ESFPA E-News

ESFPA Has Presence at NYSAF Annual Meeting

ESFPA staff and Board members had a big presence at last week's New York Society of American Foresters (NYSAF) Annual Meeting in Saratoga Springs.  Executive Director John Bartow did his annual presentation on the State of New York’s Forests and discussed the policy issues ESFPA will be addressing nationally and in New York in 2025. 

ESFPA Board members Mike McLarty, Betsy Lesnikoski, and Dr. Rene Germain participated on a low-grade markets panel. Additionally, Board member Pat Sadler received the NYSAF Forester of the Year Award for 2025.

Thank you to everyone for their participation and congratulations to Marianne Patinelli-Dubay for a very well-organized event and to everyone who helped pull the three days off!

Panel on low-grade markets

Pat Sadler with his NYSAF Forester of the Year Award

The Tariff YoYo

All along the Campaign trail, Donald Trump had promised the use of tariffs as a tool to yield America first policy, and he certainly has followed through on those promises.  Just how can we keep track of exactly what that means? On January 20, President Trump issued his America First Trade Policy, an Executive Order (EO) outlining a large-scale review of current global trade relations and impacts on the U.S. economy. The President did not immediately impose a raft of broad-based tariffs on U.S. trading partners as many anticipated.  Instead, he authorized key departments, including Commerce, Treasury and the U.S. Trade Representative to conduct assessment of trade relations with leading trading partners (e.g., Mexico, China, Canada). Well, that didn’t last long, and last Thursday President Trump announced to reporters that he would follow through on his threat to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico on Saturday Feb. 1, citing the flow of fentanyl and large trade deficits as among the reasons for his decision.  This could have significant impacts on the U.S. export industry in terms of both lumber and logs exported to both countries as well as supplies and machinery used in logging, mills, yards, and other operations. He also reiterated threats to impose tariffs of unknown proportions on China and the European Union.

On Saturday, the President carried through on his intentions to leverage tariffs as an economic weapon by signing Executive Orders imposing 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico. Excepted from the 25% tariff are Canadian oil, natural gas, and electricity which will be subject to a 10% tax. An order was also signed to initiate a 10% tariff on goods from Mexico. The orders also include a retaliation clause which would increase tariff levels should impacted countries respond in kind.  The effective date for all tariffs is Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 12:01 a.m. EST. The current round of tariffs are being imposed under the authority of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), a statute that provides the President broad authority to regulate a variety of economic transactions following a declaration of a national emergency. In this case, action is being linked to the flow of undocumented immigrants and illegal drugs into the U.S. The White House Fact Sheet is available here. 

Today, Mexico announced they were sending thousands of troops to the border to stem the flow of migrants and drugs across the northern border, so President Trump has suspended the Mexican tariffs for 30-days. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau has encouraged Canadians to buy Canadian products! This is a very fluid situation and yes, it is having impacts on prices, movement of goods in all directions, and has everyone wonder what is next. One thing for certain, just wait a few hours and something is bound to change.