Quick Updates from Your HF Team

USDA Export Promotion Pays Big Dividends

A major economic impact study released on Wednesday gives teeth to industry’s request for more USDA dollars to promote agriculture exports, including U.S. hardwoods.  The study shows that export programs have added on average $9.6 billion in exports per year during the last 42 years.  To put the figure in context, the Federation and its allies recently sent a coalition letter urging Congress to allocate $235 million in 2023 for ag exports.  We will update you on export promotion as Congress makes progress on 2023 budgets. 

California Congressmen Rally for “Save Our Sequoias” Bill

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Jim Costa (D-CA) are working on a bill that would promote tree thinning in the Sierra Nevada mountains to fend off wildfires that threaten the region’s giant redwoods.  While talking about the threat of wildfires during a meeting with HF on Wednesday, Rep. Costa said that “people used to think that redwoods were fireproof, but they’re not.”  Rep. Westerman (R-AR) echoed those comments in a meeting later in the day, lamenting the fact that 19% of our redwoods have burned during the past few years.  Although specific language isn’t available, Rep. McCarthy has said that he will look at streamlining regulations to promote best forest management practices as a major component of a final bill. 

HFPAC Makes the Rounds on the Hill

This week, HFPAC has met with a variety of industry champions, including Reps. Carl (R-AL), Costa (D-CA), Graves (R-AL), Stauber (R-MN), GT Thompson (R-PA), Tiffany (R-WI), Westerman (R-AR) on Wednesday, and Sens. Boozman (R-AR) and Manchin (D-WV) on Thursday.  These members all expressed support for industry positions on effective forest management, accounting for carbon stored in finished hardwood products, and solutions to the supply chain crisis.