To meet the demands of West Virginia's growing maple-syrup industry, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture and the W.Va. Maple Syrup Producers Association are teaming up to offer an introductory maple seminar for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Last year, West Virginia's maple industry saw a 33-percent increase in production, according Commissioner of Agriculture Kent Leonhardt, and a growing number of businesses are producing their own brands and selling syrup across the country.
"West Virginia's maple syrup industry is booming. We've gone from just a few producers to dozens in the past decade," Leonhardt said.
"This industry is perfectly suited for veterans, and we hope many will take advantage of one of these seminars."
The seminar will be held in six locations across West Virginia during September and October including: Charleston, Bluefield, Mount Clare, Huntington, Clay, and Moorefield.
Dr. Mike Rechlin, a department maple-commodity expert and association board member, will cover topics such as maple syrup in West Virginia, the science behind the sweetness and backyard sugaring. There were also be hands-on activities, according to a department press release.
The seminars are free and open to the public. To register, contact Veterans-&-Warriors-to-Agriculture program assistant Taylor Ferrell at tferrell@wvda.us or 304-357-5121.
West Virginia Maple Syrup Seminar Dates & Locations
Charleston: September 9
Bluefield: September 10
Mt. Clare (Clarksburg): September 14
Huntington: September 23
Clay: September 24
Moorefield: October 7
