OFA Update
Consulting Foresters Workshop held on Thursday 3/13 in Wooster, OH
On Thursday March 13th, nearly 50 foresters throughout the state attended an educational session for consultants. This workshop was arranged as a joint effort by OFA and OSU Extension. The morning session consisted of updates and information from various programs that consulting foresters regularly discuss with landowners, including presentations from ODNR, Division of Forestry, Jeremy Scherf, Stephanie Downs, and Bob Mulligan. All provided very helpful perspectives on topics such as CAUV, OFTL, EQIP, CSP, and BMPs. Additionally, during the morning session, John Kehn (also from Division of Forestry) arranged for a panel of county auditors to share their perspectives on some of these programs and how their offices work with consulting foresters to assist landowners in accessing financial assistance to conduct forest management.
The afternoon session included a site visit to an active dairy farm which also included approximately 20 acres of timber. This site, owned by Parry Cochran of Wooster, was hit hard by the derecho in June of 2022. The service forester in that area, John Jolliff, arranged the landowner tour, and all workshop participants had an enjoyable and educational visit being towed around the property by tractor on the back of a hay wagon.
With such a positive turnout, OFA looks forward to more opportunities to support Ohio consulting foresters in the future.
Ohio SAF Meeting
On Tuesday 3/18 and Wednesday 3/19, the Ohio chapter of the Society of American Foresters held its winter meeting in Columbus. OFA was invited to present an update of our efforts to advance forest management and the forest products industry throughout the state. Jim Harding, Director of Workforce and Professional Development, spoke to the attendees. During his talk, Jim highlighted the many initiatives pursued and achievements accomplished during the 2024 calendar year, which including a DC to engage with the staff of our Ohio congressional delegation; an all-time high for the number of participants taking a CSAW class over the course of the year; and the expansion of the Master Logger program.
Master Logger Certification Class
Registration for the next series of Master Logger trainings is now open. Participants can register on the Ohio Forestry Association Events page.
The dates are April 16th and 17th at Fernwood State Forest in Bloomingdale, Ohio. This is a two-day training consisting of three separate training types: BMP, CSAW, and First Aid/ CPR. All are needed to gain the Ohio Master Logger Certification. We will be holding in-class portions at the Fernwood State Forest, Forest Service Center, beginning with the in-class portion of CSAW on the 16th and followed by First Aid/ CPR and BMP the 17th.
Market Update
HardwoodReview Forecasting
Hardwood lumber sales are improving but production thus far is not. Among the trifecta of log supply issues, log/timber prices now trump weather and the lack of loggers. However, it is likely also true that, even if mills were willing to pay significantly more for logs than they are worth in lumber, weather and the lack of loggers would still be significant limiting factors. Though the demand pull from secondary markets is starting to increase, most notably from the cabinet sector, recent price gains in Red Oak, Poplar and Ash appear to have been largely driven by a bit of a scramble to procure available inventory, which more than a few producers have indicated is the lowest of their careers. Some producers and yards reported very good Jan sales and many have good orders in Feb, but with log and green lumber prices rising faster than KD prices, margins are worsening.
Thus far, the U.S. has imposed no new tariffs on Canada or Mexico, and China did not include wood products in its reciprocal tariffs, though the threats remain. However tight lumber supplies get, and however high prices for some items climb, things could quickly rebalance or shift to a buyers market if the Q1 America First Trade Policy investigations lead to Q2 trade sanctions.
Legislative Update
The following is brought to us by our national partner, the Forest Resources Association (FRA)
FRA Action Alert: Safe Routes Act
This week, the Safe Routes Act (H.R. 2166) gained additional support with several new cosponsors. Among them are House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee members, including Vice Chairman Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS-04) and Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA-10). Other lawmakers who joined as cosponsors are Reps. Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Neal Dunn (R-FL-02), G.T. Thompson (R-PA-15), and Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07). The bipartisan bill now boasts a total of nine cosponsors. We strongly encourage you to send a letter to your Representative and Senators urging them to cosponsor this legislation.
The Safe Routes Act (S.1063, H.R. 2166) aims to amend Title 23 of the United States Code to address vehicle weight limitations for certain logging vehicles. This legislation seeks to allow trucks transporting raw forest products, such as logs, pulpwood, chips, or biomass, to access the U.S. Interstate Highway System at legal state gross vehicle weights (GVW). Studies have shown that granting log trucks access to interstate routes can reduce accident rates, lower CO2 emissions, minimize damage to rural roads, and decrease transportation costs for small logging businesses.
FRA has made it simple—use our Action Alert tool to quickly send your message and advocate for this critical piece of legislation.Review and send your letter now!
Resources
DHS Announces H-2B Visa Cap Met
Last week, FRA engaged members of Congress, urging them to press the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to officially declare that the H-2B visa cap had been reached and to release supplemental visas without delay. Thanks to the combined efforts of the FRA, its members, and the H-2B Workforce Coalition, DHS took action.
On Wednesday, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the statutory cap for H-2B visas for the second half of fiscal year 2025 was reached on March 5, 2025. This means no new cap-subject petitions for employment starting between April 1 and September 30, 2025, will be accepted. However, supplemental visas are available, including 64,716 additional visas authorized by DHS.
ESA Amendments Act
The House Natural Resources Committee recently held a hearing on March 25 to discuss the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Amendments Act of 2025 (H.R. 1897). The proposed legislation, introduced by Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR-04), aims to modernize the ESA by focusing on species recovery, streamlining the permitting process, and reducing regulatory burdens. Key reforms include establishing clear statutory definitions, incentivizing species recovery, and providing regulatory certainty for private landowners engaged in conservation efforts. The hearing highlighted the need for data-driven wildlife management and emphasized empowering state and local officials to play a greater role in species recovery.
