Over 500 maple syrup producers reported production and price information in April and May. These producers received $36.70 per gallon for their 2009 production, $2.40 less than a year ear-lier.

Wisconsin’s maple syrup season began on February 1, 2010, and closed on April 16, 2010. This year’s season averaged 20 days, 7 days shorter than last year.

Eighty-seven percent of the producers who responded felt that temperatures this season were too warm for sap flow. This was a large change in opinion from the 2009 season, when 92 percent of producers reported weather to be favorable and only four per-cent felt it was too warm. Twelve percent of this year’s producers indicated that temperatures were favorable for sap flow, while one percent reported temperatures were too cold. For favorable sap flow, warm days and cold nights are desired.

Producers in the state reported 48 percent of the maple crop was medium in color, 48 percent was dark, and four percent was light. Last year, 60 percent of the syrup was of medium color, while 18 percent was dark, and 22 percent was light.

Nationally, maple syrup production for 2010 totaled 1.96 million gallons. Production was down 19 percent from last year’s 2.40 million gallons. Number of taps set was 9.27 million, an increase of three percent from the 2009 total of 8.98 million. Yield per tap was estimated to be 0.211 gallons, down 21 percent from the previous season. Approximately 46 gallons of sap were required to produce one gallon of syrup, compared with 43 gallons in 2009 and 39 gallons in 2008.