Softwood Lumber Board Assessment Rate Clarification and Changes to Membership
Key claim: USDA is updating the softwood lumber industry checkoff so the assessment on lumber imported into the United States is clearer and the Softwood Lumber Board’s membership is revised.
Abstract
(Rule · Agriculture Department, Agricultural Marketing Service) This final rule implements changes to the Softwood Lumber Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Industry Information Order (Order). The changes include clarifying the assessment rate for softwood lumber imported into the United States and revising the membership of the Softwood Lumber Board (Board or SLB).
Why this matters
Commodity checkoff orders fund industry-wide research and promotion by assessing both domestic producers and importers, so clarifying how the softwood lumber assessment is calculated for imports affects which companies pay and how much. Revising board membership shifts who controls those funds and the industry’s promotional priorities. The change is administrative rather than a policy shift, but it is the kind of amendment that can alter the balance between domestic mills and importers on an existing program.