U.S. Lumber Coalition: U.S. Department of Commerce’s Continued Trade Enforcement Leads to Robust Domestic Lumber Industry Capacity Expansion

The U.S. Department of Commerce issued its preliminary determination in the second administrative review of softwood lumber imports from Canada, and once again confirmed that Canadian imports are heavily subsidized and dumped into the U.S. market by issuing a combined anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duty rate of 18.32%.

“A level playing field is a critical element for continued investment and growth for U.S. lumber manufacturing to meet strong building demand to build more American homes,” said Jason Brochu, U.S. Lumber Coalition Co-Chair and Co-President of Pleasant River Lumber Company. “The U.S. Lumber Coalition applauds the Commerce Department’s continued commitment to strongly enforce the U.S. trade laws against subsidized and unfairly traded Canadian lumber imports.”

Since the trade cases against subsidized and unfairly traded Canadian softwood lumber imports were brought by the U.S. industry and initiated by the U.S. government in 2016, U.S. sawmill investment and capacity expansion has been robust, which has produced an additional 11 billion boardfeet of lumber over that period — enough lumber to have built 730,000 single-family American homes. And more capacity-expansion is underway, creating more American jobs, not just in the mills themselves but also in typically rural communities that support those workers.

“Any consideration of the value of the softwood lumber trade case to the U.S. economy must consider the lumber supply situation had this new capacity not been added since 2016,” said Brochu. “More lumber being manufactured in America to meet domestic demand is a direct result of the trade enforcement, and we strongly urge the Administration to continue this enforcement.”

A level playing field is a critical element for continued growth of U.S. lumber manufacturing, the U.S. forestry industry, and its hundreds of thousands of workers, and thousands of communities across the United States. The U.S. industry remains open to a new U.S.–Canada softwood lumber trade agreement if and when Canada can demonstrate that it is serious about negotiations. Until then, the U.S. Lumber Coalition fully supports the continued strong enforcement of the U.S. trade laws to address Canada’s unfair softwood lumber trade practices.

“More U.S. lumber being produced by U.S. workers to build U.S. homes is a win-win for America. Strong trade enforcement is creating long-term confidence in the U.S. sawmilling industry. This is exactly what must happen for further expansion of U.S. softwood lumber manufacturing and jobs,” concluded Brochu.

About U.S. Lumber Coalition

The U.S. Lumber Coalition is an alliance of large and small softwood lumber producers, from around the country, joined by their employees, and woodland owners, working to address Canada’s unfair lumber trade practices.

Source: U.S. Lumber Coalition