After two years of planning and preparation for “Maple at the Falls” – the Niagara Falls, NY NAMSC/IMSI meetings to be held in late October 2021, we regret that the conference has been cancelled. The New York State Maple Producers’ Association attempted nearly every avenue to make these meetings work and to ensure that they would be held, especially after having to cancel the convention last year. But, border closures and restrictions, a rapidly rising COVID 19 infection rate nationwide, travel restrictions being placed on research presenters/specialists and vendor hesitation, left the Committee with few choices.
The NYSMPA is grateful to all who preregistered and please know that we are now arranging for full refunds. If you registered with one of the convention hotels, make sure that you cancel your accommodation in a timely manner to avoid a cancellation fee. The Committee responsible for arranging the scientific sessions is considering how to provide a virtual venue for dissemination of current papers and research reports as well as to provide an opportunity and forum for specialists to interact prior to the 2022 meetings.
We are grateful to the trade vendors, specialists, researchers, educators as well as the delegates and officers from both international organizations, for their input, support and patience. We encourage everyone to now look forward to assisting and supporting our colleagues in Wisconsin as they prepare for the 2022 conference in LaCrosse. Moving forward and understanding that conventions are planned out several years, the New York State Maple Producers’ Association will endeavor to rejoin the host queue for a future meeting.
Any questions regarding this cancellation may be directed to either of us.
Kind regards,
Helen M. Thomas, IMSI Delegate, New York
Eric A. Randall, NAMSC Delegate, New York