OMSPA Summer Maple Conference and Tour

When:  July 16 – 18, 2008

Where: Days Inn, 950  6^th Street East, Owen Sound, Ontario

The Grey-Bruce local of OMSPA invites all maple producers, people wanting to become maple producers, and anyone interested in learning about the maple syrup industry to come out and attend this years Summer Tour, Conference and Trade Show in Owen Sound and surrounding forests.  The tours include 7 very interesting maple producer operations who will show off their best maple equipment, setup and techniques, plus other valued-added ventures alongside their maple production business.  

There will be technical session at the Days Inn on the mornings of Thursday July 17 and Friday July 18.  Featured topics include research presentations from the University of Vermont, Proctor Maple Research Centre on new Air Injection technology, from Campus d’Alfred, University of Guelph on Energy reduction and economic savings using Reverse Osmosis technology.   Other speaker topics will include: Organic Certification for maple (opportunities, process and requirements), Food safety initiatives – maintaining your Good Manufacturing Practices dossier, Liability insurance issues for maple producers, Establishing maple orchards and hardwood plantations for syrup and other products and, a Workshop for novice maple producers.

A Maple Industry Trade Show will also be open each day at the main conference site.

So plan to attend the OMSPA Summer Conference and Tour.  There are always new things to learn from industry specialists and other maple producers regardless of your experience.  For more information or for a registration package call Nick Bereznick or Anne Kennedy at telephone (519) 934-0391 or e-mail to mercier@bmts.com

Important notice to Maple Producers: Fuel Oil Delivery for 2009

Do you have an oil-fired evaporator?  Has it been inspected by a TSSA certified Oil Burner Technician?  If not, then you will not be able to get fuel oil delivery for the 2009 maple season.

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) has informed OMSPA and OMAFRA that it has been made aware of an existing non-compliance issue with oil fired evaporators used to manufacture maple products.  A Standards Council of Canada accredited certification organization has not approved many of the evaporators currently used throughout Ontario.   For the purpose of operator safety and public safety, the TSSA identifies this as an ‘unacceptable condition’ and the Fuel Oil regulation requires termination of fuel oil delivery where proper inspections have not been done.

The TSSA granted maple producers a variance to operate unapproved equipment for the 2008 maple season but they will require that a proper inspection be completed before 2009.

Simply stated, in order to get fuel oil delivery for the 2009 season, maple producers who currently do not have inspected equipment will need to arrange to have a proper inspection conducted.   TSSA also indicated, that in order to conduct the inspection for fuel oil requirements, each facility must first have the electrical system inspected by a certified electrician.   Many maple facilities may already have proper electrical inspections at their facility which should make it easier for a TSSA approved inspection.

Maple producers are advised to contact their local fuel oil contractor to arrange a comprehensive inspection of the unapproved evaporator and fuel oil installation by a TSSA certified Oil Burner Technician (OBT).  The technician will determine that the installation is safe for use and may recommend repairs or alteration in order to bring it to a safe operating condition.

For more information visit the TSSA website at www.tssa.org and click ‘Fuels’, or contact your local OMSPA Director.  OMAFRA and University of Guelph engineers are currently preparing a Factsheet for maple producers on the proper steps to take for TSSA certification. The Factcheet will be available shortly.

It is advised that the necessary inspections be arranged and completed during this summer and fall to avoid last-minute scrambles in 2009.   For electrical inspections, maple producers should arrange with a certified electrician to have an inspection where it is required.