Got Nature? Blog

Researchers at Purdue are working to scale up the green production of maple syrup in the Central Hardwood Region. As part of the project, which will help shape the future of the industry, researchers are asking producers to participate in a new survey, sharing their experiences, challenges and perspectives on sustainable production and cooperative opportunities.

“A producer coop could help strengthen Indiana’s maple syrup industry by reducing production costs, expanding market opportunities, improving profitability, and lowering the environmental footprint of maple syrup production,” said Dr. Mo Zhou, associate professor of forest economics and management. “But for such coops to succeed, it must reflect the needs and preferences of producers. This survey seeks to understand producers’ willingness to participate in a coop and the types of coop arrangements that would best serve them. The survey responses will help us explore a coop model that benefits individual producers while supporting the long-term growth and sustainability of Indiana’s maple syrup industry.”

The deadline to complete the survey is Nov. 30, 2026.

The fully confidential survey, which will take between 15 and 25 minutes to complete, asks about:

• Maple syrup production practices
• Production and marketing challenges
• Sustainable “green” production practices
• Cooperative participation and preferences
• Educational and technical assistance needs.

Participants may skip any questions they do not wish to answer or stop participating in the survey at any time. No personal identifiable information will be collected and survey responses will remain anonymous and only will be reported in summary form.

“Clearly, there is a great need and potential for expanding the “green” production of maple syrup in Indiana through engaging more private landowners in sugaring activities,” PhD student Jean Fritz Saint Preux said. “We will use Indiana as a model to produce new research that will help develop and disseminate decision-making and educational tools and promote the production of sustainable, low-carbon-footprint maple syrup and other sap-based products. The project findings will be transferable to other states in Central Hardwood Region because of the similarity in the forest type, land ownership and many other attributes.”

The project is supported by the USDA Aces Access and Development Program.

Learn More:
Sugar Sweet: Making Maple Syrup, Purdue College of Agriculture News
Researchers Need Community Participation in Maple Syrup Producers Survey, Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources News
For the second year, Acer grant boosts Indiana Maple Syrup Industry, Purdue College of Agriculture News
A Tale of Two Syrups, Featured Photo Styory, Purdue College of Agriculture
An Introduction to Trees of Indiana, The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center
Fifty Common Trees of Indiana Videos, Purdue Forestry & Natural Resources (FNR)
Conservation Tree Planting: Steps to Success, Purdue FNR YouTube Channel Webinars
Subscribe – Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube Channel for videos on forestry, urban forestry, wildlife, aquaculture, fisheries, conservation, natural resource management, wood products, wood manufacturing and much more.

Jean Fritz Saint Preux, Graduate Research Assistant
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Mo Zhou, Associate Professor of Forest Economics and Management
Department of Forestry and Natural Resources