Timber Talk 7/15/25

Jenna Reese
13 hours ago
8 min read

OFA Update

Summer Outing 2025 made a splash!

Last week, an excited group of our members embarked across the shores of Lake Erie on a charter fishing competition to remember. Beginning with a reception with food, drinks, and great conversation the night before at the beautiful Sawmill Creek Resort, then met at the marina the next morning to set off on OFA's first official charter fishing trip. We are so thankful to those who joined us and the sponsors who helped make it all happen.

Marvin Glick of M & S Hardwoods reeled in the longest catch with a 23.75-inch Walleye. We captured these great moments of Jeff Jenkins (Jenkins Forestry Solutions), Ray Miller (Yoder Lumber), Jim Doll (Doll Lumber), and Trent Yoder (Yoder Lumber) on their charter. And Jared Lute (R. L. Logging) with his family and Don Rawn (Scioto Land) admiring their catch.

Kiln Drying Short Course

August 19-21, 2025

Yoder Lumber Company

7100 County Rd 407

Millersburg, OH 44654

This 3-day course taught by Bob Pope, William Smith, and Chad Niman will cover all things related to kiln drying from moisture content to new procedures and equipment. Explore the 4 stages of drying timber with us this August in Millersburg.

Paul Bunyan Show tickets go on sale soon

We have been working diligently with our new ticketing company to launch the on sale of Paul Bunyan Show tickets for our October event at the Guernsey Co. Fairgrounds. We thank all of our exhibitors, educators, vendors, staff and volunteers for the work they are already doing to make this the best show yet. Keep your eyes peeled for announcements when ticket sales go live. Vendors will also receive their comped ticket amounts that correspond to their booth size as soon as we have the links ready. Thanks for your patience in this matter. We can't wait to see you in October!

Market Update

HardwoodReview Forecasting

The potential for turbulent summer markets is high, with the pending reinstatement of U.S. import tariffs and traditional summertime lulls. Yet, with few exceptions, hardwood lumber prices have not yet collapsed under the weight of disrupted international trade. U.S. domestic demand remains relatively good and lumber production has been constrained—to the point that prices for some items have climbed, and are projected to climb further, even as demand uncertainties remain. That could potentially change if Vietnam is unable to sustainably offset Chinese demand for hardwood logs, and/or if drier summer weather suddenly improves log availability. However, a lack of loggers is a bigger issue than weather in many areas, and few mills will risk higher production without a more confident outlook.

It is also possible that U.S. consumer confidence could be shaken if the country is drawn deeper into the Israel-Iran conflict, or if the civil unrest in major U.S. cities worsens. Still, however the tariff and trade deals play out this summer, at least they should play out, which will begin to issue in some clarity about future demand, even with the Section 232 determinations about the national security impacts of U.S. imports still to be determined.

Ohio Sales Tax Holiday

Ohio will have a sales tax holiday from 12:00 a.m. Friday, August 1 until 11:59 p.m. Thursday, August 14, 2025. During the holiday, the exemption will apply to all sales of goods that are $500 or less except for certain watercraft, motor vehicles, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vapor products, or an item that contains marijuana. For more information regarding the sales tax holiday, please refer to the Ohio Department of Taxation’s Sales Tax Holiday Information Sheet available on the ODT website at https://tax.ohio.gov/salestaxholiday

If you have any additional questions regarding this information, please contact ODT at 1-888-405-4039 or e-mail us at https://tax.ohio.gov/help-center/email-us .

Legislative Update

The following is brought to us by our national partner, the Forest Resources Association (FRA)

“One Big Beautiful Bill” Advances with Permanent Business Tax Provisions

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, the budget reconciliation bill containing GOP policy priorities, by a vote of 218-214. It now proceeds to the President, who will sign the measure.As we have noted during the process, the legislation revives and makes permanent key business tax incentives, including the research and development tax credit, which expired in 2022. The 100 percent bonus depreciation benefit, which has been phasing out, is also made permanent. In addition, the bill makes the 20 percent deduction for S-Corporations and other pass-through entities permanent. That benefit was slated to expire at the end of 2025.Other items of interest include:

Sec. 179 Expensing: Increases the maximum amount a taxpayer may expense under Sec. 179 to $2.5 million, reduced by the amount by which the cost of qualifying property exceeds $4 million.
EBITDA: Restores the more favorable EBITDA standard for calculating interest deductibility. The current standard is EBIT.
Estate Tax: Permanently increases the estate tax exemption to $15 million beginning in tax year 2026. This amount is indexed for inflation thereafter.
State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction: Provides a temporary new SALT deduction cap of $40,000 beginning in 2025. This cap phases out at a rate of 30 percent of adjusted gross income over $500,000 to a minimum cap of $10,000. Starting in 2026, the applicable cap and phase-out thresholds grow by 1 percent each year through 2029. In 2030, the cap reverts permanently to a maximum of $10,000.
International Provisions: Permanently maintains the section 250 deduction and effective statutory tax rates on global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) and foreign-derived intangible income (FDII) close to their current levels (they would increase in 2026 under current law) and makes other changes to the taxation of multinational businesses.

