NEWS

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a final determination on November 11 that four companies "transshipped Chinese-origin plywood through Cambodia to the U.S. and failed to pay AD/CV duties on the merchandise produced in China that was subject to the Orders." The U.S. industry coalition filed the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) allegation on April 12, 2019.

Photo © Dimitry Makeev

Decorative Hardwoods Association has filed comments on the U.S. International Trade Commission's Investigation of the Economic Impact of Trade Agreements Implemented Under Trade Authorities Procedures. DHA comments address the need for more robust enforcement to prohibit illegal logging and the need to better combat circumvention by China and other countries.

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal began its inquiry to decide if the dumping of decorative plywood exported from China has caused or may cause injury to plywood producers. This follows the Canada Border Service Agency's October 23 preliminary determination that many Chinese plywood panels are being sold below market value in the manufacture of furniture and cabinets.

Vietnam's Administration of Forestry reported wood and wood products exports of more than $9.6 billion from January through October, a 12.4% increase. Key customers are China, the EU, Japan, the U.S., and South Korea.

Recent news about how the pandemic is impacting our industry:

• Updated survey charts the impact of the pandemic on the woodworking industry
• Four pandemic-related housing trends with staying power
• COVID-19 pandemic spurs changes in the real estate industry
• An essential book: COVID-19 and World Order
• Millions of small businesses await PPP loan forgiveness
• More COVID-19 humor

For more information and the latest event changes and cancelations, see the DHA coronavirus news and resources pages.

The investment will allow AHF Products to manufacture a new line of durable end-grain hardwood flooring, adding 20 jobs. The new line is expected to begin operations in February 2021.

Kimball International announced a definitive agreement to acquire Poppin, a tech-enabled designer of commercial-grade furniture made to mix and match in today's office and work-from-home environments.

Purdue University professor Songlin Fei mined 16 years of U.S. Forest Service data to show that in affected areas, young ash trees are dying before they can reach their reproductive stages. The trees are unable to compete with larger trees or survive attacks by the emerald ash borer.

Source: Science Magazine

The spotted lanternfly has reappeared in parts of north Greenwich this fall. The Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station says that the impact on agriculture "could be devastating." Oak and maple trees are hosts to the spotted lanternfly. The pest also consumes apples, cherries, and grapes.

Coordinated by INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization, Operation Thunder 2020 involved 103 countries collaborating to fight environmental crime of CITES-protected wildlife and timber. Agents racked up more than 2,000 seizures of wildlife and forestry products and arrested nearly 700 offenders.

The Environmental Investigation Agency reports that 1.6 million rosewood trees were illegally logged and exported to China between 2012 and April 2020. Some citizens no longer venture into the forests in the Casamance for fear of encountering traffickers.

A recent study estimates that 80% of the total timber trade in Uganda is illegal timber. WWF's country director in Uganda says that forest cover is about 12.4%, down from 24% in 1990.

The UK government recently passed a law that will require a higher level of due diligence. UK companies are now prohibited from selling products that use raw materials that have been illegally sourced, based on the local laws to protect forests and wildlife in the country where they are produced.