U.S. Department of Agriculture officials say 2011 was a sweet year for maple syrup production. U.S. production of 2.79 million gallons was up 43 percent from 2010, an off year, and easily topped the previous record of 2.40 million, set two years ago.
Vermont led the nation again, with its 1.14-million-gallon total surpassing 1 million gallons for the first time since the 1940s.
New York was second with 564,000 gallons, followed by Maine with 360,000. States from Maine to Ohio also had strong years.
Herman Ortiz of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service said Thursday that national syrup production figures go back only to 1992. But he said New England state records indicate the region produced more maple syrup this year than in any year since 1935.