eckoff:

authorized by federal legislation. A non-profit board of hardwood lumbermen would collect the industry-imposed assessment of $l per MBF (509 per MBF on lower grades). A hardwood checkoff on lumber sold by sawmills, wholesalers and distributors could raise $15 million annually.

Funds would be spent exclusively on public education, promotion and research, not on lobbying. With a checkoff program in place, more of existing trade association dollars could be spent on lobbying. Assessment dollars could be used to fund television, radio and magazine advertising on environmental issues, produce and distribute educational publications and develop and implement publicity programs.

Only sawmills manufacturing at least 2 million bd. ft. annually and wholesalers and distributors with over $1 million in annual sales would participate. Those that refused would be subject to civil penalties of between $500 and $5,000 per violation. A 5l7o vote by participants would disband the program.

One longtime concern was that the govemment would not allow a strong message on forestry issues. And if the message was too soft, was it worth the extra money, paperwork and government involvement?

In late spring 1996, a poll of NHLA's active members revealed nearly two-thirds opposed the concept of a hardwood checkoff. "They were primarily afraid of the appearance of federal government involvement," says Ernie Stebbins, NHLA executive manager. "But there are four other forest product checkoffs. California, Oregon, Idaho and Washington all have their own."

Soon after the poll, NHLA's board voted unanimously to drop all consideration of a checkoff and instead reallocate about $300,000 of membership dues to forest resource programs, which now account for 20Vo or $600,000 of NHLA's annual budget. The board will review new programs during this month's annual convention.

Will an industrywide hardwood checkoff ever again be seriously considered? "Not in my lifetime," says Stebbins, recalling the arduous trial. "We have an institutional memory. Our board members serye six-year terms, and I'll be here a while. If this thing ever has another life it will take a group of sawmillers who are motivated enough individually, and not come from within an existins trade association."