Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire why is lumber high?

because it grows at the tops of trees

How about they get out of the way and let supply and demand take care of it.

Some one is getting rich and it aint the farmer. $6/T around here. I got timber that needs thinning, but not at that price.

Lumber Firms Applaud, Home Builders Angry As U.S. Moves To Double Canadian Lumber Tariffs

The U.S. Department of Commerce says it will seek to double tariff rates on most Canadian softwood lumber, angering home builders and delighting lumber producers.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/l...-us-moves-double-canadian-lumber-tariffs

I've seen no shortage.

There is no shortage, but my little gig doing barn repairs, mostly foundations, stone, etc. is coming to an end as prices are killing me and I do not charge farmers much for my services to begin with. Concrete, lumber, rebar prices are all going up as is fuel and food and these folks do not wish to pay anymore than I charge , I have not raised my hourly rate in 15 years .

Cuz it grows up!

I live in an area with a number of lumber mills and the biggest problems is finding people to work. Can't start a third shift without them. There are ads on the radio every day seeking workers, but it seems that a number of unemployed workers find it more lucrative to remain unemployed.

This applies to many "shortages."

trying to find a buyer for land just timbered. No mills are taking timber now because they advised running at around 30% capacity due to lack of employees

In my area, there are a lot of reasons western softwood lumber is crazy high right now, one is inventory is down mainly because western mills told their employees last year...if you aren't comfortable coming to work during covid...just stay home, your job will be here when you come back. Well, they stayed home and after 6 weeks were able to draw unemployment with bonuses, so worker shortage, no inventory from eastern weather events, Canadians also reduced production from covid. Until the unemployment bonuses go away, don't look for increased production. Raw log prices, surprisingly, are at record lows...too many salvage logs from endless fires last few summers. It's going to take a while for the market to stabilize.
And then there is Canada...the Canadians subsidize the hell out of their softwood industry (socialism) and by NAFTA and USMCA dump their products down here at prices that free enterprise cannot compete with. They are literally giving away Crown timber...US producers have to bid on our timber at full market value, who can compete against free raw materials? Our industry if given a level playing field would expand and easily meet our demand, but until the Canadian dumping is stopped our industry cannot expand...there just isn't enough profit incentive when you have to compete against a rigged game. You may ask, how did we sign that trade deal. Bill Clinton traded favors for the Detroit Auto Unions, to limit Canadian auto parts and autos for the unions, and in return said sure, Canada, we'll let your lumber in with only a token tiny tariff. The Democrat Party at work. Every place where there are unstable markets, agriculture, lumber, metals, petroleum, drill down, you will see the finger of the US Govt, screwing up free markets since 1780.

Smart

Wrong--again.

https://madisonsreport.com/2021/04/...mill-capacity-utilization-wwpa-jan-2021/



US sawmill production as a per cent of practical capacity for January 2021 improved to 91% from 87% in the same month last year, said the Western Wood Products Association’s monthly Lumber Track.

That's what I was told by someone in the business.

I think that it is because of all of the marijuana plots hidden in the woods. The THC transfers to the trees through the soil or through the air.

I hear lumber sales to China are skyrocketing

Here is Louisiana there has been high demand due to the hurricanes last year and the ice storm. Lots of timber company land here locally and mills. The mills haven't been able to keep up with the demand, not because of staff, because of natural disasters.

There are 4 logging contractors cutting timber within 5 miles of my house now. They have been working 7 days a week for 3 weeks even tho its been raining almost everyday. Timber companies normally shut down the loggers when its really wet.

Timber company man told me they the company is making epic profits right now, he said they are buying at prices of 10 years ago. So the timber companies ( not the loggers) and retail sales are making a killing right now while the people trying to rebuild from the storms are paying the price.

Probably can't get past the drug test! I interviewed 36 people, to fill five positions, in 2012! Only for passed the pre employment drug screen! All but two failed with thc in their system. The other two failed pot and meth! Finally recruited within the company! In 2012 the wage of $28.50 an hour plus, insurance, paid vacation, and 10% of earnings paid by the employer, to retirement, wasn't enough to stop smoking pot! WTF! This was in the lumber industry of southern oregon!

It’s like a depression where people have money but almost nothing to buy . God please do anything you can to defeat those evil azz holes