Canada: Ontario's maple syrup producers struggle to produce under climate change

Increasingly unpredictable winter temperatures have Ontario maple syrup producers concerned about how climate change will affect the industry's future, with some pushing for environmentally friendly practices to reduce the sector's carbon footprint. Prolonged mild conditions last month had maple syrup producers in southern Ontario tapping trees for sap in early February — significantly earlier than when tapping season has historically begun in early to mid-March. A cold spell last week then forced a pause on the early start to operations. The executive director of the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers' Association said there's evidence that spring-like weather is starting earlier each year, creating uncertainty in the delicate freeze-thaw cycles that producers rely on. "We've always had winter thaws, but they've become more significant in the last 20 years," John Williams said in an interview. "They've increased in the frequency we've had them and also the length of time that we stay ...