Louisiana Logger - July 2016 by Louisiana Logger

Clifton Malmay keeps logging in the family VOLUME 21 • NO. 3 • JULY 2016 Taxing on Louisiana Industries................................Page 7 New quarantine for emerald ash borer..................Page 13

Paper for this publication produced in the U.S.A.

The Louisiana Logging Council P.O. Box 5067 • Alexandria, LA 71307-5067

Presorted Standard U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit No. 270 Alexandria, LA 71307

PULLING AN INDUSTRY FORWARD “I really enjoy working with Louisiana Cat because they go over and beyond to help us.” - Bob Richards, Richards Logging Georgetown, La with Robert J. Richards (right)

Easy service and maintenance are important with any machine. But it’s even more important when downtime can lead to a bottleneck on the whole job site. When you run Cat harvesters, skidders and log loaders in Louisiana, you’ve got more than productive products, you have a partner dedicated to your success. Richards Logging works hard year round to get the job done. Louisiana Cat understands that. We have supported loggers like Bob & Robert Richards for three generations. “The sales and support team at Louisiana Cat always step up to help. I can call on the weekend or evening to ask a question and they answer with a solution right away, that means a lot.” Nicely said Bob, that’s the Louisiana Cat difference. Visit our website to learn more about our forestry products and services or call our toll free number to experience the Louisiana Cat difference.

866-843-7440

www.LouisianaCat.com © 2016 Caterpillar All rights reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

Road bonds would be unfair to La. loggers Loggers are hard workers and we spend our days in the woods getting our jobs done, but with many parishes talking about adding to the cost of doing our job, it’s time for loggers to head out of the woods and visit our parish courthouses. Several parishes are talking about requiring loggers to post road bonds with parish police juries before logging tracts of land. Some parishes are talking about making the requirement just for log trucks, which would make an unfair situation worse. Log trucks aren’t the only heavy trucks on the road and they aren’t even the heaviest. Garbage trucks and delivery trucks of all kinds travel parish roads every day bringing goods and services to people. Singling out log trucks just isn’t fair. Parishes should consider what taxes they already get from logging. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are sent to parishes every year from severance taxes alone. A lot more tax dollars go to parishes through the Parish Transportation Act. Every time we pay for a gallon of diesel for log trucks, we’re paying a tax for roads. These taxes go to parishes based on the number of miles of road in each parish,

Log trucks aren’t the only heavy trucks on the road and they aren’t even the heaviest. ... Singling out log trucks just isn’t fair. not necessarily where the fuel was purchased. Plus, because we are small businesses, parishes get the benefit of sales taxes from equipment that is bought, which doesn’t always go to our home parish. Whenever I order equipment, I try to get it delivered to my business in Winn Parish. If, for example, I bought equipment in Alexandria for a job in Ouachita Parish and had it delivered to the job site, neither my home parish nor Rapides Parish would get the sales taxes from that purchase. Ouachita Parish would benefit from the equipment sale because that’s

Louisiana Logger

Published quarterly by the Louisiana Logging Council P.O. Box 5067 Alexandria, LA 71307 • (318) 443-2558 Chapter Chairmen Chapter 1 - Lawrence Hill Chapter 7 - Clifton Malmay Spearsville • (318) 778-9900 Zwolle • (318) 645-9724 President Jack McFarland hill_jclaw@yahoo.com monicacmalmay@yahoo.com Winnfield Caskey Terral (318) 727-9696 Farmerville • (318) 368-8822 mcfarlandtimber@aol.com terrallogging@aol.com Chapter 2 - John Keith and Skeet Hodgkins Haughton • (318) 949-3672 For information about skeet@suddenlinkmail.com articles or advertising, Chapter 3 - Joshua McAllister please call Jeff Zeringue Gracee Malone-Texada Winnfield • (318) 729-1727 at (318) 443-2558. Staff Assistant jntmcallister@aol.com (318) 443-2558 Chapter 4 - Casey Durand For information on gmalone@laforestry.com Pollock • (318) 542-2826 classes or training tonyarobeau@gmail.com records, consult the Chapter 5 - Angie Bonner website: Evans • (337) 286-9837 www.laforestry.com bonnerlogging@yahoo.com or call Gracee Chapter 6 - Malcolm Sibley Malone-Texada at Walker • (225) 686-7955 (318) 443-2558. kstimber@aol.com

where the equipment was delivered. We understand the desire for local governments to provide good roads. But they first should consider that a lot of tax money is already coming from the logging industry McFarland and take that into account. Loggers want to operate within the existing regulations and their hard work already helps pay for local government services. We are part of the 45,611 timber industry jobs in Louisiana worth $2.67 billion in payroll alone, according to state figures for 2015. It is imperative that loggers go to their local police jury meetings to make sure our police jurors are aware of how important our industry already is to them. It’s the only way they will get our side of the story. (Jack McFarland is president of the Louisiana Logging Council and owner of McFarland Timber in Winnfield. He also is a state legislator representing District 13 in the Louisiana House of Representatives.)

Kirk receives Taylor scholarship Corey Kirk will be the recipient of the Travis Taylor Scholarship in forestry at Louisiana Tech University this fall. The $1,200 annual scholarship was endowed by friends and family of the late logging contractor after his death in 2014. Kirk is a senior forestry student from DeRidder. This scholarship is one of 45 made Corey Kirk possible through the Louisiana Forestry Foundation. The awards for the 2016-2017 school year include forestry students from Louisiana Tech, LSU–Baton Rouge and the twoyear forestry technician program at the Oakdale Technical School. The Foundation has awarded nearly $800,000 since 1969. Third Quarter 2016

Justin Springer, left, operates the delimber May 13 at Weyerhaeuser property in Bienville Parish as Robert Paul Pamie runs the loader. Both men work for Clifton Malmay Logging & Son. (Photos by Jeff Zeringue)

Clifton Malmay Clifton Malmay Logging & Son

Clifton Malmay, 50, has been logging since he was 17 when he began working with his father, Huey J. Malmay.

