National Hardwood Magazine - March 2012

LSLA Discusses Lumber

LSLA Discusses Lumber Industry Future BY WAYNE MILLER Green Bay, Wis.– The Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, located here, served as the site of the Winter Meeting of the Lake States Lumber Association Inc. (LSLA), which was attended by 118 members. New board members were elected at this meeting. Liz Russell, of Stella-Jones Corp., was elected as LSLA president. Other officers for 2012 are Scott Sawle (vice president), Nick Bunkelman (secretary) and Lowell Peterson (treasurer). Other new board members voted in at this meeting included: Scott Anderson of Great Lumber, Greg Blomberg, of WalzCraft Industries, Brady Francois of Snowbelt Hardwoods and Gary Halprin of Riverside Sawmill. Members and guests of the LSLA enjoyed two full days of networking, guest speakers and informative reports. Among the guest speakers at this event was keynote speaker Mark Barford, executive director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association. Earlier in the day, Barford addressed attendees about Hardwood promotion campaigns. Later that afternoon, the LSLA hosted committee meetings prior to attendees gathering for an address by Grace Terpstra and Tom Talbot, Hardwood Checkoff Blue Ribbon Committee. Terpstra noted that after much time in planning, a proposal has been written about The Checkoff program that must be brought before the USDA. Notice of this will be announced to the public to allow for a 60-day timeframe in which public comment will be accepted. Terpstra said a 28-member board will govern the Checkoff program. Sawmill owners/operators who wish to learn how much their fee to the program would be may do so by accessing an online calculator at www.hardwoodcheckoff.com. Talbot added that without the export market, domestic sawmills “would be in jeopardy. Fifty percent of our Common lumber is going to export now. We must be proactive, not reactive. We need a 5-year and 10-year plan to be a sustainable industry. We have to fund this program in order to promote a long-term plan for the Hardwood industry.” Legislative reports were presented by Deb Hawkinson of the Hardwood Federation, Scott Everett, a LSLA Michigan Legislative consultant and Gunnar Bergersen, a LSLA Wisconsin Legislative consultant. Hawkinson presented an overview of the various issues the Hardwood Federation has addressed, and will continue to lobby Congressional members. Everett and Bergersen spoke on topics specific to their states. Bergersen noted that in 2012 Wisconsin’s Dept. of Natural Resources is being re-structured in order to reorganize it more as an “enterprise agency.” Both Michigan and Wisconsin have open forester positions. During the LSLA meeting, the export committee met and heard an address by Jennifer Lu, of the Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection. Noted in that meeting is that the U.S. is the largest producer and Please turn to page 38 Greg Blomberg, WalzCraft Industries, La Crosse, Wis.; Dave Sebastian, Wolf River Lumber Inc., New London, Wis.; and Pam and Scott Anderson, Great Lumber, Center City, Minn. Will Borden, Quality Hardwoods Inc., Sunfield, Mich.; Vince Catarella, Baillie Lumber Co., Hamburg, N.Y.; and Brady Francois, Snowbelt Hardwoods Inc., Hurley, Wis. 20 Hardwoods Have Resiliency

LSLA board of directors and officers are (front row, from left): Scott Sawle (vice president), Rockbridge Sawmill Inc., Richland Center, Wis.; Dave Sebastian (outgoing president), Wolf River Lumber Inc., New London, Wis.; Liz Russell (incoming president), Stella-Jones Corp., La Crosse, Wis.; Scott Anderson, Great Lumber, Center City, Minn.; Dave Kuehl, North Cut Hardwoods LLC, New Lisbon, Wis.; and (back row, from left) Brady Francois, Snowbelt Hardwoods Inc., Hurley, Wis.; Larry Krueger, Krueger Lumber Co. Inc., Valders, Wis.; Greg Blomberg, WalzCraft Industries, La Crosse, Wis.; Nick Bunkelman, Menzner Lumber & Supply Co., Marathon City, Wis.; and Lowell Peterson, Rockland Flooring, Rockland, Wis. Mark Machiele, Acme Pallet Inc., Holland, Mich.; Tab DeJonge, Constructive Sheet Metal, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Grace Terpstra, Terpstra Associates, Washington, D.C.; and Bob Owens, Owens Forest Products, Duluth, Minn. Greg Blomberg, WalzCraft Industries, La Crosse, Wis.; Dave Kuehl, North Cut Hardwoods LLC, New Lisbon, Wis.; Loren Voyer, Champlain Hardwoods Inc., Essex Junction, Vt.; and Jim Higgins, U•C Coatings Corp., Buffalo, N.Y. Patrick McBride, MacDonald & Owen Lumber Co., Sparta, Wis.; Lou Chicquette, Rockland Industrial Products Group LLC, Red Wing, Minn.; Mark Barford, Executive Director, NHLA, Memphis, Tenn.; and Dave Richardson Sr., Richardson Industries Inc., Sheboygan Falls, Wis. Jake Hayrynen, J.M. Longyear LLC, Marquette, Mich.; Brian Anderson, Olam Wood Products, Park Falls, Wis.; and John Fitze, J.M. Longyear LLC Additional photos on next page MARCH/2012 21