Legislation in Congress to increase maple syrup production and promote economic development has been introduced by Congressman Bill Owens and a representative from Vermont.

Owens and Congressman Peter Welch have put forward the Maple Tapping Access Program (TAP) Act of 2011 authorizing $20 million in USDA grants to promote the maple industry. Grants would allow states to encourage owners and operators of privately held land to initiate or expand maple-sugaring activities on the land, or voluntarily make the land available for access by the public for maple-sugaring activities, including by lease or other means.

Grants would also be used to promote the domestic maple syrup industry through maple-related research and education, promotion of natural resource sustainability in the maple industry, and market promotion of maple products.

“We have an abundance of maple trees in the region, and this bill will help to open up previously untapped resources for area maple producers, allowing them to expand operations and hire locally,” Owens said.

The United States imports four times as much maple syrup as it produces, tapping only one in every 250 sugar maples.

The Maple TAP Act would promote the use of nearly two billion potential taps across 20 states, boosting American production.

Senator Charles Schumer has introduced a companion bill in the United States Senate.