Louisiana Logger

By Jeff Zeringue Sons often are expected to follow in their fathers’ footsteps in some professions and for Clifton Malmay of Zwolle, following his dad into the woods to become a logger was exactly where his heart wanted to be. After he graduated from Zwolle High School in 1985, Malmay joined the crew of G.J. Martinez Logging, owned by G.J. “Pie” Martinez, and began driving a skidder while working alongside his father, Huey J. Malmay. “My daddy went to work in the woods when he was 14 years old and that’s all he ever did,” Malmay, 50, said. Huey J. Malmay was at least the second generation of this Malmay family to work in the logging business as his father, Willie Malmay, also was a logger. “He (Willie Malmay) worked in the woods with a crosscut saw back in the ’40s,” Clifton Malmay said. Malmay recalled the stories from his father about how Willie would leave their home very early in the morning and walk down the road. He would join several other men in a horse-drawn wagon and ride over a hill. “They’d take him out to the woods and he wouldn’t get back until late,” Malmay said. Malmay also wasn’t the only one of his generation to get into the logging business. His younger brother Huey D. Malmay, who also lives in Zwolle, is a logger and their younger brothers Jason and Jonathan work for “Huey D.” “It was something my dad did and that’s what I was interested in COVER PHOTO: Master Logger Clifton Malmay, left, and his son Trevor Malmay, of Zwolle, stand by the John Deere 748H skidder that the younger Malmay drives. Clifton Malmay has been logging since graduating Zwolle High School in 1985.

Robert Rutherford cuts trees near Ringgold in Bienville Parish for Clifton Malmay Logging & Son. Rutherford is a temporary worker for the company.

doing,” Malmay said. “I wanted to be like him.” Four years into his career, Malmay got into contract sawing and Martinez paid him by the ton of logs. It was more difficult work 30 years ago, he said, because cutters had to trim the limbs with chainsaws after the trees were felled and before the skidder hauled them to the loader. “Everything is so much faster (now),” Malmay said, which is the biggest change he has experienced in his three decades working in the woods. After Malmay cuts trees in his Prentice 2470C shear, his son Trevor Malmay drives the John Deere 748H skidder that takes them to the delimber, where the John Deere 437 strips the logs in seconds and the 335C loaders handle the rest. Although the process might be faster, loggers remain at the mercy of the weather, Malmay said. Louisiana’s exceptionally rainy spring has slowed things down. “You can’t always catch up,” he said, admitting he was roughly 15 percent behind the amount of trees he had harvested about this time last year. On a good day, though, Malmay will see 10 loads head to the mills, he said. On a job in May in Bienville Parish, trucks took logs to four different mills. That job, between the Loggy Bayou Wildlife Management Area and Ringgold, was on property owned by Weyerhaeuser, the company for which Malmay exclusively logs.

Trevor Malmay, a third generation logger, operates his father’s skidder. Clifton Malmay, owner of the company and father of Trevor, said he hopes his son will one day take over the business.

“He taught us to work hard and to be kind to people.” The roughly 70-acre tract of 30-year growth woods is about 80 miles from his Zwolle home and was the farthest he’s gone to harvest trees, so far. About 57 acres were harvested, the remaining 20 percent was left according to Stream Management Zone regulations. Malmay said he’s learned about such regulations through the Louisiana Logging Council, where he is chairman of Chapter 7. “I think every logger should be involved with the Logging Council because they keep you up to date with the laws and what changes,” Malmay said. The Master Logger said LLC also provides safety training, which is important. Malmay said he hates to see anyone in his industry injured, much less anyone on his crew, which includes his son Trevor, 22. And Trevor isn’t the only family mem-

ber involved in the family business. Clifton’s wife of 31 years, Monica Malmay, handles payroll and pays bills while Clifton runs the crew in the woods. When Clifton Malmay officially took over the Martinez operation in 2002, it became Clifton Malmay Logging & Son. That set in motion the hope that this small business one day would be passed on to the next generation. “I want to train him up when he’s young and hope that one day he’ll have it all,” Monica Malmay said of her son. Clifton Malmay said he doesn’t mind heading out at 4:30 a.m. each day because he’s not alone. Trevor hops in the truck with his dad, even though waking up so early is tougher for the younger Malmay. “It was way harder to get up when I first started than it is now,” said Trevor, who was 17 when he first started working with his father, “but I’m getting used to it.” Clifton looks at this as a special time, he said, just as it was when he worked with his dad decades ago. It’s a time to pass along lessons for the next generation. “He (Huey J. Malmay) taught us to work hard and to be kind to people,” Clifton Malmay said, traits he hopes to pass along to Trevor. (Jeff Zeringue is editor of the Louisiana Logger and media specialist for the Louisiana Forestry Association.) Third Quarter 2016

