Tommy Tuberville
ALABAMA — US Senator Tommy Tuberville tore into foreign import trade practices undercutting Alabama’s timber and shrimp industries during a Senate hearing with USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, demanding aggressive tariffs to protect producers across the state. Alabama’s forestry sector carries a $36 billion annual economic impact, supports more than 40,000 jobs, and ranks fourth nationally in lumber production. Tuberville told Rollins the industry is under siege. “My foresters are getting killed. Our sawmills are closing down,” Tuberville said. “We’re getting beat up by Canada. I think we have a 25% tariff on Canada. It needs to be about 60, 70 percent. They are flooding our country with lumber.” Tuberville saved his sharpest fire for China, where he said companies buy Alabama timber, ship it overseas for milling, and send finished products back at prices domestic manufacturers cannot match. …“We need to tariff the hell out of China.” …Rollins said the USDA plans to prioritize timber.
US President Trump has said he is “not looking to renew” the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). “I made the deal and the primary reason I made the deal is that NAFTA was the worst trade deal I’ve ever seen. Yeah. And I made it better. But I had the right to terminate.” …“We don’t need anything to Canada has, we don’t need anything that Mexico has, but they need everything that we have, and they have to treat us better.” …“With Mexico and Canada, we have trade deficits. We should have surpluses with them. We don’t need their cars. We don’t need their lumber. We don’t need their energy.” …CUSMA’s text allows each country the opportunity to extend the agreement for another 16 years or launch a series of annual reviews.
UK — A strong and reliable supply chain is essential to the continued growth of offsite construction in the UK, and the collaboration between West Fraser and 
OTTAWA, ON—Canadian Forest Owners (CFO) congratulates the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and members of the Forestry Transformation Task Force on the release of their report, which recognizes the important contribution of Canada’s private forests in building a competitive, sustainable, and resilient forest sector. Representing approximately 480,000 private forest owners across the country, CFO’s members manage 25 million hectares of privately owned forest land from coast to coast. Together, they account for approximately 10 per cent of Canada’s forest land base and 20 per cent of national forest production. As the report notes, “Canada has a proud tradition of private forest ownership.” Private forests contribute an estimated $14.5 billion annually to Canada’s economy and support nearly 40,000 direct jobs in silviculture, harvesting, transportation, and forest products manufacturing. …For CFO, the report’s recognition of private forests is an important step forward. However, the organization believes that recognition must now be accompanied by policy action.
VICTORIA, BC
The Trump administration wants to reimpose a 10% tariff on top trading partners including the EU and Canada, while hitting others with a higher rate, citing concerns about forced labor. The US Trade Representative’s Office made those proposals as part of a report with the results of its investigation into 60 trading partners over their failure to impose and enforce laws to prohibit goods made with forced labor. It’s one of two sprawling trade investigations the administration launched earlier this spring in an effort to restore President Donald Trump’s global tariffs that were struck down by the Supreme Court in February. …The USTR probe, conducted under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, found that six countries have failed to effectively enforce existing laws prohibiting goods made with forced labor: Canada, Ecuador, the European Union, Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan. The report recommended a 10% duty. It recommended the same duty for another nine countries.
Vancouver, BC — Canfor Corporation announced today that it has entered into an agreement with PinkWood Ltd. to purchase its I-joist business for $68.0 million, including working capital. Founded in 2009, PinkWood is the largest Ijoist facility in Western Canada, producing engineered wood joists for residential, multi-family, and commercial construction. Located in Calgary, AB, PinkWood has 120 employees, with production capacity of 46 million linear feet. The purchase price represents a 5 times EBITDA multiple based on current production levels and earnings, including identified synergies. … “PinkWood is a leading manufacturer of high-quality I-joists with a strong management team and stable returns,” said Susan Yurkovich, President and CEO of Canfor. “Canfor’s acquisition of PinkWood complements our operations in Western Canada by enhancing product diversification and supporting the continued expansion of our value-added manufacturing capabilities.
In addition to its attention-grabbing National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, last week the federal government launched its nationwide Forest Sector Action Plan. The premise behind these national plans and strategies is that individuals and businesses are incapable of managing their own affairs, and so need guidance from an all-wise federal government. …One excellent reason for skepticism about national government planning is given by the government itself. “Canada’s forest sector has faced crisis after crisis over the past 20 years,” it begins. Three sentences later, it says: “For decades, governments have delivered programs to promote investment, research, innovation, Indigenous involvement and market diversification in Canada’s forest sector.” If government forestry programs have produced crisis after crisis for decades, the idea that even more government planning will help is optimistic, to say the least. The action plan is full of central-planning interventions that have failed across industries for decades.
Mayor Everett Baker was pleased to share some positive news about Interfor as a second shift resumed at the Interfor sawmill in Grand Forks. Baker stated in a text message to The Gazette he was pleased to hear that the second shift started on Monday. In addition, the planer mill is also expected to be back to two shifts by the end of the month. …“I want to thank Interfor for working with all levels of government to continue to keep our mill operating.” While the extra shifts are great news, Baker added the mill needs a log supply, but the team working to get the mill back up and running to at-or-near full shifts is getting closer to their goal. It wasn’t clear how many employees would be returning. In November, a single shift of 68 employees was hired back at Interfor.
