Changing weather patterns are impacting maple syrup production

Changing weather patterns are impacting maple syrup production across the state. Warmer weather means that sap will start running earlier in the year, with production possibly ceasing in southern states, while extreme weather events, such as droughts, will have an effect on the health of the trees. Maine’s syrup producers are trying to stay ahead of the game, preparing to start tapping earlier in the season and using innovative new techniques to capture more sap. They are getting a boost from scientists like Jenny Shrum, a doctoral student at the University of Maine Orono, who is researching the affects of weather on sap production, and Kip Kolesinskas, a soil conservation consultant