![]() ![]() |
|
The Hardwood Federation advocates for a balanced national trade policy that is flexible enough to address the wide variety of needs not only within the U.S. Hardwood industry, but also U.S. industry as a whole. We encourage policymakers to view trade not as a “one size fits all” issue, but rather to work together within the context of new and existing trade agreements to employ policies that support the various sectors and their needs.
China List 3 Retaliation Tariffs.pdf
Click here to view the Hardwood Federation Board letter to USDA Secretary Perdue regarding Trade War Relief for Hardwood Operations: Hardwood Support - Secretary Perdue Letter.pdf
Hardwood Federation Press Release - May 2019
The Farm Bill
The Farm Bill is a piece of comprehensive legislation that covers most federal government policies related to agriculture in the United States. The Farm Bill is intended to be passed every 5 years by the United States Congress and deals with a number of food and farming issues administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Farm Bill was a key HF priority in 2018 and was finally signed into Law by the President on December 21, 2018. Key issues included in the Farm Bill that impact the Hardwood Industry include financial support for export promotion programs, federal forest management reform, energy and tall wood buildings. 2019 will see work toward full implementation and appropriations to ensure that spending levels and programs are executed as outlined in the Bill. Key areas for the hardwood industry that made it into final passage include:
Export Promotion Funding (MAP & FMD Programs) One Pager
Community Wood Energy Program One Pager
More than 193 million acres of the National Forest System is managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), located within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Of this total, 46 million acres (24%) are designated as allowable for timber harvest. We acknowledge that are multiple challenges to managing a system as expansive and as diverse as this, including damage caused by pest and invasive species, devastating forest fires, satisfying the concerns of various special interest groups, and budget constraints. However we also believe that the currently designated number of acres allowable for timber harvest is less than it should be and that timber harvesting is not necessarily incompatible with other uses of the forest.
Hardwood Federation members are particularly concerned about the impact the above challenges and limited lands available for harvest have on the availability of timber and fiber from federal forests. Timber sales have declined significantly in recent years, negatively impacting countless wood products businesses, local communities and schools that rely on the jobs and tax base provided by the industry. Federation members are also concerned that the decline in active management of federal lands has also negatively impacted the general health and sustainability of the forests.
Federal Forest Management One Pager
Fall 2018 Forest Management Briefing
In 2016, the House and Senate have introduced nearly identical “Timber Innovation Act” bills (S 2892 and HR 5628). The legislation would create opportunities to use wood products, including mass timber, in the construction of so-called tall wood buildings. The proposals define “tall wood building” as those that are designed to be over 85 feet high.
Timber Innovation Act One Pager
The Lacey Act as amended in 2008 makes it against the law for illegally harvested timber and products made from this timber from being imported into the United States. Illegally harvest timber competes unfairly with U.S. timber and goods and is detrimental to good environmental stewardship efforts.
Union of Concerned Scientists Lacey Act Impacts Study