Cheat Sheet

June 18, 2026

The Hardwood Federation wrapped up another successful Fly-In to D.C. on June 10.  Sixty-five representatives of the industry and our associations conducted nearly 100 meetings with Members of Congress, Hill staff, and key members of the Trump Administration.

“I thought it…remarkable how far the Hardwood Federation has come.  When I was first on the hill 25 years ago, most Senators, Congressmen, and Staffers looked at us like we were from another planet.  Almost no one knew the Hardwood story and worst of all, they only pretended to care.  The majority of the offices that we visited this time around were well versed on the Hardwood issues, almost parroting the message better than we were.  The few that didn't know the story were eager to learn and fascinated by the industry.”

Jack Matson, Mill Tech

Fly-In Participant

100 Capitol Hill Meetings:  Wednesday was Hill Day.  Fifteen teams of hardwood leaders descended on a very busy Capitol Hill.  Our key messages to Congressional offices were simple:

•        Support the $200 million in economic relief for the hardwood industry currently included in the Senate agriculture relief package language;

•        Include hardwood industry friendly initiatives allowing for greater truck weights in the Transportation bill;

•        Pass the Farm Bill and include funding for Wood Innovation and Energy grant programs, funds for forest products related job training, including woody biomass in the Renewable Fuels Standard, and approve binding language recognizing the carbon neutrality of biomass;

•        Sign the letter asking that hardwood lumber be added to the Board of Trade discussion topics; and

•        Encourage the Trump Administration to continue efforts to reduce the burdens of the EUDR.

Feedback from our meetings were generally positive…there’s always a few offices that need more work!  The Federation followed up with each office our teams met with, thanking them for their time and interest. As we continue to meet with Congress in the coming weeks and months, I am confident that the work Fly-In participants did during their time on the Hill will set the stage for productive interactions going forward.

Federation Board Meets with Trump Officials:  Members of the Hardwood Federation came in a bit early on Tuesday, June 9 and participated in meetings with Administration officials at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Trade Representative (USTR).  Board members asked for support of the pending economic relief package in the Senate, encouraged USTR to include hardwood lumber purchase requirements in upcoming negotiations between the US and China and stressed the  importance of the US government’s continued engagement on the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

USDA Farm Production and Conservation Undersecretary Richard Fordyce expressed strong support for our relief package proposal and noted the importance of the industry coming together as a united front to advocate for successful package.  He and his team committed to swift (by government standards) implementation should Congress allocate the funds. Josh Jamison, the Chief of Staff to Natural Resources and Environment Undersecretary Michael Boren (who has oversight over the US Forest Service), echoed this support and encouraged the Federation Board to raise lumber purchases with USTR and to submit formal comments noting the importance of including lumber on the list of agricultural products to be discussed by the US and China through the bi-lateral Board of Trade being developed to facilitate negotiations.

USTR officials spent a significant amount of time with the Federation Board members, expanding their understanding of hardwood issues and the impact of Chinese, Vietnamese, and European Markets.  They also strongly encouraged us to officially comment on the Board of Trade, noting the list of included products is still very much in the development stage. 

Hardwood Federation Tees Up Congressional Letter in Support of US Hardwood Purchases:  As noted above, USDA and USTR have been tasked to develop a “Board of Trade” in cooperation with their Chinese counterparts, to address agriculture trade issues between the two countries. At the request of the Hardwood Federation, House Agriculture Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), are leading  a bipartisan, bicameral letter urging United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer to add American hardwood lumber as a priority commodity under consideration during Board of Trade discussions and  in ongoing trade negotiations with China.

The letter has been distributed by the offices noted above.  The Federation has also followed-up with all offices visited during the Fly-In.  The letter is scheduled to be finalized by June 26.