NRMCA, Industry Notes Legislative Victory on Senate Farm Bill

In a big win for NRMCA and coalition partners, the Senate last Thursday passed the 2018 farm bill without including any add-ons for the timber industry. Not only did the farm bill exclude a Tall Wood Building Prize Competition, but NRMCA and coalition partners successfully beat back a last-minute amendment to add the competition back in. Defeating these provisions was a high priority for NRMCA since including them would have advanced the wood industry’s agenda.

For the past few months, NRMCA has worked to prevent pro-timber provisions – particularly a Tall Wood Building Prize Competition – from being included in the farm bill. A NRMCA-led coalition of like-minded industry groups lobbied the Senate and successfully prevented these provisions from being included in the original farm bill and also pushed back a wood industry amendment to add the competition back in. NRMCA thanks those members that sent letters to their senators and to state affiliates that also publicized this issue. The long-term fight over pro-timber provisions and legislation is not over, but NRMCA and our coalition won a victory with this bill.

For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org.