The Hardwood Federation produces a “D.C. Cheat Sheet” newsletter to keep the industry up-to-date on the latest news from Washington D.C. Check out the June 4th edition below and sign up to receive your copy.
Wood Innovation Grants Included in Fiscal 27 Interior Appropriations Bill: The House Appropriations Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2027 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The vote was 35-27. The committee-passed measure includes $30 million for the Wood Innovation Grant (WIG) program, which funds cutting edge wood manufacturing projects around the country. The Hardwood Federation team was part of a coalition advocating for a “plus up” to $40 million, but we are pleased with this number and the committee’s recognition that WIG is an important program necessary to spur markets for wood products. The measure also includes $18 million for the Community Wood Energy program, a $3 million increase over the current funding level. Community Wood also provides money for wood manufacturing, but its emphasis is on biomass heating and power projects. This program is critical for building markets for sawmill residuals. One final notable in this bill is language reauthorizing the Hardwood Federation-supported provision directing the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy to recognize forest-based biomass fuels and energy as “carbon neutral” in any environmental or energy policymaking.
Farm Bill Text Imminent: The Hardwood Federation picked up signals this week that the Senate Agriculture Committee may release text of a Farm Bill reauthorization measure sometime next week, which would coincide nicely with our Capitol Hill fly-in. If a committee draft does emerge in the coming days, the Hardwood Federation team will promptly prepare a summary and make that available. Recall, that the House approved its version of a Farm Bill reauthorization measure at the end of April on a 224-200 vote. We remain hopeful that the Senate will act expeditiously and that Congress delivers a final product to the President before the August recess.
Source: Hardwood Federation