Challenging and extraordinary times in La. By Buck Vandersteen The first edition of the Louisiana Logger was published in 1994. Janet Tompkins, the first editor of the Logger is retiring the end of June after an exemplary career with the Louisiana Forestry Association and the Louisiana Logging Council. She has been responsible for designing and producing 85 issues of the magazine over her 22-year career with the forestry association. She has met or talked with many loggers over the years and her support for the logging community through our publication has been unwavering. Janet is in the process of mentoring her successor, Jeff Zeringue, who you will get to know in the months ahead. Janet’s time and dedication to the logging community has been greatly appreciated and we wish her all the best as she begins another chapter of her life in retirement. Trying Times These are truly unusual and trying times. We don’t remember logging conditions as strange as they have been. Wet weather early in the year made it difficult to get in the woods and when the weather improved the mills had delivery quotas. Quotas during wet weather is very unusual. While our businesses were under stress due to the weather the state Legislature added another blow. Legislators raised the sales tax on equipment, parts and service to help the state meet a budget shortfall that is nearly $2 bil-

lion. No doubt this can add thousands of dollars of additional cost to a logging business. Local governments are feeling the pinch too and their reaction has been to look for targets to raise revenue. Some have raised broad-base sales taxes. Others have been looking at specific industry taxes through implementation of roaduse bonds. This has particularly affected the logging industry. The Logging Council/Louisiana Forestry Association are appearing before parishes to explain the problems loggers have with road bonds. Their cost and uncertain risk have caused loggers to avoid parishes with such bonds, making timber less valuable and parishes lose valuable severance tax dollars. We are advocates of a notification system where the parish and logger work together to address road issues and where the parish knows who to contact when issues arise. Police juries throughout northeast Louisiana are meeting to discuss a uniform manner to address road issues. Hopefully it will be more inclusive than just how much to charge for road bonds. Unfortunately the meeting was closed to the public, but we hope that opportunities will arise in the future to advocate our position of notification and communication. It is extremely important to stay in contact with local governments and use good judgment when operating on parish roads. The future of the logging industry

depends on keeping aware of issues in the community and acting as professional loggers. Home Sales National news media report an increase in Vandersteen new home sales nationwide. It can’t come soon enough to stimulate demand for more wood to the mills here at home. We are seeing more activity and interest with potential newcomers to the state that want to utilize the excess fiber growing in our forests. Some areas of the state are in dire need of markets. Call upon your Logging Council when needed. Help the council with your participation and membership. There is a saying in government relations that bears repeating, “You are either at the table or on the menu.” Loggers don’t want to be on the menu. Become involved and help your industry make it through these challenging times. Be safe! (Buck Vandersteen is the executive director of the Louisiana Forestry Association and the Louisiana Logging Council.)

SFI products included in LEED certification Alexandria and Baton Rouge

Alexandria • 318- 448-6211 Baton Rouge • 225-923-3450

Louisiana Logger

Wood and paper from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Program have been integrated into the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, allowing SFI certified products to be used by architects, builders and consumers wanting to use “legal, responsibly sourced and certified forest products.” “We applaud leaders from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as this change across all LEED rating tools takes a stance against illegal wood and reinforces the value of certified and responsibly sourced forest products,” said Kathy Abusow, president and CEO of SFI Inc. Abusow said SFI has strict standards to make sure only legal sources of fiber are used in SFI-certified chains. The addition of SFI-certified products is a LEED alternative compliance path. It applies to LEED v4 rating systems including Homes v4 and all LEED 2009 rating systems. LEED has seven impact goals that include enhancing human health, protecting water resources and biodiversity, promoting sustainable material resources, building a greener economy and enhancing social equity and community quality of life.

New taxes confusing; bad effect on industry By Jeff Zeringue Most people understand the crisis of Louisiana’s budget is in, but recent tax increases have put the state’s loggers and mills at a competitive disadvantage, the director of the Louisiana Forestry Association (LFA) said. Many changes came out of the special legislative session that ended in March to increase the state’s revenue. Big tax increases were approved during the session that began in the final quarter of fiscal year 2015-2016, which ended June 30. Those new rules for what is taxed and what is not are confusing, said LFA Executive Director C.A. “Buck” Vandersteen. “I would venture to say people out there do not understand exactly what to charge for sales taxes, setting themselves up for an audit,” Vandersteen said, adding that businesses are liable for the sales taxes. Pat Andres, general manager and forestry manager for Doggett Machinery

Services in Shreveport, quipped that the new rules have put some folks in a “complete state of confusion.” Following the Legislature’s special session that ended in March, loggers lost their 2-percent sales tax exemption on manufacturing, machinery and equipment. The result was a sales tax for MM&E of 2 percent from April through the end of June.

“I would venture to say people out there do not understand exactly what to charge for sales taxes ...” The sales tax was reduced to 1 percent beginning July 1, which will last until June 30, 2018. The exemption returns from July 1, 2018, through March 31,

2019. “What happens after that is subject for another legislative session,” Vandersteen said. Another provision of the recent tax increase was an exemption on the first $50,000 of sales of rubber-tired logging and farm equipment. Other provisions of the tax hike put a 5-percent sales tax on purchases of parts, lubricants, belts and oils used in logging and manufacturing until the end of June. That sales tax was reduced to 3 percent in July and will last for two years, ending June 30, 2018. The tax Continued on Page 9

Davis-Garvin Agency, Inc.

www.davisgarvin.com

888-594-9484 ~ Logging Contractors

An insurance specialist in the forest products industry for over 30 years. We are proud to offer a broad range of innovative insurance products and services.

Contact Dexter Evans Find out how he can tailor an insurance program to meet your unique business needs.

~ Sawmills ~ Landowners ~ Consulting Foresters ~ Hunt Club Liability ~ Timberland Liability ~ Standing Timber ~ Prescribed Burning

Third Quarter 2016

Stop by and see us today!