To offset costs associated with H.R. 1, the legislation eliminates the following clean energy credits:

25E previously owned clean vehicle credit (terminated after Sept. 30, 2025)
30D clean vehicle credit (terminated for vehicles acquired after Sept. 30, 2025)
45W qualified commercial clean vehicle credit (terminated after Sept. 30, 2025)
30C alternative fuel vehicle refueling credit (terminated after June 30, 2026)
25C energy-efficient home improvement credit (terminated after Dec. 31, 2025)
25D residential clean energy credit (terminated for expenditures made after Dec. 31, 2025)
179D energy-efficient commercial buildings deduction (terminated for property the construction of which begins after June 30, 2026)
45L new energy-efficient home credit (terminated after June 30, 2026)
45V clean hydrogen production credit (terminated after Jan. 1, 2028)
6426(k) sustainable aviation fuel credit (terminated after Sept. 30, 2025)

Several Forest Service provisions were included in Section 50301

Requires that the U.S. Forest Service award no fewer than 40 long-term timber contracts to private individuals or public/private entities during fiscal years 2025 through 2034. The intent is to enhance supply predictability for the forest products industry. However, the provision has drawn scrutiny from some stakeholders who caution that it may limit competition by concentrating access among fewer market participants.
For each fiscal year from 2026 through 2034, the Forest Service shall annually sell timber from National Forest System lands in a volume at least 250 million board feet greater than the volume sold in the preceding fiscal year. However, the total annual sale may not exceed the allowable sale quantity.

New NEPA Rule Aims to Fast-Track Forestry and Infrastructure Development

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled a sweeping reform of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), scrapping seven separate USDA agency rules and replacing them with a single, streamlined regulation. The move marks a 66% reduction in regulatory text and aims to speed up projects in rural communities, from logging and wildfire mitigation to broadband and infrastructure development. Rollins emphasized that the overhaul will “unleash American innovation” by shortening environmental review timelines and reducing litigation delays. While the administration claims that stewardship and accountability remain intact, conservation groups are voicing concerns about transparency and environmental safeguards. The rollback aligns with President Trump’s broader deregulatory agenda and is seen as an effort to modernize federal processes while boosting rural economic activity. The interim rule was published in the Federal Register on July 3. The rule is immediately effective, and comments on the rule must be received by July 30, 2025.

What’s an Interim Rule?

An interim rule is a regulation that takes effect immediately or on a short timeline before public comments are fully reviewed, allowing agencies to respond quickly to urgent needs or policy priorities. The rule remains open for refinement, and public input may still shape the final version.

FRA Legislation Tracker

FRA is actively tracking key legislative measures in this Congress that impact forest management, transportation, workforce development, tax policy, and deregulation. You can review the full listing here to stay informed on the latest legislative developments and FRA's advocacy efforts.

Safety Update

Sedgwick Safety Services

The power of your TPA claims examiner relationship

As a Sedgwick TPA customer our goal is to always provide you with comprehensive and immediate service for all of your workers’ compensation claim needs. Part of that service includes a dedicated claims examiner assigned to your account who can offer a detailed plan of action to assist you in navigating the Ohio workers’ compensation system.

When your company experiences a workers’ compensation claim, your assigned claims examiner will typically receive notice of the claim within a few days of the filing. Their immediate goal is to complete a claim review of all documentation available so that they can notify you of any concerns with the information on file. Some of the caution signs they monitor include:

• Prior medical history to the same body part

• A delay in seeking treatment

• Vague or inconclusive injury descriptions

• Medical treatment discrepancies

• The injury is reported soon after a known employer discipline

• Hobbies or extracurricular activities that could cause the reported injury

• Medical conditions that co-exist alongside the primary diagnosis (comorbidities)

Once the validity of a claim is verified your claims examiner will develop a detailed plan of action to monitor and help move the claim to final resolution either through full and final settlement of the claim or a full duty return to work.

Early communication with your claims examiner can provide clarity in the investigation process, reduce administration delays and ensure forward motion of the claim, which is a benefit to both you and your injured worker.

While it is an unfortunate fact that workers do get injured on the job and the majority of those claims are credible, a strong relationship with your assigned claims examiner who can review what options are available to you as the employer to mitigate time and expense in the claim is one of the best tools you have in your toolbox. Their expert knowledge of the Ohio Workers’ Compensation system can help you make informed decisions that will lead to successful claim outcomes.

If you have any questions, contact our Sedgwick program manager, Peyton Rosier, at (614)506-8195 or peyton.rosier@sedgwick.com.