During the testimony, Congressman Westerman said, “First and foremost, it is time that Congress brings the ESA back to its original intent, which is recovering listed species to the point where they no longer need to be protected. As its current dismal 3% recovery rate is wholly unacceptable. H.R. 1897 prioritizes recovery in several ways. First, it builds greater incentives into the ESA by pairing species recovery goals with regulatory relief.”
Resources
Disaster Relief Bill Introduced in the Senate
Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced the Disaster Reforestation Act this week. This legislation aims to assist forest landowners in recovering from natural disasters such as fires, storms, or theft. It proposes an amendment to the tax code, allowing landowners to claim the appraised value of their lost timber as a casualty loss. This adjustment would offer critical financial relief, enabling landowners to rebuild their forests after such events. FRA and numerous other forestry associations have expressed support for this legislation.
"Natural disasters can't be stopped, but we can help those who are affected by them," said Sen. Tuberville. "Taking care of Alabama's foresters is crucial to our state's industry. This bill lightens the load when our forest owners are hit by a storm. It's encouraging to see my colleagues on both sides of the aisle coming together to help future foresters in the wake of disaster."
"Louisianans know too well the importance of natural disaster relief," said Sen. Cassidy. "When their lives and communities are torn apart by storms, they need a fix like this."
Trade
According to a Politico analysis, retaliatory tariffs announced by China, the European Union, and Canada are projected to impact nearly $90 billion in U.S. exports. Specifically, these tariffs would affect $22 billion worth of U.S. imports to China, $24 billion to the EU, and $42 billion to Canada.
Corporate Transparency Act
On March 21, 2025, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an interim final rule under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). This rule significantly narrowed the scope of reporting requirements, exempting U.S. entities and individuals from reporting beneficial ownership information (BOI). It redefined "reporting companies" to include only foreign entities registered to do business in the U.S., which must now comply with BOI reporting obligations. The rule aims to reduce regulatory burdens on domestic businesses while maintaining transparency for foreign entities.
FRA joined numerous associations of the Main Street Employers Coalition in a letter applauding the Department of the Treasury's interim rule.
"We believe these revisions will allow the Department to focus its resources on entities that pose genuine risks of money laundering and other illicit activities, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of our nation's financial crime prevention efforts without imposing undue burdens on legitimate businesses."
Quoted In the News
The Daily Signal quoted FRA President Tim O'Hara in its recent article: Did President Biden Make Fires Worse at the Beck and Call of an Environmentalist Group?
"The uncertainty surrounding Biden's executive order and its potential restrictions on forest management may have delayed management decisions that would have provided timber to the market and further mitigated wildfire risks. Managing our national forests across the U.S. is simply not a one-size-fits-all approach. Forest management is best handled at the local level, where unique forest conditions, including recreation, wildlife habitat, and timber production, can be addressed directly."
Read more here.
Safety Update
Substance Use Prevention & Recovery Program (SUPR) formerly Drug Free Safety Program (DFSP)
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is merging the Drug Free Safety and Substance Use Recovery programs into a new, streamlined program called Substance Use Prevention & Recovery Program (SUPR). BWC made the changes to enhance and simplify overlapping programs into one integrated, unified program. The goal is to reduce customer confusion, increase program utilization, reduce customer paperwork, improve internal administrative efficiencies and streamline processes for both customers and BWC.
An overview of the changes include:
DFSP Safety grants are replaced entirely with SUR grants
DFSP participants are automatically eligible to request SUR grants
Expands reimbursable expenses to include substance use assessments for employers with “second chance” policies
Switches from a limited enrollment window to year-round rolling enrollments with the ability to earn pro rata premium bonus
Eliminates requirements to file the Safety Management Self-Assessment (SH-26) and Safety Action Plan (DFSP-5) forms and requires filing of the Accident Report (DFSP-1) only for lost-time injuries
Integrates the enrollment processes for DFSP and SUR into one application
Moves SUR grant requests to an online format
Creates an online “as-you-go” format to allow employers to upload annual report documents throughout the program period
Provides an online employee and supervisor training option through BWC’s Learning Management System
The SUPR effective date for private employers is July 1, 2025. The effective date for public employers is January 1, 2026. For more information on the SUPR program, click here.
If you have any questions, contact our Sedgwick program manager, Paul Feck at paul.feck@sedgwick.com.
Additional Links
DNR Timber Harvesting Services
The DOF is advertising their new contract for harvesting services. These contracts typically amount to about 15% of their total harvest annually. As always, one requirement is to be an Ohio Master Logging company.
ECOFA April Newsletter
Upcoming Events
Muskingum Valley Loggers Chapter
4/9/2025
Location: F.O.E., McConnelsville, Ohio Time: 7:00 PM
Southeastern Ohio Loggers Chapter Meeting
4/16/2025
Location: Shawn Sexton's Lodge, Jackson, Ohio Time: 6:00 PM
Master Logger Certification Class
4/16/2025 » 4/17/2025
Location: Bloomingdale, Ohio
Camp Canopy
6/8/2025 » 6/13/2025
Location: Carrollton, Ohio
2025 Lumber Grading Short Course
6/16/2025 » 6/19/2025
Location: Millersburg, Ohio Time: 8:00 - 4:00 Daily
2025 Paul Bunyan Show
10/3/2025 » 10/5/2025
Location: Old Washington, Ohio
2026 OFA Annual Meeting
3/11/2026 » 3/12/2026
Location: Hyatt Regency Columbus
OFA Proudly Supports
There is a need for more TRUTH IN FORESTRY FOR WOODLAND OWNERS