Moore’s Retread & Tire 409 Keyser Ave. Natchitoches, LA 71457 (318) 352-8354

Moore’s Retread & Tire 2600 N Medford Dr. Lufkin, Tx 75901 (936) 632-6706

Moore’s Retread & Tire 8901 Linwood Ave. Shreveport, LA 71106 (318) 687-7951

Moore’s Retread & Tire 15275 FM 968 West Longview, TX 75602 (903) 236-8883

Louisiana Logger

Moore-Grant Goodyear 629 N 3rd St Alexandria, LA 71301

TAXING ON LA. INDUSTRIES

Sales tax from Sales tax July 1 to after June 30, ’18 June 30 ’18

Manufacturing equipment & Machinery*

Parts, lubricants, belts & oils

Electric power or energy (including natural gas)

Residues derived from processing raw materials** 3%

* Sales of rubber-tired logging and farm equipment are exempt from sales tax on the first $50,000. ** Sales of materials used for further processing for sale at retail will continue to be exempt from sales tax. SOURCE: LFA LEGISLATIVE REPORT

‘It’s been a rough start to the year in our industry’ From page 7 will be eliminated, effectively allowing the exemption to return, but the law states the full exemption would end March 31, 2019. Tax increases that came out of the special session also affected mills. Forest product companies are being taxed for electric power or energy, including natural gas, at 4 percent until June 30, 2018. That’s 1 percent less than it was taxed April through June. Beginning July 1, 2018, the sales tax will be reduced to 1 percent until March 31, 2019. Also, residues derived from the processing of raw materials used for resale were hit with a 5-percent sales tax in the final quarter of fiscal year 20152016. That was reduced to 3 percent in July. The tax will remain for two years then be eliminated, restoring the sales tax exemption, that ends March 31, 2019, leaving the industry unsure what will happen after that date. “We’ve spent years trying to make forest production competitive with our neighboring states and the nation,” Vandersteen said. “Many surrounding states have lowered their taxes to be com-

petitive with Louisiana. “That has been tipped over.” The tax increases make the state less competitive because costs to do business have increased. When loggers buy new

“We’re getting ready to buy a cutter. You’re looking at adding $12,000 to the cost.” equipment, the new sales taxes will add thousands to the cost in “an industry still very close to break-even,” Vandersteen said. For Winnfield logger Joshua McAllister, who is Louisiana Logging Council Chapter 3 chairman, the tax increase will affect when his company purchases equipment. “We’re getting ready to buy a cutter. You’re looking at adding $12,000 to the cost,” McAllister said. Higher taxes, however, are only a part of the problem, Andres said.

“It’s been a rough start to the year in our industry,” he said. In addition to the tax hikes, mills have established quotas, even with a wetter than normal spring that kept loggers’ equipment idle more often than usual. Andres said the industry also is affected by world economies, which he hopes will improve soon. For equipment, though, the added expense could delay some purchases. “When guys need to buy, they need to buy,” Andres said. Because of those three factors — wetter spring, quotas and higher sales taxes — Doggett is anticipating a 20 to 25 drop in equipment sales compared to what it sold last year. “We think our parts and service will stay busy,” Andres said, adding that loggers likely will hold on to their equipment as long as they can. Vandersteen said the exemptions have allowed many in the forest products industry to remain in operation. Although the new taxes are billed as “temporary,” people in industry hope the sunset provision on the taxes will be honored. “We hope we can get back to being a competitive state soon,” Vandersteen said. Third Quarter 2016

Wall honored as top technical writer for ’16 The Forestry Resources Association awarded its 2016 National Technical Writing Award to Kim Wall of Wall Timber. Wall, who lives in Osyka, Mississippi, but works in Louisiana, was honored for her FRA technical release titled “Dash Cameras Can Improve Safety and Reduce Liability,” which was published last year. “We’ve received accolades in the field, which it is such an honor to receive,” Wall told the FRA. The technical release described the use of dashboard video cameras equipped with audio installed in log trucks to record the driver’s visual and audio range whenever the truck is running, even if it’s just idling. “The video/audio record provides an objective resource in any liability dispute and helps enforce benchmarks for driver accountability,” according to the FRA. Wall and her husband, Bob, manage Wall Timber’s fleet of 21 log trucks and 80 employees. The FRA noted that in her writing, the dash cameras helped clear Wall Timber drivers from traffic violation allegations as well as other liability issues. However, the process of clearing drivers of alleged wrongdoing did cost the company about $15,000 in lost business because equipment and employees being tied up during an investigation.

Kim Wall, center, accepts the 2016 Forestry Resources Association Technical Writer Award at a recent gathering from FRA Chairman Tom Reed. Wall and her husband, Bob, right, are owners and operators of Wall Timber, which operates in southeast Louisiana.

“I’d like to challenge our insurance companies to pursue false claims more aggressively,” Wall told the FRA.

Join the Louisiana Logging Council today! The Louisiana Logging Council works for you — lobbying our Legislature and working with regulatory agencies. Do you have time to make your voice count? All you have to do is join the council today. Membership in the LLC also automatically makes you a member of the Louisiana Forestry Association. The LLC is an affiliate of the American Loggers’ Council, the national voice for logging.

Before digging, call 811 at least two full work days in advance. That’s all it takes to notify LA One Call members, so they can mark nearby utility lines and pipelines to prevent injury and costly accidents.

