NEWS

Federal plans for hundreds of millions of acres of land could become invalid based on Congress's recent use of the Congressional Review Act. An Oregon lawsuit challenging a logging project could be the catalyst for unraveling management plans for federal public lands in the West, throwing the management of those lands into chaos. At stake are thousands of leases and permits. 

PHOTO © PRESTON KERES, USFS

Nordic Veneer, a manufacturer of softwood veneer, has announced that it will permanently close operations in the Roseburg, Oregon area. This ends more than 70 years as a family-owned wood products manufacturer in Douglas County. The company said the decision follows years of challenges facing the timber industry, including limited wood supply, shifting market conditions, industry realignment, and foreign competition.

PHOTO © NORDIC VENEER

China's exports of wooden furniture to the U.S. fell by 13% in Q1. China's share of the U.S. wooden furniture market also shrank, at least in part due to import tariffs and antidumping and countervailing duties. The U.S. is China's largest export market, accounting for 25% of wooden furniture exports. 

The Trump administration announced that it will not renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The decision keeps the trade agreement in effect for another decade unless one of the three countries withdraws, and establishes annual reviews that allow significant renegotiation.

Read More: U.S. Declines to Renew USMCA Trade Pact → 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced 14 policy changes to the Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance program, designed to lower costs, ease regulatory burdens, and improve affordability. The updates will remove outdated requirements and make FHA financing more efficient for homebuyers and lenders.