NEWS

How did North Carolina's Cradle of Forestry shape U.S. forestry? If you were with us at the DHA Annual Meeting, you'll know this answer.

The U.S. Forest Service will invest more than $80 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to support 15 congressionally approved Forest Legacy projects this year. These projects will permanently conserve more than 34,000 acres of privately owned working forests.

Although existing home sales have been slow, mortgage rates remain relatively high, and consumers are cautious about spending on big-ticket items, consumers have continued to invest in their homes. They haven't stopped spending - they're just investing differently. Data shows that homeowners have been spending more on home projects as well as completing more projects.

In March, U.S. imports of hardwood plywood fell by 2% to 172,579 cubic meters, the lowest level since April 2023 and less than half the amount imported last March. Imports from Indonesia dropped by 47% in March and 62% in Q1; imports from Vietnam fell by 29% in March and 45% in Q1. Preliminary antidumping and countervailing duties and investigations into Indonesia and Vietnam went into effect in Q1.

On May 7, a federal trade court struck down the round of tariffs imposed by President Trump to replace import taxes that the Supreme Court struck down earlier this year. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of International Trade issued a permanent injunction blocking the 10% tariff Trump placed on nearly all U.S. imports in February.

PHOTO © JERRY GLASER, USCBP