IT’S THE LAW. IT’S FREE. Call or click www.LAOneCall.com 10

Louisiana Logger

Annual membership q Logging Contractors--------------------- $250 q Wood Dealers----------------------------- $250 q Trucking Contractors--------------------- $250 Associate Membership q Equipment Dealers----------------------- $300 q Insurance & Banks----------------------- $300 q Service and Supplies--------------------- $150

Name________________________________________ Address______________________________________ City_______________________________ State_____ Zip_______________ Phone_____________________ Email________________________________________ Make checks payable to the Louisiana Logging Council. Mail to LLC, P.O. Box 5067, Alexandria, LA 71307

The American chestnut a popular species By Don Reed Historically, the American chestnut was one of the most important trees throughout much of the eastern United States. It was so abundant that estimates had it occurring once on average for every four oaks, maples or other hardwoods. Mature forests contained American chestnut trees up to 5 feet in diameter and 100 feet tall. Specimens as large as 8 to 10 feet in diameter were recorded, making the tree known as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Redwood of the East.â&#x20AC;? The tree grew straight and branch-free for 50 feet or more, making it one of the most valuable timber species of the time. The wood was straight-grained, lightweight and more easily worked than oak. It had a wide variety of uses, including the lumber of choice for log cabins of the era due to its decay resistance. Much of the glory regarding the American chestnut is unfortunately a thing of the past due to the trees susceptibility to a blight caused by an Asian bark fungus. This disease was accidentally introduced into America on imported Asiatic chestnut trees, first noticed on trees in the Bronx Zoo in 1904. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to imagine a more tragic ecological disaster than what occurred over the next few decades when this introduced airborne fungus spread 50 miles a year and within a short time had girdled and killed millions of American chestnuts. Currently the tree hangs on due to its aggressive sprouting characteristics,

which allow new shoots to spring up from the roots of dying trees. These shoots are short-lived, however, and long before reaching seed bearing age, they are killed back by the same lethal fungus. The blight resistant Chinese chestnut is the most commonly planted

The tree hangs on due to aggressive sprouting characteristics, which allow new shoots to spring up from the roots of dying trees.

chestnut in Louisiana and over much of the former range of the American chestnut. Another loss, equal to that of the tree itself, occurred when mature trees of seed-bearing age were killed. Wildlife including deer, bear, turkeys and squirrels were deprived of their most dependable food supply over millions of forested acres. Mature American chestnuts reportedly produced more than 6,000 nuts per tree, compared to the average production of 1,000 and 2,000 nuts per tree for white and red oaks respectively. The nuts were considered more nutritious and more palatable than acorns, due to a higher protein content and lower tannin levels. AmeriThe American chestnut leaves, chestnuts and tuft are shown in this photo. can chestThe fast-growing American chestnut tree was a favorite for timber because nuts were also very of its straight grains and it is easier to work than oak.

dependable in regard to their mast production. Late spring frosts are known to cause failures to white oak acorn crops whose acorns mature in one growing season. These same conditions in Don Reed consecutive years can cause total mast failures due to the destruction of red oak flowers with their two-year maturity period. American chestnuts avoided these conditions by flowering in late June and early July, well past any chances of a killing frost. As an added safety measure for wildlife, American chestnuts were a much more dependable mast producer, usually with a crop every year. Oak and beech mast, however, can produce good crops one year and then go several years with no production. When the mature chestnuts disappeared, oaks moved in on large parts of their former range. Wildlife was able to adapt to this less dependable food source but certainly at a cost in productivity. A bright spot in the future of the American chestnut can be found in the work being done by conservation organizations working to bring the tree back to its former greatness. Research in backcrossing American and Chinese chestnuts have yielded trees that are 15/16 American and 1/16 Chinese. These trees have all the physical and growth characteristics of the American chestnut yet retain the disease resistance of the Chinese chestnut. To maintain genetic diversity, trees from various localities across the native ranges of both American and Chinese chestnuts are being used. Even though Louisiana is outside the general range of the American chestnut, isolated trees do occur scattered throughout our state. Unfortunately these trees also suffer from the same blight conditions as their eastern counterparts. (Dr. Don Reed is a retired forestry and wildlife specialist with the LSU AgCenter. You can email him at dreed@agcenter.lsu. edu.) Third Quarter 2016

New Master Loggers

The following people completed the Master Logger Core Class sessions in May. Austin Longino Pollock Randall Williford Winnfield Jordan Clark Plaucheville Robert Bertholl Melville William Aucoin Jackson Cody Powell Winnfield Dave Fox Mansfield Edward T. McCain Grand Lake Micah Hanson Cotton Valley Barbara Hanson Cotton Valley Danielle Johnson Pitkin Jason Lawrence West Monroe Paul Thurman West Monroe Willie Campbell DeRidder David Walker Shreveport Jason Waters Shreveport Conley Bamburg Shreveport Lamar Evans Shreveport Josh Hall Marion Clint Walker Chestnut Brady Welch Keithville Jana Longino Pollock Paul Frederick DeRidder Dustin Roberts Keithville Bradley Welch Keithville

SmartLogging auditors did on-site interviews during their visit of five loggers this year. Pictured are John Auel, from left, Gracee Malone-Texada, Malcolm Sibley and Stuart Hale.

SmartLogging audit for 2016 complete The annual SmartLogging audit was completed and five Louisiana loggers will now have the third party certification. Malcolm Sibley, Dennis Aucoin, Mickey Hawkins, Jack McFarland and John Keith are enrolled in the program that is facilitated by the Louisiana Logging Council. “There was no corrective action needed,” said C.A. “Buck” Vandersteen, LFA and LLC executive director. “They also reviewed the records at the Louisiana Forestry Association office and found it satisfactory.” The RainForest Alliance sponsors the program that adds another level of certification for logging contractors who desire it. For more information, call (318) 443-2558.

