Congressional Delegation Updates

The Timber Innovation Act and Community Wood Energy Program: Two Provisions That Will Help Strengthen Our Forest Products Industry

‘Maine’s forest-based economy is an integral part of our state’s heritage and has helped to form the bedrock of many rural communities. The Farm Bill that was signed into law late last year includes key provisions I championed to strengthen this vital industry here in our state and throughout the nation.

The Farm Bill incorporates provisions of the Timber Innovation Act I co-sponsored that establishes a performance-driven research and development, education, and technical assistance program for advancing mass timber building construction in the United States. Mass timber, which consists of timber products engineered for use in the construction of large buildings, is a safe, innovative, effective, and environmentally sound material that is currently being used in structures all over the world to great success. Supporting the use of this material in the United States will help meet sustainability goals, reduce construction time, and benefit rural economies across the country.

The Farm Bill and Maine Forest Products

You wouldn’t think it by watching the arguments on cable TV all the time, but sometimes bipartisan results are accomplished in Congress. That kind of compromise is the product of a lot of hard work and consensus-building. We were fortunate to see this cooperation with the 2018 Farm Bill, which passed the Senate in December by a vote of 87-13 and was signed by the President. And though it may be called the ‘Farm’ Bill, this comprehensive legislation will have an important impact not only on Maine farmers, but on rural Maine people from all walks of life – and particularly on those in the forest products industry.

As we work across all levels of government and with private enterprise in Maine to strengthen the rural economy, common themes have arisen – innovation and opportunity. How can we protect our state’s traditional industries, and also ensure that future generations of Mainers can make a living in the woods? As a friend of mine in Maine says, “There is no single bullet, but there is often silver buckshot.” I am proud to say that provisions we secured in the Farm Bill are part of this buckshot.

Building off the Timber Innovation Act, legislation I sponsored along with Senator Collins, the Farm Bill includes language that will accelerate the research and development of cross laminated timber (CLT) and other engineered wood for use in construction projects. CLT, which can be used in place of steel in buildings up to twelve stories high, is an exciting new opportunity for Maine’s forest products economy. Already, the Mass Timber Commercialization Center at the University of Maine is helping our state lead the way in CLT innovation. The Farm Bill also includes a provision to require federal agencies to accept more methods of sustainably harvested wood, ensuring fairness and increased opportunity in federal purchasing of forest products. With these provisions in place, we can work to grow jobs in our state, and lay the groundwork for young men and women to succeed right here in Maine communities.

Maine is in the midst of reorienting its forest products industry following the downturn of traditional pulp and paper production in our state, and it is encouraging that the Farm Bill establishes a competitive grant program to support innovative wood products research and development at institutions of higher learning. In awarding this research and development funding, priority will be given to proposals that include the use or retrofitting of existing sawmill facilities with higher-than-average unemployment rates, which could be helpful to states such as Maine that are still recovering from the job losses associated with the closure of traditional mills.

The Farm Bill also includes legislation I cosponsored to expand the Community Wood Energy program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to better support investments in energy systems and facilities that use lowvalue wood. This authorized $25 million per year to support a grant program for community wood energy systems that help reduce our dependence on oil, offset the costs of forest management, and create jobs in rural forest-dependent communities. In addition to reauthorizing the Community Wood Energy program, my provision provides support for initiatives to help manufacturing plants and mills produce innovative wood products, such as mass timber or wood products from nanotechnology.

Throughout Maine’s history, our forest products industry has helped drive local economies and sustain rural communities. As the economy evolves, I am committed to working with your industry to meet the challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century.

There is always more to do for our state’s forest products industry – and I’m here to listen – so please be in touch. Together we can build off the important work secured in the Farm Bill, strengthen the Maine economy, and support hardworking men and women throughout our state.

The 116th Congress has been off to a running start since the last edition of the Logger’s Voice. I’m honored to once again represent Maine’s first district and advocate for our state’s unique needs and resources in the U.S. House. We are in the midst of a busy hearing season covering issues that we address every year like the budget to those that have not received much attention in several years like the impact of extreme weather on our communities.

In this Congress, I will continue to serve on the House Appropriations Committee and several subcommittees which are directly connected to our state’s logging industry. In February, I was appointed Vice Chair of the Interior and Environmental subcommittee, which has oversight of the U.S. Forest Service and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). And I’m once again excited to serve on the Agriculture subcommittee which has jurisdiction over agencies ranging from the Animal and

This is my first update for The Logger’s Voice, so I’ll take the opportunity to introduce myself. I’m Jared Golden, your congressman representing the people of Maine’s Second District.

I was born and raised in Leeds, Maine, and I have a real appreciation for the significance of forest products in our state. Some farmers in Leeds ran logging operations in the winter months, and growing up I was never too far from the sawmill in Livermore Falls that is now PalletOne.

In Maine, the forest products industry helps drive our economy. Generations of loggers who call our state home are part of Maine’s history and identity. I know the forest products industry faces challenges: workforce shortages, crumbling infrastructure, unfair trade policies, and more. I’m committed to standing up for Maine’s heritage industries and working with them to confront these challenges.

That’s why one of the first bills I introduced was bipartisan legislation with Senator King to encourage young loggers to learn the ropes of the industry. The Future Logging Careers Act allows 16 & 17-year-olds in our great state to work on family logging operations. Under parental supervision, young loggers can carry on and contribute to their family’s business.

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to USDA’s Rural Development.

I’ve also been reappointed to the House Agriculture Committee. As a long-time farmer, agriculture is my passion. That’s why I’m so proud to be back on a committee that has an integral role in creating national food and farming policy. I’ll also serve on the House Agriculture Committee’s Conservation and Forestry subcommittee.

In the coming weeks, Secretary of Agriculture Perdue, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Interior, and the Director of the Forest Service will all appear before my committee and I will be raising your concerns regarding Maine’s forest economy, industry and its current and upcoming needs. Whether it is a question about what the Department of Interior is doing to address invasive species or how the Forest Service can help address the shortage of loggers and log truckers in Maine, I look forward to asking the questions and getting the answers that we need. As always, please reach out to my office at any time to make your voice heard with issues that you would like to see us address in Congress. I am eager to hear from you and hopefully see you out and about in Maine.

Our bill will better prepare Maine’s young people for good-paying careers in logging, help sustain rural Maine family businesses, and boost the economy in our state’s rural communities. Maine’s timber industry hires over 7,000 people and contributes more than $850 million to the state’s economy. I’ll do everything in my power to grow those numbers and support loggers in our state. This bill is just the start. I am looking forward to working closely with the forest products industry. Going forward, you’ll find me all over our state meeting with loggers, their families, and many others in our heritage industries. These conversations drive the work I do in Congress. What I hear from Maine people will help me find solutions that invest in our infrastructure, work with Maine’s colleges and universities to support innovation in logging and forest products, and find new ways to add value to forestry products right here in Maine.

I’d like to hear from you. Call my nearest office to share your thoughts or set up a meeting:

Lewiston: (207) 241-6767

Caribou: (207) 492-6009

Bangor: (207) 249-7400

Washington: (202) 225-6306

It’s an honor to represent Maine’s Second District in Congress. I look forward to working with you.