NEWS

The U.S. Department of Commerce recently published its preliminary affirmative determination in its circumvention investigation into hardwood plywood made with Chinese core materials and assembled in Vietnam. In its determination, Commerce found that the multiple types of hardwood plywood it examined should be subject to the substantial antidumping and countervailing duties on hardwood plywood made in China. These duties range as high as 200%.

Decorative Hardwoods Association (formerly HPVA) eNews Volume XV, Issue XIV: Farm Bill Panel Highlights Wood Products | Real American Hardwood Launches Consumer Website | EU Regulations Pose Challenges For U.S. Hardwoods | U.S. Imports Of Hardwood Plywood Surge, But Growth Rate Is Slowing | U.S. Imports Of Engineered Wood Flooring Continue To Rise

The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry held a hearing about potential forestry-related provisions for the 2023 farm bill reauthorization, where representatives from both parties emphasized the crucial role of wood products in preventing wildfires, capturing and storing carbon, and growing the economy.

American Hardwood Export Council commented on draft EU deforestation regulations that would require geolocation data for the specific "plot(s) of land" where all regulated materials—including wood—were sourced. This could be challenging for materials sourced from small landowners, typical for U.S. hardwoods. AHEC urges companies that export to Europe to ask their customers to comment on this important issue before it is put to a vote as early as September.

Which curious forest animal's activities can change an entire forest?

Answer: Mice, shrews, squirrels and other small animals disperse around 95% of tree seeds found in a forest. How these mammals disperse those seeds affects things like how many seedlings take root and what species of tree will dominate the forest.

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