A new study from the University of Kentucky has revealed that the state has what it takes to sustain a successful maple sirup industry with the highest potential in eastern Kentucky.

Our Mackenzie Spink tells us what this sweet opportunity could mean for our state's economy.

When you think of Kentucky's signature industries, images of bourbon and horses may come to mind.

But researchers say maple trees could be our state's untapped secret.

There is something going on here in Kentucky which has not really been given due attention, and that is maple sirup production and economics study from the Forestry Department at the University of Kentucky, estimates that maple sirup production has the potential to be a $25 million a year industry in the state and could create over 1500 jobs.

While states like Vermont and Maine are typically thought of as the sirup states.

According to researchers, maples are one of Kentucky's most common hardwood trees.

They say many landowners likely have them on their property.

Of course, the first thing, is to have maple trees red maple, sugar maple, and not just any tree.

They have to be big enough to be able to have a certain quantity of the sap that we need to you need suitable, weather or climatic conditions.

So you need a certain temperature range, a freeze thaw cycle during sirup season is essential.

When it's cold, the sap of a maple tree is drawn up away from the ground, and the morning temperatures must warm enough for the sap to start seeping back down.

Then that tree can be tapped, and the sap can gather in a bucket or travel down tubes to a tank.

If trees are at a higher elevation than the tank, there's no need for a pump and gravity can do all the work.

That's where Kentucky's topography comes in handy.

The topography there is, you know, kind of rugged.

So you have rock cliffs and that kind of thing that really makes, the sap flow very easy compared to just a flat ground.

Doctor Okamoto says there's a nationwide appetite for maple sirup, and Kentucky stands to benefit from the current market.

The US as a whole is having a huge deficit of maple sirup.

They are importing maple sirup from Canada.

The US forest landowners have this opportunity to fill in the void.

So there is huge potential of market to get our potential maple sirup industry off the ground.

Doctor Okamoto says the next step is educating landowners.

Where do I start?

How do I start?

I have maple trees here in my land that I can potentially tap and produce this.

Where do I start?

The good news is our extension colleagues.

Yeah, within our department here of forests and Natural resources are doing a good job in terms of providing the necessary tools that the landowners need so that they can consider this as a potential income, income generating activity in their lands.

Another hurdle to starting any new business is the high upfront cost, especially for rural landowners in eastern Kentucky.

The Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development has an online guide to find grants and other funding options.

For those looking to get a start in Maple sirup.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm McKenzie Spink.