While playing around with yet another random data set, I came across the Acer Access and Development Program. Here’s the description on the website:

The Acer Access and Development Program (Acer) offers grants to support the efforts of States, tribal governments, and research institutions to promote the domestic maple syrup industry. Supported activities include: promotion of research and education related to maple syrup production; promotion of natural resource sustainability in the maple syrup industry; market promotion for maple syrup and maple-sap products; encouragement of owners and operators of privately held land containing species of trees in the genus Acer to initiate or expand maple-sugaring activities on the land; or to voluntarily make the land available, including by lease or other means, for access by the public for maple-sugaring activities.

So, today, I really learned a few things:

1. This program exists; and
2. The genus for maple trees is “Acer”
3. In Fiscal Year 2021, the Acer Program made $5,428,208.66 in grant awards.
4. According to Wikipedia, Quebec accounts for 70% of the world’s maple syrup production.
5. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the United States produced 3.424 million gallons of syrup, which means there was almost 140 million gallons of sap collected! That’s a lot of syrup!
6. According to one report, the global maple syrup market size was valued at $1.49 billion in 2021!