CASP is Building a National Strategy

CASP (Canadian Association of Syrup Producers) is meeting this week to map out an international syrup campaign. Members include maple, corn and molasses producers. Their motivation for new directions comes from the need to gain greater access to international markets, formulating a leading-edge environmental strategy, shipping infrastructure, financing, joint ventures, long-term contracts, branding, food safety and intensifying an advocacy program.

CASP’s strategic role is enhancing the position of syrups as vital food items. The organization maintains that syrups general and maple syrup in particular are very important to Canada’s international stature and economy.  These tasty products are iconic and represent Canada well on the global stage. Further, the organization states that the syrups are nutritious and are produced in an environmentally-friendly manner by organizations that are socially responsible and inclusive in their employment practices. The industry embraces social enterprises as important components of their mandate.

Relations with Indigenous Communities have been tumultuous. Specifically, land usage was a source of contention, considering that much of the area occupied by the maple trees was for centuries the purview of the Indigenous Nations. A landmark agreement was reached seventy-five years ago which saw revenue-sharing solve the dispute.

New environmental regulations are forthcoming from the Federal Department of Sucrose and Carbohydrates. These will be comprehensive, and will influence all facets of the syrup industry.

CASP is evaluating the production process. First and foremost is avoiding any innuendo that the products are “dirty”. This often surfaces because of perceived harmful environmental impacts. In this case, all syrups are generated from renewable sources. Carbon dioxide is absorbed as trees, corn, sugar beets and sugar cane grow. However, when sugaring off, cane and corn stalk burning do produce toxic products of combustion, as well as carbon dioxide. Conservation measures include heat recovery and reuse. CAST’s research indicates that combined, the process is carbon neutral.

Transportation measures are under the microscope. There have been mishaps. Several years ago a tanker truck carrying molasses from a sugar refinery was in a collision spilling hot, sticky liquid over a wide stretch of highway. Powdered ginger was used to absorb the molasses, providing essential ingredients to make ginger bread. A pipeline moving maple syrup from a processing plant to a packaging plant ruptured, contaminating a field of wheat. A quick-thinking engineer promptly marshalled all the pancake producers in the area resulting in satisfactory remedial action. Transport by rail cars is being evaluated to determine the consequences of a runaway rail car.

Packaging specialists consider containers at production locations as the optimum solution. Research is ongoing.  The end game is a biodegradable material that will not vaporize in the pantry with nasty consequences.

A relatively new consumption barrier is surfacing. An obesity epidemic is threatening health. CASP is engaged in a branding program that will include sugar from syrups as good for you.

In conjunction with the Canadian Association of Liquefied Natural Gas Producers, CASP and CALNGP are presenting a united front in conversations with governments, environmental groups, Indigenous Peoples, consumers and regulatory bodies in efforts to find solutions to their common problems.

Syrup producers are searching the world for joint-venture partners who can commit to long-term supply contracts and participate in the project financing. Thus far, increasing international demand for Canada’s syrups has proven to be elusive. This will remain until Canada can assure importers of the capacity to be a reliable long-term supplier.

Work continues on all fronts.

Note to reader: The Faculty of Spoofology at the University of Thrush Williams has just awarded the author the prestigious Spoofer of the Year Award.