Southeastern Commissioners of Agriculture have joined their counterparts from across the country in urging the Trump Administration to include the forestry industry in the forthcoming agricultural relief package. In a joint letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the commissioners emphasized the need to support one of the nation’s most vital renewable resource industries.
The letter acknowledges the administration’s recent policy actions to bolster the U.S. timber industry, including the immediate expansion of American timber production order and the Adjusting Imports of timber, lumber and derivative products order. However, the commissioners note that ongoing challenges still threaten the stability of the forestry sector.
The letter states that “persistent high interest rates impacting construction, supply chain disruptions, unfair foreign competition and international compliance requirements” continue to put pressure on timber producers. These issues, they argue, warrant immediate attention and inclusion in any future agricultural assistance efforts.
The commissioners wrote that support for the industry would “help sustain rural economies and employment, stabilize markets and strengthen one of America’s most important renewable resource industries. Equitable support for forestry producers, alongside other agricultural sectors, would reaffirm the Administration’s commitment to ensuring that all parts of our agricultural economy have the tools they need to endure and thrive.”
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper underscored the urgency of the request, citing local impacts: “Georgia is the #1 forestry state in the nation, but the recent Georgia Pacific and International Paper mill closures in Savannah, Riceboro and Early County, catastrophic timber damage from Hurricane Helene, and the lingering impact of sky-high inflation from the previous Administration’s policies have created significant uncertainty for our forestry sector and the Georgian’s who work in it.”
The letter was signed by commissioners from Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
As rural economies continue to rely on forestry jobs and timber exports, the inclusion of this sector in federal relief could play a pivotal role in market stabilization and long-term growth.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.