About Us
REPRESENTING THE MAPLE
SYRUP INDUSTRY
The International Maple Syrup Institute (IMSI) is an industry-wide, member-based, non-profit organization that fosters collaboration and acts on issues affecting the maple industry’s interests.
Founded in 1974 by American and Canadian industry leaders, the IMSI is composed of North America’s maple syrup and maple products producers and associations, maple processors, distributors and exporters, industry representatives, and equipment manufacturers, as well as connected agro-science and technology institutions. Over the years, a professional staff and numerous volunteer committees have led many important initiatives benefiting the industry and maple consumers.
CONNECTION AND COOPERATION
Working Together
Our organization holds five open meetings per year, plus a few specific strategic meetings that foster cooperation and collaboration among the world’s maple industry stakeholders. We are staffed by an executive director and have 10-12 active working committees in any given year that deal with specific industry issues. All of our committees are formed by dynamic and engaged members who are expert leaders in their field.
The IMSI is managed by their board of directors. They are accompanied by the executive committee, a subgroup of the board that works more closely with the executive director and contributes its expertise on an ongoing basis.
Resources
We retain the services of the Normandy Group, a Washington-based lobbying and monitoring service. Dr. John Goldberg of the Normandy Group helps the IMSI to collaborate with government and regulatory bodies to achieve mutually beneficial policy outcomes. The IMSI and the maple industry have a long history of successful collaboration with the USDA, Health Canada, the CFIA, EPA and other agencies to help advance the industry and protect pure maple syrup consumers.
GOVERNANCE
The property and business of the institute is managed by a board of directors.
The directors manage how the board is structured, how the board operates and how decisions are made including the processes and rules, and specific responsibilities among each member and committees and management. The board provides oversight and accountability for the organization and ensures that all legal and ethical standards are followed.
The board of directors is representative of the industry’s various sectors, including members of producer associations, cooperatives, manufacturers and distributors, equipment manufacturers and active and contributing individual members and institutional members. The board operates with consideration to fairness, diversity, belonging and equality.
MAKING MAPLE SYRUP: A TRADITIONAL AND SUSTAINABLE WAY OF LIFE
We are proud to produce maple syrup from the forests of North America for the whole world to enjoy.
Our relationship with nature and maple trees is uniquely rewarding because we make a living from the trees without diminishing them. North American sugarbushes conserve forests and while retaining essential ecological functions of a forests such as capturing and storing carbon, soil preservation and providing a bio-diverse environment for plant, insect and animal life.
The conservation of large swaths of forests for maple syrup production prevents cutting the forest for other uses (deforestation) which supports a heathy local and traditional economy and way of life for thousands of people in rural communities.