Governor Kathy Hochul on March 10th, encouraged New Yorkers to support their local maple producers during Maple Month. The Governor highlighted New York’s upcoming Maple Weekends events and activities, which will take place March 22-23 and March 29-30, along with other special events and promotions throughout the month. New York State continues to rank second in the nation in maple production, and in 2024, maple production increased to 846,000 gallons, up nearly 100,000 gallons of maple syrup from the 2023 season. Recognizing the importance of the maple industry to New York’s agricultural economy, Governor Hochul proposed additional funding in her FY26 Executive Budget to further grow the maple industry and help New York become the leading maple innovator.

“Maple Month is officially underway, offering New Yorkers from every corner of the State the chance to support the hardworking producers of this sweet agricultural crop,” Governor Hochul said. “New York State has a long history with this delicious crop, and continues to be home to a thriving community of maple producers making some of the most delicious and innovative maple products in the world. I encourage all New Yorkers to participate in Maple Weekends to sample some of the world-class items that New York’s maple community has to offer.

As part of the kickoff to Maple Month, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard A. Ball visited Shadow Hill Maple Farm, a family-owned farm in Ontario in Wayne County, for an annual maple tree tapping to highlight New York’s maple industry and encourage visitors to participate in Maple Weekends. In addition to Maple Weekends, Shadow Hill Maple Farm is open every weekend in March for sampling of a variety of maple products, tours of the facility to see how sap is collected, and to learn how maple syrup is made. Shadow Hill Maple Farm is a part of the New York State Grown & Certified program, which promotes New York farms that adhere to a higher standard for food safety and environmentally friendly practices.

More than 100 maple producers participate in the NYS Grown & Certified program, which verifies New York's agricultural producers and growers who adhere to food safety and environmental sustainability standards. Find a current list of maple producers who are a part of the NYS Grown & Certified program.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball said, “As the first agricultural crop of the year, the maple season provides a sweet way to usher in New York’s delicious harvest season. Thanks to our dedicated maple producers, including those who are in our NYS Grown & Certified program, New York continues to be a top maple producer in the country, contributing tremendously to our local communities and economies. I encourage New Yorkers to find a nearby, local producer hosting Maple Weekend activities to find out more about the syrup-making process, taste some delicious New York products, and support this unique industry!”

Maple Weekends
Throughout the month of March each year and the last two weekends of the month in particular, maple farms across the state open their doors to the public to provide a chance to taste pure maple syrup, right from the source, and experience the unique family tradition of making maple syrup in New York State. Producers offer tours and pancake breakfasts, sell maple products, and demonstrate the syrup-making process, which includes the traditional system of hanging buckets on trees or more modern methods of production using vacuum systems to increase the yield of sap per tree. A searchable list of Maple Weekend events is available at mapleweekend.nysmaple.com.

Maple Promotions
New York’s Taste NY Markets across the state are highlighting unique local maple products and producers during the month of March, with product specials, giveaways, and more. The Western NY Welcome Center is offering a maple gift basket giveaway and a maple product scavenger hunt, with visitors getting 10 percent off the maple products they find in store. The Capital Region Welcome Center will have a sampling event on March 28, featuring pancakes by Phoenicia Diner and Jourdin’s Maple Syrup. Additionally, the Mohawk Valley Welcome Center is doing a gift basket giveaway, and the Adirondacks Welcome Center will feature educational displays from the Upper Hudson Valley Maple Association with information about the history of maple production and modern production techniques. Visit your local Taste NY Market to take part in their Maple Month celebrations! Find a market in your region.

Shadow Hill Maple Farm Owner Gretchen Milke said, “Shadow Hill Maple has been hosting maple open house weekends for 25 years and are serving all-you-can-eat pancakes for the community every weekend in March. Our sugar house is located right in the center of our sugar bush, giving visitors the best maple experience, allowing them to enjoy their pancakes with real maple syrup while viewing the trees where the sap was collected. We also offer free samples of all color grades of syrup in addition to numerous other maple treats and products. Guests are welcome to walk the trails through the sugar bush and around the three acres pond. It is certainly a great family event for all ages! We are proud to be a part of the maple tradition in our state, which is so important to New York agriculture.”

State Senator Michelle Hinchey said, “Maple syrup production has been a cherished tradition in New York for centuries, passed down through the generations. Family-owned businesses are the backbone of this growing industry, and their hard work has made New York the second-largest maple producer in the nation. March Maple Month is the perfect time to visit a local sugar shack, try some of the delicious New York maple products, and support the farm businesses that strengthen our local and state economies.”

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “One of the best parts of early Spring in New York are Maple Weekends. With New York ranking second in the nation for maple production, there are plenty of locations to choose from for a visit. The public can learn about how syrup is produced, sample new products, and support our local maple farms. As one of New York’s biggest maple syrup consumers, I never miss the chance to celebrate New York’s maple industry.”

New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher said, “The maple industry in New York is not only one that is full of tradition and history, but it is also an important contributor to our agricultural economy. As the second-largest maple producer in the country, New York is proud of our maple heritage, and there is no better way to celebrate than Maple Weekends. New York Farm Bureau continues to advocate for funding to support this growing industry.”

Governor Hochul’s FY26 Executive Budget includes proposed funding to further grow the maple industry. In 2024, Governor Hochul signed three bills at the Great New York State Fair to strengthen New York's agricultural industry, including a new law that allows state land to be leased for sap production. The Governor will further expand the state’s support of New York’s maple industry with more than $400,000 that will be dedicated for marketing and research, helping New York to become the leading maple innovator.

Currently, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets supports the maple industry through the New York State Budget — which includes funding for promotion and educational programs — as well as through investments in research projects, such as Cornell University’s Maple Program’s Arnot Teaching Forest, and through its NYS Grown & Certified and Taste NY marketing programs.