Cheat Sheet

August 14, 2025 

Hardwood Federation Secures Funding for Economic Impact Update: In coordination with our member associations, the Hardwood Federation has secured funding to update the 2019 hardwood industry economic impact study.  The U.S. Endowment for Forests and Families, in addition to several member associations of the Federation, have generously committed the necessary funds to complete this work by the late fall.  Using federal census and economic data, the study will extract facility, employment, and tax contributions of the industry in all 50 states.  The 2019 state data is available here.

Associations contributing funds to the project include the Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Inc., the Hardwood Manufacturers Association, the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association, the National Hardwood Lumber Association, the National Wood Flooring Association, the Northeast Loggers Association, the Ohio Forestry Association, the West Virginia Forestry Association, and the Wood Components Manufacturers Association.

Bill to Boost Wood Markets Introduced:  In late July, Senators Jim Justice (R-WV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the Forest Bioeconomy Act. This bipartisan legislation directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), along with the Department of Energy (DOE), to expand research on the uses of low value commercial timber to support new wood products markets, sustain the wood products manufacturing sector and explore the viability/scalability of using wood and biomass as a feedstock for sustainable fuel.

A centerpiece of the bill would create a dedicated Office of Technology Transfer at the Forest Service to expand its commercialization of research findings and support the development of products using Forest Service research. The legislation also establishes a mass timber science and education program under the Forest Service. The program would be specifically targeted at responding to the needs of architects, real estate developers and the forest products industry. The program would, for example, connect researchers with private industry to make improvements in mass timber construction techniques for improved wildfire performance, structural stability and energy use. This research would complement the existing Wood Innovations Grant (WIG) program. A press release announcing the bill’s introduction may be found here.

China Trade Truce Extended:  As noted in a special Trade Alert from the Federation on Monday, President Trump signed an Executive Order on August 12 to extend the current keeping the U.S. reciprocal tariff rate on Chinese imports at 10% through November 10 while negotiations continue. Notwithstanding the continuation of the 10% rates, the U.S. will retain all tariffs imposed on China prior to April 2, including Section 301 tariffs, Section 232 tariffs, the Fentanyl tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), and Most Favored Nation (MFN) tariffs.