The trees and therefore the sap is all organic, obviously, but the "organic" label w/ maple syrup has to do with the both how the sugarbush is managed and the production after the sap is collected.

For example, to be considered organic, the sugarbush source must have a buffer zone with a specific minimum between it and areas that use pesticides and/or fertilizers. Undergrowth cannot be trimmed (at least within reason, so I understand), and the forest has to have companion species to maples to ensure the long-term health of the forest. Plus I believe there are specific ways the trees need to be tapped to ensure the health of the tree, and the tubing has to be cleaned with organic cleaners, not harsh chemicals.

During the production, organic syrup has to maintain its integrity by not having minerals removed. There are other components too but I can't remember anymore. Read up on it though if you wish, it's kind of interesting. And if you've ever been around large-scale commercial operations (I grew up with family boiling in small sugar shacks and knew people running huge operations) it makes a bit of sense. Technology and the pursuit of efficiency do affect production in ways that a consumer wouldn't really be able to tell. Like, I don't know if it makes a difference whether tubes are cleaned with alcohol or harsh chemicals, and I don't know how much of that gets into my system, but for sake of transparency I guess it's nice to have some insight into how any food item is prepared.

Exactly! This drives me crazy!