Timber Harvesters, Haulers, and Landowners Market Disruptions Relief Act
Sponsored By: Representative Allen
Introduced
Summary
Financial assistance for timber harvesters, haulers, and qualifying landowners during market disruptions. This bill would let the Agriculture Secretary provide emergency payments when a State governor or the Forest Service chief petitions, with annual funding equal to anti-dumping and countervailing duties collected on Canadian softwood lumber.
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- Harvesters and haulers: Eligible forest product harvesting and hauling businesses could apply for relief. They could receive an initial payment up to $20,000 within 14 days and follow-up payments that may continue for up to 5 years.
- Landowners: Certain timber-producing landowners who meet sales thresholds could qualify for payments, for example those selling about 1 million board feet in most years.
- State and Forest Service officials: A State governor or the Chief of the Forest Service can petition the Secretary to declare a market disruption, and the Secretary must respond within 14 days.
- USDA administration: The Secretary, acting through the Farm Service Agency, would run notices, 30-day application windows, an appeals process, and annual reports to Congress. Funds are limited to operational costs, debt service, and expanding market access.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
How timber relief payments work
If enacted, payments would come in three stages. First, an initial payment (set by the Secretary) would be paid quickly after approval but not more than $20,000 and must be issued within 14 days of approval. Second, on the next September 30 the Secretary would pay an amount equal to the initial payment minus 30% of the shortfall (estimated disruption‑year gross revenue minus prior year gross revenue). Third, for up to 5 years a Governor or Chief may request continuation and the Secretary may pay each year an amount equal to 50% of the sum of prior initial and second payments if conditions have not improved. Funds would be prorated if duty receipts are insufficient. Payments could only be used for operational expenses (payroll, fuel, equipment repairs, debt service) or to expand access to new forest‑product markets.
Who qualifies for timber relief
If enacted, the bill would set who can get program payments. You would be eligible if you are a harvester or hauler with revenue loss tied to a declared market disruption, you earned at least $35,000 in federal taxable income in the calendar year before the disruption from selling, harvesting, or hauling an unrefined forest product, and at least 75% of your gross revenue comes from those activities. If you are a landowner who profits from timber grown on your land, you would only be eligible if in 4 of the last 5 years you sold at least 1,000,000 board feet of sawtimber, or 2,000 cords of pulpwood, or 5,000 green tons of timber. The Secretary would define ‘‘gross revenue’’ and ‘‘region’’ for the program.
New timber market relief program
If enacted, the bill would create a Market Disruption Assistance Program at USDA, run by the Secretary of Agriculture acting through the Farm Service Agency. Each fiscal year the program would be funded by the anti‑dumping and countervailing duties collected on softwood lumber imports from Canada. The Secretary would have to send Congress a report for each year payments are made that lists every payment and program activity.
When a timber disruption counts
If enacted, the bill would say when a "market disruption" exists and set fast petition rules. A disruption could be declared for tests like a facility closure that removes at least 20% of regional processing capacity, a national export‑receipt drop of 50% or more, a 50% fall in stumpage or delivered prices over two years, loss of market access over 20% of a region in ten years, or any event that threatens timber harvesting and hauling. The Governor or the Chief of the Forest Service could petition the Secretary, who would have 14 days to decide. After a declaration, USDA would publish a funding notice within 30 days, applicants would have 30 days to apply, and the Secretary must act on each application within 30 days of receipt.
Application, appeals, and fraud rules
If enacted, the Secretary would have to establish the program application within 60 days and could skip some normal rulemaking steps. An applicant denied a payment could appeal to USDA's National Appeals Division within 30 days, and the Division would have 30 days to decide. Entities that submit fraudulent information could be barred from funds and face fines as the Secretary sets them.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Allen
GA • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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