Behind the scenes of the maple syrup industry and its impact on Nort American legislation
Jean Lamontagne has been passionate about agribusiness for nearly 30 years. He has worked as an executive for multinational food manufacturing and distribution companies in Canada and the UK, and has been Executive Director of the IMSI for the past three years.
The IMSI was founded in 1974. It’s the only association representing all the key players in the maple syrup industry in Canada and the United States, and that is its great strength. The industry sometimes needs someone to step in and represent it to governments and regulators like the FDA, USDA, and CFIA, and speaking with one strong voice makes a difference when it comes to matters like influencing legislation.
IMSI’s member base includes thousands of maple syrup producers and their associations; maple product processors and distributors; maple equipment manufacturers; and maple science, technology, communication, and education institutions. This impressive membership benefits the entire industry in both Canada and the United States.
Proactively keeping an eye on the North American political and regulatory environment might not exactly be glamorous, but it’s essential if the maple syrup industry is to remain competitive. Likewise, protecting the authenticity and integrity of pure maple syrup and ensuring adherence to the standard of identity are critical. The institute also supports quality initiatives for the continued production of maple syrup and maple food products that meet established and regulated quality standards.
Confidence in product quality is what consumers want, so we need to offer them a consistent and coherent system. Standardized grades, labelling, and quality help address consumers’ concerns and meet their needs, and that’s important.
The IMSI is very “agile”, with just two salaried employees. We form committees made up of the best experts for the specific issue or challenge at hand. It’s very effective.
The Board of Directors, made up of representatives of all industry bodies, meets five times a year. The next Annual General Meeting will be held on June 5 and 6 in Stowe, Vermont.
For more information, please contact Jean Lamontagne at maplesyrupinstituteimsi@gmail.com
