VAN ETTEN, N.Y. — The newly rebuilt Arnot Maple Research and Teaching laboratory in Van Etten houses the “first-of-its-kind” maple product-development lab. The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) on July 29 formally opened the 4,200-square-foot facility. The renovation work included a new […]
VAN ETTEN, N.Y. — The newly rebuilt Arnot Maple Research and Teaching laboratory in Van Etten houses the “first-of-its-kind” maple product-development lab.
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) on July 29 formally opened the 4,200-square-foot facility.
The renovation work included a new commercial kitchen and increased capacity for research and development of new maple products, the state Department of Agriculture and Markets said in a release.
The renovation work on the facility follows the 2018 Forestry and Wood Products Summit held in Binghamton. First announced in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2018-19 State of the State address, the summit explored new developments and strategies to boost this economic sector.
After the summit, the state invested $500,000 in the laboratory to spur “further growth and innovation” in New York’s maple industry.
Located in the Arnot Research Forest, the Arnot Maple Research and Teaching facility plays a “pivotal role” in conducting research and extension activities in support of New York’s maple industry, the state says.
The new facility includes a fully equipped, commercial kitchen, which Cornell estimates will contribute to the creation of at least 20 new maple-based products annually. The products include maple soda, beer, wine, kombucha, chocolate, and sports drinks. That work will support dozens of new jobs in rural areas of New York State, like the Southern Tier, per the release.
The renovation work also involved the installation of a new vacuum system, which includes over 50 miles of tubing spread over four miles of forest; a new filtration unit; several new, 2,000-gallon stainless steel storage tanks; a reverse-osmosis system and evaporators; classroom space; and two identical production lines, so multiple research trials can operate at the same time, “bringing the facility’s research into the 21st century.”
“This state-of-the-art facility positions New York’s already thriving maple industry for new successes and that’s a win for maple researchers, producers and consumers alike,” Benjamin Houlton, dean of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, said.
In recent years, research conducted at the laboratory has resulted in new technologies developed in reverse osmosis, taphole sanitation practices, and new gravity-flow check valves. These technologies have helped smaller maple producers reduce their energy footprint between 50 percent and 80 percent by utilizing newer technology.