In spite of the fact that New York state has 200 million more maple trees than Quebec, Canada - the world's leading producer of maple syrup - the state is lagging behind both Quebec and Vermont in maple syrup production.

That's according to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, who Tuesday announced his support for a feasibility study looking into the construction of a maple syrup packaging and distribution center in Lewis County.

''The bottom line is that we have so much untapped potential in New York state as far as the maple syrup industry goes,'' Schumer said during a news conference. ''New York state should become the epicenter. To do that, we need our own bottling and distribution center.''

TAKING A LOOK

A feasibility study is being conducted by the Lewis County Department of Economic Development, an organization that wants to construct a centralized bottling and distribution facility in the county. In conjunction with that study, Cornell University will conduct a statewide survey of producers and landowners.

If it's constructed, the Lewis County plant would be the only large-scale maple syrup bottling and distribution plant in the state.

Schumer said Lewis County is ''the natural choice'' for the construction of a bottling and distribution plant.

''Lewis County is the state leader in maple syrup production,'' he said. ''They've got a willing and able workforce that understands the maple industry. Most major producers in New York state are within a stone's throw of Lewis County. The time is ripe to unleash this untapped potential. It's a huge opportunity for New York state and a win-win for Lewis County.''

Mike Farrell, Cornell University's northern New York maple specialist, said Tuesday afternoon that the university hopes to begin its survey this fall.

''We signed a contract to do the study last week,'' he said. ''Currently, we're in the process of developing the survey's questionnaire. We're going to send the survey out to 2,000 producers and 2,000 forest land owners who aren't currently producing maple syrup on their land. We want to get a large sample size so we can be confident of the results.''

Farrell said Cornell's surveys will be conducted statewide, with a focus on Lewis County.

Both the survey and the feasibility study are expected to be complete in January or February 2009, he said. Results will likely not be made public until the Lewis County Department of Economic Development has had time to review them.

'IMPERATIVE'

According to statistics released in June by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New York's maple syrup production increased 44 percent in 2008. Syrup production was estimated at 322,000 gallons, up from the 224,000 gallons the state produced in 2007.

The USDA estimates there were 1.48 million taps in New York state during this year's maple season. Those taps each produced about a quarter of a gallon of syrup.

That's not enough, according to Schumer, who said New York still imports four times as much maple syrup as it produces. The state lags so far behind Quebec and Vermont because ''they have nurtured the industry better than we have,'' Schumer said.

Currently, he said, New York state maple producers are only tapping half of the available trees.

''I don't know if every tree can be tapped, but certainly we are not tapping enough,'' he said.

According to statistics released by Schumer's office, there are more than 66 million maple trees that could be tapped for syrup across the state's North Country. Less than 1 percent of them are currently being used, Schumer said. He also said maple tapping brings in more than $3 million in revenue to North Country counties. But if a centralized bottling and distribution plant were constructed, that number could top $9 million, he said.

''Certainly, I don't have the final numbers because the studies are still being done, but I believe those numbers are accurate,'' he said.

'MORE COMPETITIVE'

Construction of such a plant would make New York state ''more competitive'' in maple syrup, Schumer said.

''The syrup we do produce here has to be bottled elsewhere - whether it's out of the state or out of the country -because we can't do it ourselves,'' he said. ''I think it's a cause-and-effect situation. I think if local producers have access to their own bottling plant, they'll produce more and I think more people will get involved in maple syrup production.''

Schumer said a centralized maple bottling plant would present New York producers with an economic opportunity on a mass marketing scale. It would allow them to supply grocery chains, institutions and other consumer markets.

It is ''quite likely'' that the state needs its own bottling and distribution facility, Farrell said. He said currently, those who produce maple syrup on a commercial scale wind up selling a great deal of their syrup because they produce too much for the local market. That syrup is packed in 15- or 30-gallon barrels and sent to Canada or a nearby state with such a facility to be bottled there.

Asked whether the smaller producers - such as those here in Chautauqua County -would be ''pushed out'' because the more large-scale operations could produce and bottle their product locally, Farrell said ''not at all.''

''Syrup bottled at the proposed plant would be marketed to major distribution centers and grocery stores or shipped out of state,'' he said. ''It wouldn't be bottled and marketed to the rural market, such as farmer's markets or roadside stands. Small-scale operations could certainly remain intact.''

While the proposed plant would serve the packaging needs of the 428 maple producers in the North Country that are within easy reach of Lewis County, Schumer said he felt maple producers who live relatively far away from Lewis County could still benefit from having access to such a plant.

''Certainly, those folks who have their own bottling operations could continue with those,'' he said. ''Anyone who wanted to make use of the plant certainly could.''

Schumer said if the feasibility studies show that a plant can and should be constructed, he would work to provide financial support. Money to support the bottling and distribution plant would come in one of three ways - in the form of grant money to Cornell University, in the form of a direct appropriation from Congress, or from the $400 million set aside for New York state as part of the Farm Bill.

''The Farm Bill money may be the most likely place for funding for this plant,'' he said. ''One way or the other, we will make sure this plant becomes a reality.''