The Latest: US, Canada yield record amounts of maple syrup

MONTPELIER, Vt. – The Latest on the record-setting maple syrup season (all times local):

4:25 p.m.

The United States and Canada have produced a record amount of maple syrup this year, thanks to an extended season with low temperatures and more people getting into the business or expanding their operations.

U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics released this month show the U.S. produced 4.2 million gallons, the greatest amount since records began in 1916.

Vermont is by far the largest producer of maple syrup in the U.S. The state yielded 1.9 million gallons this year, beating the previous record set in 2013 of 1.48 million gallons.

Canada supplies about 70 per cent of the world’s maple syrup. It had a banner yield with about 13.5 million gallons — a 23 per cent increase from the previous record set in 2013. Quebec produces about 90 per cent of Canada’s syrup.

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11:45 a.m.

Officials say Vermont has produced a record amount of maple syrup this past year, thanks to an extended season with low temperatures and more people getting into the business or expanding their operations.

Vermont is by far the country’s largest producer of maple syrup. U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics show the state yielded 1.9 million gallons this year, up from 1.4 million gallons last year.

New York was second with 707,000 gallons, followed by Maine, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.

Overall, the country produced 4.2 million gallons.

Maple syrup retails for an average of about $48 to $52 per gallon.

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture’s maple specialist says the number of taps in trees in Vermont has jumped from a million about 15 years ago to nearly 5 million now.