NEWS

The Washington Post wrote an informative article about why and how the quality of the furniture sold in the U.S. has deteriorated. Fifty years ago, people expected their furniture to last a lifetime. That furniture was manufactured in the U.S. of domestic plywood or solid wood like cherry, oak, and walnut. Today, most furniture sold in the U.S. is made of Chinese pressboard or plywood. The quality is inconsistent, and the furniture isn't made to last.

DHA, Hardwood Federation, Chamber of Commerce, and 32 industry groups are urging the EPA to keep its current standard for fine particles instead of moving to proposed stricter standards. The coalition notes that fires and unpaved roads are major sources of fine particle air pollution that far exceed industry sources.

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DHA is supporting the bipartisan Jobs In The Woods Act to create a fund for nonprofit organizations, state governments, and colleges to use for workforce training in forestry fields, to prepare students for jobs in the U.S. Forest Service and the timber industry.

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DHA and many other industry associations are participating in the Real American Hardwood Coalition's "Build Your World" consumer marketing campaign. The campaign includes 15-second, 30-second, and 60-second ads on the Magnolia Network, HGTV, Hulu Live, YouTube TV, and more. 

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Until recently, U.S. hard maple veneer could be exported to the European Union as long as it was certified as kiln-dried, to satisfy the concern over sapstreak disease, Davidsoniella virescens. The EU recently changed this, requiring "area freedom" from the disease for maple logs and sliced veneer sheets. The consequence: maple logs and veneer sheets produced from those logs that originate in NY, VT, MI, WI, and NC cannot be certified for shipment to the EU.