"This presentation will discuss the story of Wisconsin’s maple syrup production. We will talk about what makes a maple sap run, how maple syrup has traditionally been produced in Wisconsin, how science and new technology are adjusting the production process, and what changes the future may hold for maple syrup production in our state. We will also look at the sustainability of our maple forests — given climate change — and discuss maple products, markets, and regulations."

About the Speaker

Ted Simpson has been teaching classes and providing industry training for more than 25 years in both the Wisconsin Technical College and UW systems. He has taught classes on maple syrup production and presented on the sustainability of maple syrup production. Simpson has also taught computer science and written numerous textbooks and articles on computer networking and operating systems.

Although he has retired from full-time teaching, he continues to serve as an adjunct professor for UW Colleges and enjoys writing and learning about a wide variety of topics — including making maple syrup, which his family has been doing since the 1920s. Simpson is currently the president of the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association.