Workers at Western Forest Products Value-Added Division (WFP VAD) in Chemainus, BC, have joined the United Steelworkers union. The successful union organizing campaign was driven by a desire for better representation and a stronger voice on the job with a union that will fight for improvements that forestry workers need and deserve. …After significantly falling behind other USW-represented forestry workers in terms of wages, benefits, job security and strength on the job, the WFP VAD workers decided to come together and join a union with a proven record of achieving exactly what they are lacking in their collective agreement. …“Our local union is happy to welcome new Steelworker members from WFP VAD,” said Brian Butler, USW Local 1-1937 President. …“These workers deserve a union that has the strength, experience and resources to deliver real results at the bargaining table,” said Jeff Bromley, USW Wood Council Chair.
VANCOUVER, BC 
FORT ST. JOHN, BC — After much speculation, the Canfor sawmill in Fort St. John has officially been sold to outside interests. Canfor media relations representatives confirmed the sale of the sawmill, planer, pellet plant and energy systems to Rocky Mountain Salvage on May 29th. Rocky Mountain Salvage is a scrap metal and garbage recycling company with interests in Hinton and Edson, Alberta. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Since announcing the closure of the Fort St. John sawmill, Canfor is working to divest the site and assets,” said Canfor. …The sawmill was announced as closing in September 2024, affecting 220 jobs, along with a facility in Chetwynd.
MILDMAY — The Ontario government is investing $1.6 million in Bernie McGlynn Lumber Ltd. to support a major expansion and modernization project at the company’s sawmill in Mildmay. The investment will more than double the company’s production space, increase output by 47 per cent, create five new good-paying jobs and support 13 existing positions. As part of its plan to protect Ontario forestry workers and businesses, the province is making strategic investments to help the forest sector adapt, compete and grow in the face of U.S. tariffs. …The government’s investment through the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program will support Bernie McGlynn Lumber’s $5.3 million project to construct a new 30,000-square-foot facility and install upgraded equipment, including a first-in-Ontario thermal-treating kiln system and a double-bladed bandsaw. 
The US Trade Representative has determined that several Brazilian acts, policies, and practices are actionable under Section 301 and has proposed tariffs of 25% on all goods of Brazil, with specified exemptions and an annex of excluded products. …The determination covers multiple areas, including illegal deforestation, and states that timber and agricultural production linked to illegal deforestation can burden U.S. commerce by lowering costs for competing products and distorting prices. The notice describes timber-sector fraud risks, including the laundering of illegally harvested timber through supply chains, and states that illegally sourced timber products can devalue legally sourced timber prices by an estimated 7% to 16%. On wood-related findings, the notice references concerns that Brazilian products may be made with timber harvested illegally. It also describes limits in auditing and verification under Brazil’s Forest Code registration system. …The notice sets a public comment schedule that opens June 1, 2026.
COUSHATTA, Louisiana – C&C Forest Products announced it is investing over $21 million to rebuild its Coushatta sawmill following a 2025 fire, repositioning the facility as a more efficient, cost-competitive specialty lumber and timber operation. The company is expected to create 77 direct new jobs… while retaining 27 current positions. Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 256 indirect new jobs, for a total of 333 potential new job opportunities in the Northwest Region. …The project will reconfigure the existing facility at 306 Wilkinson St. with updated equipment and improved site layout to support more efficient production. Once complete, the rebuilt sawmill will focus on specialty lumber and timbers and will be capable of producing up to 90 million board feet annually. …C&C Forest Products operates sawmills in Louisiana and Arkansas.
GOODLAND TOWNSHIP, Michigan – Firefighters were on scene for roughly 10 hours working to put out a l
JASPER County, Georgia — Firemen from the Jasper, Tri-Community, Beech Grove, East End Fire, Lake Rayburn and Angelina Fire Departments have all converged on the Lincoln Lumber Mill where a fire in the kiln has sent thick smoke into the air that can be seen for miles. No injuries have been reported. Mike Lout with our media partner KJAS reports the fire broke out this morning at the mill off Highway 96, just south of Jasper. First responders say the fire broke out in the dryer house or kiln of the operation. Firemen have so far been able to limit the fire to the drying house. However, flames and smoke are filling the building and firemen are continuing to pump water into the structure.
WAYNE, Pennsylvania — Saothair Capital Partners, a private equity firm, announced it has completed the acquisition of EAM Corp. from Domtar through a newly-formed affiliate. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Jesup, Georgia, EAM is a manufacturer of nonwoven airlaid and laminated absorbent materials used in feminine hygiene, adult incontinence, baby diaper, medical, industrial and food packaging applications. …Following the acquisition, current EAM General Manager Vanecia Carr will serve as Chief Executive Officer and Lori Venn will serve as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing.