EU Hardwood Regulation May Impact U.S. Loggers

Washington, DC, July 29, 2022-"American Hardwood Export Council commented on draft EU deforestation regulations that would require geolocation data for the specific ‘plot(s) of land’ where all regulated materials-including wood-were sourced,” reports the Decorative Hardwoods Association. “This could be challenging for materials sourced from small landowners, typical for U.S. hardwoods. AHEC urges companies that export to Europe to ask their customers to comment on this important issue before it is put to a vote as early as September.”

In addition, “The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry held a hearing about potential forestry-related provisions for the 2023 farm bill reauthorization, where representatives from both parties emphasized the crucial role of wood products in preventing wildfires, capturing and storing carbon, and growing the economy. The committee underlined the economic and environmental benefits of wood buildings and recommended that the farm bill promote storing ‘even more carbon.’”