NEWS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will help create jobs in rural areas through USDA's Intermediary Relending Program. The program provides low-interest loans to local lenders who then re-lend the funds to local businesses to help grow economies in rural communities. Businesses can use these loans to buy equipment and machinery and to "acquire, build, convert, expand or repair a business."

PHOTO © GARRETT ENGLISH

The Hardwood Federation and American Hardwood Export Council met with the U.S. Trade Representative's office to discuss the latest developments on the EU Deforestation Regulation. Most in the wood products industry have grave concerns about how the EUDR will affect European export markets if imposed as planned in December. AHEC provided a detailed analysis of the issues hardwood exporters will face as well as possible solutions the U.S.

In early August, Commerce issued its preliminary determination in the 2022 antidumping and countervailing duty administrative reviews on hardwood plywood from China. The focus of these reviews was the eligibility of certain Vietnamese companies to submit certification that their goods are not subject to the AD/CVD duties. 37 companies were denied eligibility to submit certifications as a result of the circumvention determination.

DHA member Rockshield's engineered plywood plant in Cochrane, Ontario, suffered extensive damage from a fire earlier this month. The president of the facility, Tom Scott, stated that there is a good chance the plant will recover. The fire and resulting damage were exacerbated by the fan powering the ventilation system, which worked to pull flames into other parts of the plant.

PHOTO © ROCKSHIELD ENGINEERED PLYWOOD PLANT 

DHA joined the Hardwood Federation in filing comments with the Department of the Treasury urging federal officials to classify biomass as carbon neutral, thereby qualifying for new tax credits intended to promote clean electricity. This would benefit our industry by creating incentives to expand markets for wood residuals and help defray the cost of energy required for hardwood manufacturing and mills.