Proposed new maple rules welcome: Fulton's

Posted Feb 16, 2012 By Sherry Haaima

EMC Business - The news is sweet for maple syrup producers.

Among those praising a Conservative senator's motion to change maple syrup standards to make it harder for watered-down versions to be sold as pure are owners of Fulton's Pancake House and Sugar Bush in the Pakenham area.

"For one thing, it's increased the profile of maple in general, which is always a good thing," said Fulton's owner Shirley Deugo, following Senator Nancy Green Raine's tabling of a motion recently that would make it more difficult for table or blended syrup to be labelled 'pure.'

"Maple has such a great reputation and such a great flavour that everyone wants to get on the bandwagon," said Deugo.

Raine has obviously been keeping abreast of issues faced by producers, said Deugo, as the standards are being discussed at various levels of associations in the maple industry.

"I think what she's doing is wonderful," said Deugo.

The new standards would help clear things up for customers, she added.

"There is some confusion of our customers between pure maple syrup and table or blended syrup," she explained.

"People look at the label and they see the word pure but don't realize it's only 10 per cent pure," said Deugo.

The proposed changes would create four classes of pure syrup, based on taste and colour.

Deugo says the changes are also in keeping with the societal trend to be more aware of where food comes from, said Deugo.

"It's transparency, that's what we're looking for, and clarification for our customers," she said.

A standardized grading system will help clear up consumer confusion, too, between syrup made in Ontario, Quebec and Vermont, which are all using slightly different systems.

The product's state or country of origin is already required to be on the label and that won't change.

Transitioning to the new system will not happen overnight and will certainly have a "huge impact" on producers.

"It's going to take a lot of learning," said Deugo.

Government is hoping to start the process of introducing the changes next year, she said.

Fulton's is gearing up for the season with several upcoming activities planned, including Family Day, March Break and Easter events.

Sherry.haaima@metroland.com