Maple Syrup
Licensing
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Producers of pure maple syrup and concentrated sap who sell these products wholesale to other processors for further processing are exempt from food processing plant licensing if their gross receipts total less than $5,000 a year.
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Exempt producers must keep a written record of every sale and retain that record for at least two years.
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The record must be available for inspection and copying by DATCP upon request.
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The record shall include the name and address of the purchasing processor, the date of sale, the amount of maple syrup or concentrated maple sap sold, and the sale price.
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Exempt producers must also register their business with the DATCP for free before engaging in any processing activities in any license year ending March 31st.
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Registration is done in writing using DATCP maple sap processor registration form (form is located under Additional Resources on left margin).
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Producers required to hold a food processing plant license are required to follow grading requirements for maple syrup (covered later).
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Producers not required to hold a food processing plant license are required to either follow grading requirements or to label syrup as “ungraded.
Retail Food Establishment License: Producers who sell maple syrup directly to consumers must have a retail food establishment license unless both of the following conditions apply:
- The establishment only sells fresh fruits and vegetables, honey, cider, sorghum, or maple syrup.
- The operator of the establishment produces the product sold to the consumer.
Food Warehouse License: Processors must hold a food warehouse license if liquid maple product or maple-derived water are held for more than 24 hours at a location other than the food processing plant.
Maple Syrup Grading and Labeling
- If a facility has a food processing plant license, they must label their maple syrup product as one of the following: Grade A, processing grade, or substandard.
- However, if the product is being sold as bulk to be further processed it may be labeled as ungraded.
- If a facility does not hold a food processing plant license, they must label their product as one of the following: Grade A, processing grade, substandard, or ungraded.
The different grades of maple syrup and the requirements to make each grade are listed on the infographic below.
Obtaining Licenses
- Complete the Rusk County License Application - Mobile and Transient Retail Food Establishment, which can be found on our Mobile and Transient Food Establishment page.
- Contact a licensing consultant with the DATCP at (608)-224-4923 or email DATCPDFSLicensing@wi.gov for more information.