ESFPA E-News

The 2025 Congressional Line Up - From the Hardwood Federation

The following are some summarized highlights of what our colleagues at the Hardwood Federation are projecting for 2025:

Schedule - The Congressional calendars for the 119th Congress were released in early December and suggests a very busy year in 2025. Both Houses are scheduled to be in session on several Fridays, and incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune has advised members to prepare for weekend work as well. The new leadership has prioritized addressing a range of significant and challenging policy issues, making it critical to maximize their time in Washington to achieve meaningful progress.

Tax - 2025 is expected to be pivotal in tax policy, with some dubbing it the “Super Bowl of Tax” or “Taxmageddon.” The GOP plans to introduce two separate reconciliation packages. The first will focus on energy, border security, and military readiness, while the second will exclusively address tax policy, particularly extending the business tax provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Although reconciliation comes with strict procedural rules, it is frequently employed when one party holds control of Congress and the White House.

Farm Bill - Efforts to rewrite the Farm Bill in 2024 were hindered by partisan disagreements over spending priorities, leaving consensus unachievable. Efforts are now underway in the Lame Duck session of Congress to extend the current Farm Bill for one year. Despite the lack of a new bill, several promising provisions emerged in earlier House and Senate proposals, including language to double funding for the Market Access and Foreign Market Development Programs.

Trade - The President-elect has vowed a tougher stance on trade, with a heavy reliance on tariffs. The hardwood industry was dealt a devastating blow during the first Trump Administration, when tariffs caused a sharp and immediate decline in export demand. The Hardwood Federation has been actively preparing for potential trade conflicts, engaging with the President-elect’s transition team and key members of Congress to highlight the damaging effects tariffs could have on the industry.

Click the link below to read a more in-depth summary on our website:

Learning About Forestry Careers – A Curriculum

by Eric Kingsley | Northeastern Region Consultant

For years, I have been encouraging everyone in the forest industry to introduce a young person (or better yet, a group of young people) to the forest products industry. It is a great, varied, and rewarding profession, and one that many kids just aren’t exposed to or make incorrect assumptions about. If we as an industry have any chance of filling our workforce of the future, certainly some of that will be from exposing students to the opportunities in the woods and at the mill (and in the many opportunities to support those jobs).

More than a few folks have reached out to me and asked, “Ok, I am interested and willing to do this, but…what do I do? Is there a curriculum or suggested activities?”

Let me start with nothing beats a field visit to a managed forest, a logging operation, or a mill. Seeing the forest industry in action – even if it is just trees growing – helps people visualize and understand what is happening, what a career might look like, and how the industry is interconnected.

That said, someone has put together a particularly good curriculum that covers forestry and the forest industry. The Boy Scouts of America has a Forestry Merit Badge, and the requirements for earning this turn out to be a pretty good overview, from the woods to the mill.  Of course, you don’t need to check every box, but this is a good set of ideas, homework, and activities that can get someone thinking about a career in the woods or the mills. The requirements can be found here.

Click the link below to read the full FRA article:

Optimization of Wood Products Used for GHG Emissions 

A study from Austria evaluated the role of forest products in climate change mitigation, looking at the best use of wood for carbon storage and as an alternative to more carbon-intense fuels and materials.

The study found that maximizing the carbon storage role of wood offers the highest overall climate mitigation potential, rather than substituting wood for fossil-fuel based products or energy. Additionally, the study revealed that using high-quality sawable wood for applications like furniture can yield higher overall mitigation benefits over using wood for construction.

Click the link below to read the full study:

NELA Awards for 2024

The Northeastern Loggers’ Association (NELA) is now accepting nominations for industry achievement awards through January 31, 2025. Through their annual awards program, NELA strives to recognize significant achievement in eleven categories. 

To be eligible for one of those awards, or to make a nomination, the person or organization need not be a member of the Northeastern Loggers’ Association. An individual can nominate themselves or their organization, or it may be done by an outside party. The nominee must reside or conduct business in the Northeast and Lake States. Awards are presented each year at the Loggers’ Banquet held just prior to the Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Exposition. Look for the call for nominations in The Northern Logger and Timber Processor.

Click the link below for more information regarding entry procedures and award categories: