Maple syrup processing

AN ACT Relating to maple syrup processing operations; adding a 1
new chapter to Title 69 RCW; and prescribing penalties.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that the bigleaf 4
maple is the tallest species of maple in North America, native to the 5
Pacific Northwest, a distinctive and attractive species of tree, and 6
a key part of Washington's forest ecosystems.7
(2) The legislature further finds that bigleaf maple sap can be 8
processed into maple syrup, with significant value added potential. 9
Bigleaf maple syrup has a unique and desirable flavor profile that 10
reflects the nuances of the trees' environment. On average, between 11
60 and 90 gallons of bigleaf maple sap are required to make one 12
gallon of bigleaf maple syrup. 13
(3) The legislature further finds that it is impractical to use a 14
commercial kitchen to process maple syrup. The high volume of sap 15
needed as an input makes it impractical to transport the sap for 16
processing, and the large quantity of steam produced during syrup 17
production can be problematic in a nonspecialized kitchen. For these 18
reasons, maple syrup production is typically done in an on-site, 19
specialized facility known as a sugar shack. 20
H-2037.1
HOUSE BILL 2062
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Bernbaum, Reed, and Parshley
Read first time 03/27/25. Referred to Committee on Agriculture &
Natural Resources.
p. 1 HB 2062
(4) The legislature further finds that much of Washington's 1
forestland well-suited to commercial sugaring is located in remote 2
areas that lack utilities such as water, sewer, septic, and 3
electrical systems and are not well-suited to the requirements of the 4
food processor license. 5
(5) The legislature further finds that the United States food and 6
drug administration considers the process of making maple syrup to be 7
low risk. Maple syrup must be extensively boiled and is bottled at 8
temperatures between 180 and 200 degrees, inherently controlling 9
foodborne pathogens. 10
(6) It is, therefore, the intent of the legislature to create a 11
maple syrup processing license that responds to maple syrup's unique 12
production circumstances, supports the production of this unique 13
regional commodity, and provides an economic incentive for leaving 14
land forested. 15
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The definitions in this section apply 16
throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires 17
otherwise.18
(1) "Department" means the department of agriculture.19
(2) "Director" means the director of the department.20
(3) "Maple sap" means the sap or sweet water obtained by tapping 21
a maple tree. 22
(4) "Maple syrup" means syrup made exclusively by the evaporation 23
of pure maple sap. This does not include value added products such as 24
flavored syrup, maple candies, bottling other businesses' syrup, 25
known as co-manufacturing, or the processing of other food products 26
where maple syrup is an added ingredient. 27
(5) "Maple syrup processing operation" means a person or business 28
that produces maple syrup for sale, and includes the collection of 29
maple sap, the processing of maple sap into maple syrup, and all 30
related facilities, equipment, and employees. 31
(6) "Permeate" means the clean water that is produced during the 32
reverse osmosis process and that may be taken directly from the 33
evaporator. 34
(7) "Sugar shack" means a structure used, in whole or in part, 35
for the collection, storage, or processing of maple sap into maple 36
syrup. A sugar shack does not include a domestic residence. A sugar 37
shack need not be a permanent structure, but the permittee must be 38
able to ensure sanitary conditions in the processing area.39
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NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The department may adopt, by rule, 1
requirements for maple syrup processing operations. These 2
requirements may include, but are not limited to:3
(a) The application and renewal of permits under section 4 of 4
this act; 5
(b) Inspections as provided under section 5 of this act;6
(c) Sanitary procedures; 7
(d) Facility, equipment, and utensil requirements beyond the 8
requirements of this section; 9
(e) Condensation removal during the evaporation process;10
(f) Labeling to follow the United States food and drug 11
administration labeling requirements for packaged food;12
(g) Washing and other hygienic practices; and 13
(h) Clean water sources and waste and wastewater disposal, 14
provided that: 15
(i) The department may not require plumbing or running water to 16
be accessible on-site or installed in the sugar shack;17
(ii) Water that is obtained from a private source shall be tested 18
no less than annually; and 19
(iii) Operations with less than $50,000 in annual gross sales 20
that bottle syrup only and use hot water drawn from the evaporator 21
for equipment sanitizing are exempt from water testing.22
(2) The department may not require a maple syrup processing 23
operation to use a permanent structure as a sugar shack.24
(3) A maple syrup food processing operation must:25
(a) Use food-grade materials for pipeline tubing and ensure that 26
any vessels used to transport or store water, maple sap, or maple 27
syrup are made of food-grade materials; 28
(b) Ensure that evaporator pans, buckets, tanks, and other food 29
processing equipment may not be made with solder containing lead in 30
any quantity or other materials that are not suitable or appropriate 31
for use as food contact surfaces; 32
(c) Use only new single-use containers and lids to bottle the 33
finished product; 34
(d) Maintain the grounds outside the sugar shack such that they 35
are reasonably clean and free of clutter that may constitute a 36
breeding and harborage site for rodents; 37
(e) Maintain adequate drainage to avoid contamination; and38
(f) Design and maintain the sugar shack to facilitate proper 39
maintenance, sanitary operations, and production of safe food.40
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NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) All maple syrup processing operations 1
must be permitted every two years by the department on forms 2
developed by the department. All permits and permit renewals must be 3
made on forms developed by the department and be accompanied by a fee 4
of $250. All fees must be deposited into the food processing 5
inspection account created in RCW 69.07.120.6
(2) In addition to the provision of any information required by 7
the department on forms developed under subsection (1) of this 8
section and the payment of all fees, an applicant for a permit or a 9