The VA Loan is now the #1 CHOICE for veterans & active duty military.

VISIT OUR EASY TO NAVIGATE WEBSITE AT SHBNET.COM

Call or Come SEE US!

Johnny Snow - (318) 443-2799 5211 Jackson Street Ext. in Alexandria Mortgage loans are subject to qualification, credit review and approval, receipt of satisfactory appraisal and verification of income, asets, and debt information provided by the customer. Information is subject to change without notices. This is not an extension of credit or a commitment to lend.

Louisiana Logger

New quarantine for EAB in La.; pest in Texas With the emerald ash borer (EAB) discovered during spring trapping in Louisiana, the quarantine of ash products is expected to grow. Already the quarantine is in place for Bossier, Claiborne and Webster parishes. It is expected that the state will add Union Parish to the list but those steps were pending at presstime. In Texas, the Texas A&M Forest Service reported in April that four adult EAB beetles were caught in a detection trap in Harrison County, Texas, which borders Louisiana near Shreveport. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the insects were EAB on May 6. No ash trees have been reported to be infested with EAB and the tree where the traps were placed showed no symptoms of an EAB attack. The quarantine in Louisiana restricts the movement of raw ash products to areas outside of the quarantine unless treated according to USDA requirements. Such treatments include but are not limited to fumigation, heat treatment

Louisiana’s ash trees are primarily located along the Atchafalaya Basin and Mississippi River Delta. and chipping. Log trucks containing ash products can move through other quarantine areas in north Louisiana and south Arkansas. Louisiana’s ash trees are primarily located along the Atchafalaya Basin and the Mississippi River Delta. Ash trees also are found in urban settings. The emerald ash borer is a native insect of Asia originally found in the United States in Michigan in 2002. It is a deadly pest to all types of ash trees and the white fringetree but does not attack other hardwoods or pine. Four agencies put out more than 470 EAB traps to monitor its spread. The

LSU AgCenter and the U.S. Forest Service also began a biocontrol release program last year. Tiny non-stinging wasps were released to control the EAB. More releases of 20,000 wasps will be made at two or three sites in northeastern Louisiana this year. Some measures can be taken to save valuable urban area ash trees, but it is not feasible in the woods. Tens of millions of ash trees have been killed in the 25 states where it is now present. Some impacted stands of the EAB have up to a 99-percent mortality rate. During a quarantine, ash nursery stock also is prohibited from being moved outside the quarantine areas as there is no treatment available for the nursery stock. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry continues its “Don’t Move Firewood” campaign which is geared to educating people about the risks of transporting pests to other locations. It is best to purchase firewood no more than 10 miles from where it will be burned.

Third Quarter 2016

Louisiana Logger

CONTINUING EDUCATION

MASTER LOGGER CLASSES

Master Loggers are required to take six hours CLE each year to keep their Master Logger certification. Below are the FINAL classes to be offered in 2016!

Classes will be held at the Country Inn & Suites, 2727 Monroe Hwy, Pineville, LA 71360. For overnight guests, you can call (318) 641-8332, ask for Sarah Atwood and tell them you are with the LFA group. Pre-registration and payment required! Pre-register by Sept. 23 or pay double at the door!

Business Management for Logging & Forestry, $40**, 6 hours CLE. ______ Oct. 20, 2016, Waskom, Brown & Associates, 816 University Parkway #A, Natchitoches. ______ Oct. 27, 2016, Louisiana Tech - Shreveport Center, 8028 Shreve Park Drive, Shreveport. ______ Nov. 10, 2016, Country Inn & Suites Conference Center, 2727 Monroe Hwy., Pineville. ______ Nov. 17, 2016, War Memorial Civic Center, 150 W. Seventh St., DeRidder. ** All classes are $20 for Louisiana Logging Council members if pre-registered. The cost for registering at the door is $100.

Name: ______________________________________ Company: ___________________________________ Address: _____________________________________ City, State Zip: _______________________________ Phone: ______________________________________ Cell phone: __________________________________ q Check here if Louisiana Logging Council member company Make check payable to LA Forestry Association and mail to: LA Forestry Association PO Box 5067 Alexandria, LA 71307 Or charge to credit card: AmEx q MasterCard q Visa q Discover q Card Number ___________________________________ Expiration ______________________; CSV# __________ Name on Card __________________________________ Signature _______________________________________ If paying by credit card, fax registration to (318) 443-1713 or scan and email completed form to gmalone@laforestry.com.

Aug. 30-Sept.1: Louisiana Forestry Association Annual Convention, Golden Nugget, Lake Charles, 6 hours CLE. Register online at www.laforestry.com. Important information about managing insurance and other costs to trucking, as well as the new GPS locator program designed just for loggers, will be on the program.

$160 for both days if paid by deadline. ($60 for Louisiana Logging Council members if pre-registered by deadline.) q Yes, I want to register for the 2-day ML Core Class Sept. 28, 2016 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sept. 29, 2016 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. NOTE: BUSINESS MANAGEMENT IS NO LONGER REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE CORE CLASSES. It will be offered as a Continuing Logger Education class during the year. Core classes CANNOT be taken as CLE.

q Check here if Louisiana Logging Council member company Make check payable to LA Forestry Association and mail to: LA Forestry Association P.O. Box 5067 Alexandria, LA 71307 Or charge to credit card: AmEx q MasterCard q Visa q Discover q Card Number ___________________________________ Expiration ______________________; CSV# __________ Name on Card __________________________________ Signature _______________________________________ If paying by credit card, fax registration to (318) 443-1713 or scan and email completed form to gmalone@laforestry.com. Make a copy of this schedule for your records!

