EU Policy Could Cost American Timber

This week Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, joined by 18 Agriculture Commissioners from across the U.S., has urged U.S. Senators and the Trump Administration to exempt American forests from the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The rule, set to take effect in December, aims to prevent deforestation but imposes stringent compliance measures on the U.S. timber industry despite the country being designated as a low risk for deforestation.

Simpson emphasized the importance of standing up against policies that unfairly disadvantage American agriculture. In a letter, they outline three major concerns: infringement on private property rights, risks to confidentiality due to geolocation tracking requirements, and economic harm to U.S. agriculture. By restricting mills from accepting wood from land intended for agricultural conversion, they say the rule limits landowners' rights and economic opportunities.

According to a release from the Florida Department of Agriculture, if the regulation remains unchanged and goes into effect, it could result in an $8 billion loss in agricultural exports to the EU.