KNOX (NEWS CENTER Maine) – Maple syrup producers in Maine are furious over a change in federal regulation that would require them to mark their products with "added sugar" labels.
"It's just all-around a lie. We don't add any sugar,” MaryAnne Kinney said.
Kinney, who is also a state legislator, and her husband run Kinney Sugarhouse in Knox. She said they had one of their best seasons yet this year, but fears the regulation would jeopardize future success.
"This is our primary source of income,” Kinney said. “We're farmers."
The change in the Food and Drug Administration’s labeling requirements would make single-ingredient products like maple syrup and honey show "added sugar" because they are above the recommended daily sugar consumption.
In testimony against the regulation on Capitol Hill, Rep. Chellie Pingree said while she agrees with promoting healthier eating, the label would be “misleading."
“I think there are a lot of potential problems here. It’s an important industry to Maine, and it’s important to the consumers. They want to eat a natural product,” Pingree told NEWS CENTER Maine.
Maple syrup producers made more than 700,000 gallons of syrup in 2017, contributing more than $30 million dollars to the state’s economy, according to the USDA.
"This is something that's going to impact so many people's livelihoods,” Kinney said. “They're going to see ‘added sugar’ and they're going to think we are adding sugar."
Public comment is still open until June 15. If the regulation stands, farmers would have three years to re-label their products.