You can email this form to gmalone@laforestry.com or fax to (318) 443-1713 if paying by credit card.

Third Quarter 2016

As I see it: More logger participation is goal By Richard Schwab When I first accepted the presidency of the American Loggers Council on Sept. 26, 2015, I presented a list of goals that I hoped to accomplish during my term. One of those goals was to increase our presence in Washington and to encourage more loggers to participate in these high level discussions with our elected representatives. I am pleased to report that we had 60 people present in Washington this year during our Spring Fly-In that included loggers from both Vermont and Connecticut. Joe Phaneuf with the Northeastern Loggers Association (NELA) and Board member Rocky Bunnell did a great job in recruiting these gentlemen to not only participate in Hill visits but to also sit at the table during our board of directors meeting on Saturday to learn more about the American Loggers Council and what

Louisiana Logger

Sixty people with the American Loggers Council met with members of Congress. other activities we are involved in. In one and a half days, members of the American Loggers Council conducted 146 visits with their congressmen and congresswomen, as well as senators and staff members. They also attended briefings with USDA Under Secretary Robert Bonnie, Jeff Crane, president of the Congressional Sportsmenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Foundation, Bill Imbergamo, director of the Federal Forest Re-

source Coalition, and Luke Loy and Caitlin Rayman with the U.S. Department of Transportation. We not only continued to educate those lawmakers up on the Hill on our issues, we also learned a Schwab lot from the meetings we attended with agency personnel and committee staff. We discovered that there are some things that we can do to possibly help with CSA scores, to assist the U.S. Forest Service in utilizing some of the authority that was granted to it in the 2014 Farm Bill, and that we do have a voice and a presence in issues when they impact the professional timber Continued on page 18

New OSHA accident record requirements By Niels de Hoop The U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) recently issued a “Final Rule” announcing new requirements for recording accidents. Does it affect loggers? In short: 1. Recordkeeping requirements of employers (Forms 300, 300A and 301) stay the same, but larger companies must post these reports electronically in the future. 2. Companies with 10 or fewer employees are still exempted from these recordkeeping requirements. 3. Employers will be required to inform employees of their right to report work-related injuries and illnesses free from retaliation. 4. The accident reporting procedure must be set up in such a way that it does not discourage employees from reporting occupational accidents/injuries. The Final Rule states that OSHA intends to post data from these records on a publicly accessible website (without names or personally identifiable information). It also clarifies the rights of employees to access these records. More specifically: • Companies with 20 to 249 employees must start submitting information from Form 300A electronically next year. • Companies with 250 or more employees must start submitting information from Forms 300, 300A and 301 electronically next year. It looks like the websites and electronic submission forms are still being set up, so I anticipate that more details are forthcoming. The information from calendar year 2016 will need to be posted electronically by July 1, 2017. The same for the second year (2017 data must be posted by July 1, 2018). After that, the annual information must be posted by March 2. The part about informing employees goes into effect Aug. 10. This would be CFR 1904.35 and 1904.36, which can be searched on www.osha.gov. Regulation 35 states that employers must inform employees how to report accidents. Regulation 36 states that there may be no retaliation or discrimination for reporting accidents. These regulations are already in effect, so I anticipate OSHA will issue clarification on the requirements to inform employees. What is new is the part stating that the reporting procedure must be set up so the employees are encouraged to report accidents. Some background: For more than a decade, OSHA already has required companies with more than 10 employees to record accidents on OSHA Forms 300, 300A and 301. Form 301 is a one-page accident report form. OSHA will accept your insurance company’s report form as a substitute, as long as the form contains all the information that Form 301 asks. Form 300 is a spreadsheet-style form that covers the entire year. For each accident recorded on Form 301, you enter brief information on a line of Form 300. Form 300A is the annual summary form attached to the back of Form 300. You fill it in at the end of the year and post it on

a bulletin board from February 1 to April 30 of the next year. All employees must have an opportunity to view this form. The law states that employees have a right to know something about the nature and severity of the injuries on their worksites. These three forms are simply filed for at least five years in case an OSHA inspector asks for them. In the past, OSHA has not required that these forms be sent to anyone, unless OSHA de Hoop or the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) specifically asks for them. The BLS selects some companies in a randomly selected annual survey. Now, companies with 20 or more employees will be required to start reporting this information annually to OSHA’s website. OSHA intends to strip these reports of identifiable personal information and make these occupational accidents/illnesses publicly available. OSHA’s intention is that employees will be able to identify workplaces where their risk of injury is the lowest, and that employers will be able to benchmark their safety performances against each other. OSHA’s hope is that employers will become more competitive in providing safe worksites, motivating them to improve their own safety programs.

