ESFPA E-News

Register for Forestry Awareness Day 2023

This year's Forestry Awareness Day will be held Tuesday, March 14th, 2023. The event will be in person for the first time since 2019 at the Legislative Office Building in Albany. As many of you already know, Forestry Awareness Day gives ESFPA members the opportunity to put a face on our forests and wood product manufacturing sector; educating legislators and policy makers on the importance of forests and harvested wood products, and the contribution we have in New York's economy, environment, and the quality of life of all New Yorkers. 

Your voice is needed to help make a difference! Register today!

Preliminary information:

• All meetings will have a leader
• Meetings will be in 30-minute time slots  
• You may attend as many meetings as your schedule permits 
• Click here to view our 2023 budget & legislative priorities

Registration is FREE but required for participation.

Click the link below to register for Forestry Awareness Day:

State of the Union

from the Forest Resources Association

On Tuesday evening, the President delivered his State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress. A couple of notable items from the speech. One, he made a strong pitch for utilizing supplies and materials for federal construction projects that are “Made in America.” He specifically referenced new standards that will require American-made lumber, glass, drywall, and fiber optic cables to be used in all federal infrastructure projects.  
 
He also called for investments in workforce development and career and technical education. During his address, he said: “Let’s finish the job, connect students to career opportunities starting in high school, and provide two years of community college, some of the best career training in America, in addition to being a pathway to a four-year degree. Let’s offer every American the path to a good career whether they go to college or not.”
 
On the tax front, the President focused his remarks not on Main Street businesses but rather on “billionaires” paying “their fair share.” Specifically, he touched on the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (CAMT) that was passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act last year. He also spoke about a new “billionaire minimum tax” of an unspecified rate that he wants Congress to pass in the 1118th session. However, such a proposal is likely dead in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Following reference to the new CAMT and proposed billionaire tax, he went out of his way to say that no one earning less than $400,000 a year would pay a penny in new taxes. 
 
Also in his remarks, he urged Congress to pass the PRO Act, legislation that would make it easier for workers to unionize. This legislation is also dead in the House. President Biden also called upon Members of Congress to restore the Child Tax Credit, which was part of the year-end negotiations on the omnibus appropriations bill. Democrats were pushing for restoring the Child Tax Credit, while Republicans were advocating the extension of the 100 percent bonus depreciation and research and development tax credits. As you know, a deal on these extensions did not materialize. In an interesting side development this week, House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) indicated that his priorities on the tax front were extending bonus depreciation and the R&D credit, and he signaled an interest in modifications to the Child Tax Credit. These remarks could presage potential progress on these key business tax benefits this year.  
 
On supply chain, the President referenced enactment of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, which was signed into law last year. In his remarks, he stated that this new bipartisan law cut shipping costs by 90%, helping American farmers, businesses, and consumers.
 
A full copy of the President’s remarks can be found here. 

Help the Hemlocks - Join the 2nd Annual Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Winter Mapping Challenge!

The eastern hemlock is an iconic element of our forests – creating habitat wherever it stands tall and keeping our drinking water crisp and clear. An invasive insect called Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) threatens our hemlock stands in New York, but you can help by joining scientists, conservationists, and volunteers across the state in monitoring the spread of HWA.

From Feb 1st – March 15th, the NY Natural Heritage Program is hosting the 2nd Annual HWA Winter Mapping Challenge in partnership with the NYS Hemlock Initiative. Join the challenge to help map HWA along the “leading edge” of its current range and compete to win a prize!

To participate: find some hemlock trees in your area, check for HWA egg masses (look for white fuzz balls on the undersides of twigs), and report your findings to NY iMapInvasives. The iMap users who survey the most sites for HWA will win the challenge!

Visit the NY iMapInvasives website to learn more about the challenge and connect with HWA mapping efforts in your area. 

New York Logger Training Releases 2023 Spring Schedule of Workshops

New York Logger Training has released the 2023 Spring schedule of workshops! Make sure to grab the class you need in a location near you- to register call ESFPA at 518-463-1297!

NYLT Cancellation Policy: All workshops must be paid in full at the time of registration. No refunds will be given for cancellations 7 days or fewer before the date of the workshop. 

Click the link below to view the full schedule of workshops on the NYLT website: