On the ground in Kentucky, the consequences are devastating: sawmills shutting down nearly every week, skilled workers losing good-paying jobs and spreading ripple effects. …For much of the second half of the twentieth century, our mill and dozens of others across Eastern Kentucky produced Appalachian hardwood lumber used to make furniture, cabinets, flooring and countless other products that furnished American homes. Hardwood was not just a commodity; it was an economic engine, a cultural cornerstone for Kentucky. Today, it is hard to believe that this legacy industry is at real risk of collapse. …The offshoring of the US furniture industry roughly 25 years ago sharply reduced domestic demand for hardwoods. The 2008 recession deepened the damage, while cheaper substitute products steadily flooded the market. Then came the trade war with China — delivering a fatal blow to many family-owned sawmills and leaving the rest of the industry reeling.