permit renewal as a maple syrup processing operation must also 10
provide documentation that all individuals involved in the 11
preparation of maple syrup have secured appropriate food safety 12
training, which will include a food and beverage service worker's 13
permit under chapter 69.06 RCW or its equivalent. 14
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. (1) The maple syrup processing operation 15
must meet appropriate sanitation controls determined by the 16
department both before initial permitting and thereafter at a 17
frequency designated for low-risk food products by the department. In 18
addition, the department may inspect the sugar shack and maple syrup 19
processing operation at any time in response to a food complaint, 20
foodborne outbreak, or other public health emergency.21
(2) When conducting the sanitary inspection, the department 22
shall, at a minimum, inspect for the following: 23
(a) That the permitted maple syrup processor understands that no 24
person other than the permittee, or a person under the direct 25
supervision of the permittee, may be engaged in the processing, 26
packaging, or handling of maple syrup; 27
(b) That all food contact surfaces, equipment, and utensils used 28
for the preparation, packaging, or handling of maple sap or maple 29
syrup are appropriately cleaned and sanitized as frequently as 30
necessary; 31
(c) That all food preparation and food and equipment storage 32
areas are maintained free of contamination sources, including rodents 33
and insects; 34
(d) That all persons involved in the preparation and packaging of 35
maple syrup: 36
(i) Have obtained, at a minimum, a food and beverage service 37
worker's permit under chapter 69.06 RCW or its equivalent;38
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(ii) Are not processing maple syrup when ill, nor have open 1
lesions, wounds, or sources of microbial contamination; and2
(iii) Wash their hands with potable hot, cold, or tempered water, 3
or permeate, before any sap or syrup food preparation and food 4
packaging activities. 5
(3) The department shall charge an inspection fee of $150 for any 6
additional basic sanitation inspection required due to a failing 7
initial permitting inspection, which must be deposited into the food 8
processing inspection account created in RCW 69.07.120. An additional 9
inspection fee must be collected for each visit to a maple syrup 10
processor for the purposes of conducting an inspection for 11
compliance. 12
(4) The department may contract with local health jurisdictions 13
to conduct the inspections required under this section.14
(5) For the purposes of determining compliance with this chapter, 15
the department may access, for inspection purposes, the maple syrup 16
processing operation permitted by the department under this chapter. 17
This authority includes the authority to inspect any records required 18
to be kept under the provisions of this chapter. 19
(a) All inspections must be made at reasonable times and, when 20
possible, during regular business hours. 21
(b) Should the department be denied access to a maple syrup 22
processing operation where access was sought for the purposes of 23
enforcing or administering this chapter, the department may take 24
appropriate regulatory enforcement action. 25
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. (1) After conducting a hearing, the 26
department may deny, suspend, or revoke any permit provided for in 27
this chapter if it is determined that a permittee has committed any 28
of the following acts:29
(a) Refused, neglected, or failed to comply with the provisions 30
of this chapter, any rules adopted to administer this chapter, or any 31
lawful order of the department; 32
(b) Refused, neglected, or failed to keep and maintain records 33
required by this chapter, or to make the records available when 34
requested pursuant to the provisions of this chapter;35
(c) Consistent with section 5 of this act, refused the department 36
access to the permitted area of the maple syrup processing operation 37
for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter; or38
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(d) Consistent with section 5 of this act, refused the department 1
access to any records required to be kept under the provisions of 2
this chapter. 3
(2) The department may summarily suspend a permit issued under 4
this chapter if the department finds that a maple syrup processing 5
operation is operating under conditions that constitute an immediate 6
danger to public health or if the department is denied access to the 7
permitted area of a maple syrup processing operation or records where 8
the access was sought for the purposes of enforcing or administering 9
this chapter. 10
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. (1)(a) Any person engaging in a maple 11
syrup processing operation without a valid permit issued under 12
section 4 of this act or otherwise violating any provision of this 13
chapter, or any rule adopted under this chapter, is guilty of a 14
misdemeanor.15
(b) A second or subsequent violation is a gross misdemeanor. Any 16
offense committed more than five years after a previous conviction is 17
considered a first offense. 18
(2) Whenever the department finds that a person has committed a 19
violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, and that 20
violation has not been punished pursuant to subsection (1) of this 21
section, the department may impose upon and collect from the violator 22
a civil penalty not exceeding $1,000 per violation per day. Each 23
violation is a separate and distinct offense. 24
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. Except as otherwise provided in this 25
chapter, maple syrup processing operations with a valid permit under 26
section 4 of this act are not subject to the provisions of chapter 27
69.07 RCW or to permitting and inspection by a local health 28
jurisdiction.29
NEW SECTION. Sec. 9. Nothing in this chapter affects the 30
application of any other state or federal laws or any applicable 31
ordinances enacted by any local unit of government.32
NEW SECTION. Sec. 10. The rights, remedies, and procedures 33
respecting the administration of this chapter, including rule making, 34
emergency actions, and permit suspension, revocation, or denial, are 35
governed by chapter 34.05 RCW.36
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NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. Sections 1 through 10 of this act 1
constitute a new chapter in Title 69 RCW.2
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