Partnerships in Forestry: South Carolina

NORTH CAROLINA

South Carolina Timber Producers Associations

ROOTED IN SUCCESS… GROWING FOR TOMORROW

Crad Jaynes, South Carolina Timber Producers Asocciation, President

As the new year begins, reflecting makes the realization that 2024 was one of the most challenging years in the timber harvesting, forestry and forest products sectors in South Carolina that I have witnessed in my 48-year career.

Pulp and paper mill closures, sawmill reductions in operation hours, high logging operational costs, loss of in woods work force, reduced and lost markets, reduced wood flows, logging business closures and lower profitability seems to lead the way for the wood production and wood utilization segments.

Yet one aspect is true. Our industry, the logging segment, is and always has been resilient and made up of survivors. While not all is doom and gloom, there is an optimism among the ranks. “Why?” That may be a question that needs to be answered.

The national election results indicate an optimism for the country and our economy with the new administration and President coming into Washington, DC. Our national and state economies should see positive movements with the forest products industry benefitting from lower inflation and steadier markets resulting in increased wood usage.

Even state economies should see positive movements with increased forest products production and thus more wood volume being consumed. Hopefully new

wood-using markets will locate in the Palmetto State to help consume the excess wood volume available, particularly pulpwood on the market due to mill closures and cutbacks.

SCTPA participates on the SC Forest Recovery Task Force. This was formed to bring together forest industry stakeholders to advocate for wood consuming markets to locate in SC. The wood resources are available. It’s just that wood consuming markets have been reduced. Efforts continue to locate a Bulk Agriculture and Forest Products terminal in the Post of Charleston.

SCTPA continues to advocate and support reasonable tort reform in SC. This is a priority for the state. Even though the state elections resulted in changes in the SC Senate, much effort to push the SC Justice Act across the finish line in the new legislative session is needed. The high, unreasonable and so-called nuclear settlements promoted by the plaintiffs’ attorneys has driven liability insurance costs through the roof. This has got to change.

SCTPA is proud to partner with Forestry Mutual Insurance Company and endorse the company as its preferred Workers Compensation and Employers Liability carrier. Forestry Mutual works with the association in supporting our efforts of advocacy and outreach. Forestry Mutual provides representatives to participate in various forestry committees.

Forestry Mutual has always had a presence with SCTPA. For over twenty-plus years our partnership with Forestry Mutual has been mutually beneficial.

Rooted in Success…Growing for Tomorrow is a positive approach for Forestry Mutual, SCTPA, SC’s forestry and timber harvesting segments for the future.