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Partnerships in Forestry: Tennessee Forestry Association
TENNESSEE
Tennessee Forestry Association
PARTNERSHIPS & IN TENNESSEE
Candace Dinwiddie, Executive Director, Tennessee Forestry Association
In Tennessee, the wood products industry, our loggers, and landowners have been faced with challenges recently with the closure of mills, market transitions and new regs on the horizon with overseas exports. Partnerships are the keys to helping our members as well as our association face these challenges and remain prosperous and growing in the Volunteer State.
Tennessee’s Governor Bill Lee addressed these challenges when meeting with Tennessee Forestry Association mill owners and loggers during Tree Day at the Legislature on March 6. Governor Lee recognized that to keep rural Tennessee prosperous, our wood industry needs to remain productive. Governor Lee discussed the wood industry’s valuable partnership with the Tennessee Dept. of Agriculture and other state agencies. TFA members also noted to the Governor
how important Forestry Mutual Insurance Company has been to ensuring workers compensation insurance has been readily available to the wood industry, even when times were tough. FMIC remains a steadfast, respected, and reliable partner to our sawmills, loggers, and foresters in Tennessee. The Tennessee Forestry Association appreciates this partnership so much. We are also so proud that our Governor, our Commissioner of Agriculture and so many important decision makers understand that reasonably priced workers compensation along with related safety initiatives are so important to our industry.
The drivers of Tennessee’s rural economy rely on our wood industry. FMIC, the company and staff are valued for their expertise, knowledge and communications skills that enhance our industry, particularly throughout our rural Tennessee communities and counties.
In Tennessee, we grow extremely healthy white oak and our white oak market is growing with a new stave mill opening soon in Middle Tennessee. Highly productive stave mills are already operating across the state and enhancing our rural economies. TFA is working closely with the TN Dept. of Agriculture Division of Forestry, University of Tennessee Extension Service and other agencies to promote the growth of our white oak resource to sustain our stave and barrel industries for generations to come. The Governor and all members of the Tennessee General Assembly received white oak seedlings to celebrate our industry on Tree Day. These seedlings were hand delivered and presented to legislators by our loggers and mill owners, most who carry their work comp with FMIC.
Thanks to the partnership with FMIC, our Tennessee loggers are trained to harvest white oak in a sustainable manner while working in a safe and skilled environment in the woods. FMIC’s leadership in Tennessee ensures that our industry does believe in prosperity, partnerships and productivity. Though times can be a little challenging our Tennessee partnership with FMIC continues to strengthen our industry throughout rural Tennessee.
Save the Date!!! TFA is headed to Dollywood for our Annual Convention, September 4-6. Join TFA and FMIC in Pigeon Forge at the new HeartSongs resort at Dollywood. Enjoy early September in the Smoky Mountains an,d who knows, maybe there will be a Dolly sighting. TFA looks forward to thanking Forestry Mutual Insurance for their partnership during our 73rd annual convention. Hope to see you at HeartSongs in September!!!
