Warming temperatures in the Northeast have caused problems for maple syrup producers in recent years since the time period that the sap is running in the trees is starting earlier and ending sooner than in the past. According to an article in Modern Farmer, “Just a few degrees makes all the difference—too many warm days in February and there will be less maple syrup for all the months to follow.” Producers are turning to diversified agricultural production, adding livestock or field crops to supplement income from maple syrup and adding tourism to increase what income they can bring to the farm. In the future, most of the production may move into Canada as the Northeast not only has less suitable climate but also as ecosystems change and the region becomes less hospitable to the maples needed for the syrup.
