Stolen Maple Syrup Found and Returned To Strategic Reserve

First time accepted submitter bmxeroh writes "Remember the tragic maple syrup heist? Police have seized more than 600 barrels of maple syrup they say are related to the missing syrup. It was transported back to Quebec via a 16 tractor trailer, heavily guarded (and presumably heavily armed) convoy Wednesday."

Re:News for nerds?

[jamstar7]

Yes.

Re:Sorry but...

[necro81]

I'm from Europe and I don't really get why a strategic reserve of maple syrup is needed

For the same reasons you stockpile any commodity: it makes you less susceptible to price swings in the marketplace. When prices are low, Quebecois producers can have the reserve buy up excess inventory, then later sell it when prices rise, to protect consumers. The U.S. has strategic reserves of oil, corn, and wheat for similar reasons. Like all complex systems, it helps to have some capacitance to buffer transients.

Re:Sorry but...

[Beorytis]

I'm also from America, but I don't mind giving this short summary: It's an agricultural product with a wide variation in harvest from year to year.

Re:Carmel Colored Corn Syrup...

[Anonymous Coward]

Pretty much every supermarket I've been to in several different parts of the US has had a couple real maple syrup options on the shelf. Even places like Costco seem to frequently carry it. It definitely costs more, but doesn't seem that expensive or hard to find in the US and Canada at least. Now if you are trying to track down different, specific grades of maple syrup, it can be hard depending on where you live.

Re:Hello, we're Canadians

[Anonymous Coward]

As a Canadian who has lived in the US for 20 years, I can rebutt this pretty well. I have what would be considered one of the best plans in the US, and it pretty much matches the health care I received in Canada when I was growing up. At age 15 I walked myself into an ER for a broken finger, and never had to think about what it might be costing my parents. It was just dealt with.

My father-in-law (US) and my father (Canada) both hit the hospital at the same time 5 years ago, the former for pancreatic blockage, the latter for colon cancer. In the US, we had hospital staff working on billing and payment details while they were getting prepped for the last rites. My father got swift and immediate treatment, and never had to think about how he was paying for it. Both recovered fully. My father-in-law took years to pay off the debt for his visit, and the worry didn't help much with his condition. My father completed his treatment, has free regular follow-ups, and only had to concentrate on getting better.

As a customer of both, I'll take the Canadian system any time. The American system is great if you have money, and you never get sick.