National Hardwood Magazine - October 2020

HARDWOOD FEDERATION INFO

HARDWOOD FEDERATION INFO CONTINUING THE IMPORTANT WORK OF HARDWOOD INDUSTRY ADVOCACY, REGARDLESS OUTCOME OF NOVEMBER ELECTIONS On November 3, just a few short weeks away, American voters will once again be casting their ballot for national, state and local political leadership. As always seems to be the case, the 2020 election is being framed as “historic” and “game changing.” But elections always are. Long time incumbents are thrown out; new, energetic underdogs are sworn in. New ideas are debated, legislation proposed. And sometimes it moves forward. Although the approach and tactics of dealing with major policy issues may change, the issues themselves, for the most part, remain consistent: Jobs, International Relations, Taxes, Education, Infrastructure…regardless of party in power, the same concerns must be addressed. But 2020 may actually be an election year that lives up to the hype. The year has been marked by the overwhelming COVID-19 health crisis, severe declines in economic activity and increasing calls for social justice. The 24/7 news cycle overwhelms us with so many opinions and fact at such a rapid pace, it is difficult to keep up. And for those 15-20 percent that are undecided, the overwhelming and conflicting chatter doesn’t make deciding any easier. But decisions will be made, votes will be cast, a President, U.S. Senate and House will be elected, state and local officials will be sworn into office. The challenges of 2020 will almost certainly roll into 2021 and new opportunities and difficulties will arise. The first message the Hardwood Federation offers regarding the election is to vote, regardless of how you check the ballot, it is a right and a privilege to do so. Encourage your family, friends and employees to do the same. Our second message is that the Hardwood Federation will continue to pursue federal legislation and policies that support the Hardwood industry no matter who sits in the Oval Office or which party (or parties) control the gavels of Congress. Please turn to page 64 BY DANA LEE COLE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HARDWOOD FEDERATION, WASHINGTON, DC 202-463-5186 WWW.HARDWOODFEDERATION.WILDAPRICOT.ORG 20 OCTOBER 2020 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE

The Granite Valley Difference Our Sawmills Our sawmills in Wisconsin prepare raw timber for delivery to our finishing mills. Quality Processing We “rough grade” our kiln-dried woods to ensure the best appearance. Quality assurance on every load. Custom Work To help you streamline your production process, we can supply custom-cut pre-production blanks to your specs. Ready Inventory Our average on-hand kiln-dried supply is 10 million board feet. Get the wood you need, with quick turnaround. Granite Valley Forest Products keeps growing as a single-source supplier to better serve you. We sell rough, S2S, straight-line ripping, and offer NHLA grades and customer-proprietary grading based on NHLA guidelines. Custom products are available to your exact specs for width, length and color. Visit our website to learn more or email us at sales@granitevalley.com. Offices in Wisconsin, Indiana & Colorado sales@granitevalley.com granitevalley.com Alder | Aromatic Cedar | Black & White Ash | Aspen | Basswood Beech | White & Yellow Birch | Bitternut | Butternut | Cherry Grey & Red Elm | Hard Maple | Hickory | Red Oak | White Oak Norway Pine | White Pine | Poplar | Red & Silver Soft Maple | Walnut White Cedar | Rift & Quartered Red & White Oak OCTOBER 2020 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 21