Spout effects syrup production

An innovative new spout developed by the University of Vermont's Proctor Maple Research Center, with funding secured by Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, will have a dramatic impact on maple syrup production, increasing sap yields by 50 to 90 per cent per tree.

Progressive Plastics in Williamstown, Vermont began commercial production of the check valve spout this month for Leader Evaporator of Swanton, Vermont, which licensed the technology from the university and will market and sell it.

Although Leader has not yet listed the spout in its catalogue or on its website, the company has already received one million advance orders. Leader is projecting sales of three million units this maple season, making the spout its number one selling product.

The check valve technology itself was developed by Dr Timothy Perkins, director of the Proctor Maple Research Center. It employs a valve - a small ball that rolls back and forth in a chamber within the spout - to block the flow back into the tree of sap containing bacteria.