OSHA’s Form 300A (Rev. 01/2004)

(C.F. “Niels” de Hoop is an associate professor at the Louisiana Summary ofCenter, Work-Related Injurie Forest Products Development School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, LSU AgCenestablishmentscdehoop@lsu.edu; covered by Part 1904 must complete this Summary page, evenThis if no work-related ter.AllContact: (225) 578-4242. work isinjuries sup-or illnesses occur to verify that the entries are complete and accurate before completing this summary. ported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Using the Log, count the individual entries you made for each category. Then write the totals below, making sure you’ve add had no cases, write “0.” project 227333.) McIntire Stennis

Employees, former employees, and their representatives have the right to review the OSHA Form 300 in its entirety. They also its equivalent. See 29 CFR Part 1904.35, in OSHA’s recordkeeping rule, for further details on the access provisions for these fo

Number of Cases Total number of deaths

Total number of cases with days away from work

Total number of cases with job transfer or restriction

Total number of other recordable cases

__________________

(G)

(H)

(I)

(J)

Number of Days Total number of days away from work

Total number of days of job transfer or restriction

___________

(K)

(L)

Injury and Illness Types Total number of . . . (M)

(1)

Injuries

______

(2)

Skin disorders

______

(3)

Respiratory conditions

______

(4)

Poisonings

______

(5)

Hearing loss

______

(6)

All other illnesses

______

Post this Summary page from February 1 to April 30 of the year following the year covered by the Above is a sample of what the Form 300A looks like that should be Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 58 minutes per response, including time to review the instructions, searc complete and review the collection are not required respond to the collection accident. of information unless it displays a currently valid sent electronically toof information. OHSAPersons following a towork-related

comments about these estimates or any other aspects of this data collection, contact: US Department of Labor, OSHA Office of Statistical Analysis, Room Washington, DC 20210. Do not send the completed forms to this office.

Third Quarter 2016

As I see it

Singer man killed in accident A logging accident in south Sabine Parish in March claimed the life of a 33-year-old man. Casey S. Cooper of Singer was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Deputy Coroner Ron Rivers. The accident took place at a logging site on Turtle Beach Road off Louisiana Highway 191 south of Cypress Bend Resort. Cooper and his girlfriend were the only ones at the site. He was cutting logs ahead of his crew’s arrival on March 29, Rivers said. Cooper had positioned his logging set on a hill and began work mid-morning. The accident occurred mid-afternoon when he cut a 100foot tree and it began tumbling down the hill. Cooper tried to out-run it, but the tree rolled on him, pinning him face down on the ground, Rivers said. Cooper’s girlfriend told authorities she had been listening to the sound of the chainsaw to monitor his progress. When she noticed the machine sounded as if it was still fully powered for a period of time she went to check on him.

Charges dismissed against logger Charges of theft of $1,500 or more and simple criminal damage to property of $500 to $50,000 against Ricky Lee Cooley have been dismissed. As reported by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Cooley, of Beauregard Parish, was arrested Oct. 15, 2014, in Evangeline Parish on the two charges. On March 21, the charges were dismissed by the 13th Judicial District Court and the bond requirements extinguished.

Crimes & Convictions An Oakdale man is accused of setting a wildfire following an investigation by the Allen Parish Sheriff ’s Office, according to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF). On March 8, Joseph Stafford, 37, was charged with one count each of simple arson and criminal trespassing, according to the LDAF. Investigators allege a 45-acre wildfire began on Feb. 13 in Allen Parish near Joe Strother Road on Forest Management Co. lands just outside Oakdale and spread into Rapides Parish, according to the LDAF. Witnesses identified Stafford as the person who set the blaze, LDAF said in a press release. At the time of his arrest, Stafford was being held at the Allen Parish Jail on unrelated charges. LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain said damages are believed to be in the thousands of dollars, though recent flooding has delayed the department getting estimates. According to state law, the penalties of causing damage in amounts of $500 or greater can be fines up to $15,000 and up to 15 years in prison. A criminal trespassing conviction can carry a penalty of a fine between $100 and $500 or 30 days in jail or both. Jimmie Locklear of Forestry Mutual Insurance will be a featured speaker at the LFA annual meeting to discuss how loggers can better manage insurance and other related costs. The meeting is set for Aug. 30 to Sept. 1. Register online at www.laforestry.com.

Louisiana Logger

From page 16 harvesting community. I want to thank each and every one of those individuals who made the trip to Washington this year and the extra effort that was put forth to set up appointments and take the time to meet with a record number of offices during our brief time on the Hill. You have helped me to keep one of my promises to you, and that is to be an even more effective voice for our industry in Washington. The American Loggers Council continues to grow and gain traction in Washington on many fronts, and the professionalism and engagement by all of our members is what keeps us moving forward as the only national voice exclusively representing professional timber harvesters in the United States. If your state has not yet become involved with the ALC, please ask us how we can assist you to make that happen. Until next time, Log On! and Log Safe! Richard Schwab is the procurement manager for M.A. Rigoni Inc., a full service timber harvesting and forest management company located in Perry, Florida. The American Loggers Council is a non-profit 501(c) (6) corporation representing professional timber harvesters in 30 states across the U.S.

Subscribe to the Louisiana Logger Only Active Master Loggers have free subscriptions, but you can order one for your crew members for $12 per year. (4 issues per year) Name: ____________________________________ Mailing address: ____________________________ __________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _____________________________ Phone: ____________________________________ Mobile phone: ______________________________

Make checks payable to: Louisiana Logging Council Mail to: P.O. Box 5067 Alexandria, LA 71307

CHANGING THE GAME. AGAIN. At John Deere, we’re always looking for ways to improve the efﬁciency of your logging operation. With expert insight from our Customer Advocate Groups (CAG), our new L-Series line of Skidders and Wheeled Feller Bunchers can do just that. Their larger cabs feature keyless start and adaptable control options. And their improved serviceability features include easier access to critical components, JDLink™ and remote diagnostics. Forget best-in-class. We designed these machines to be “best-inforest.” Because at John Deere, We’re For Loggers.

www.doggettgroup.com ALEXANDRIA, LA 318-442-0455

BATON ROUGE, LA 225-291-3750

BROUSSARD, LA 337-837-9481

COVINGTON, LA 985-893-3005