connecticut is part of the Northeast Region, which also includes Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. As a whole, the region produced 2.96 million gallons of maple syrup this year, up 7% from 2014.
Connecticut totaled 85,000 tree taps and produced 19,000 gallons of maple syrup.
The maple syrup powerhouse is Vermont, which produced 40.7% of the country’s maple syrup. The Green Mountain State totaled 4,490,000 taps and produced 1,390,000 gallons of syrup.
Nationwide, maple syrup production in 2015 totaled 3,414,000 gallons.
According to the USDA report, the 2015 maple season in the Northeast was “mostly favorable.” Cold temperatures contributed to a shorter season of sap flow compared to last year. On average, the season lasted 26 days, compared to 29 days last year.
Information: nass.usda.gov.