Hardwood Federation is considering holding another clay shoot fundraiser at this year's NHLA convention. This has been a fun event in the past, and is a great support for our advocacy fund.

Interested? Let us know by emailing stefanie.brown@hardwoodfederation.com so we can get a rough idea of the number of participants as we begin planning!

May 14th saw a huge victory for the U.S. hardwood industry as our efforts to amend the "Green Schools" bill to include hardwoods were successful.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed our hardwood amendment by a vote of 425 to 7 and final House passage for “Green Schools” bill, H.R. 2187, with a recorded vote of 275 to 155 (largely along party lines). The bill specifically recognizes the environmental attributes of hardwoods.  Members voting against the amendment were Reps. Campbell (R-CA), Flake (R-AZ), King (R-IA), Petri (R-WI), Royce (R-CA), Sensenbrenner (R-WI), and Shadegg (R-AZ).

Click here for a video of Congressman Ellsworth's speech on the environmental credentials of U.S. hardwoods.

Illegal logging remains a serious global problem with both environmental and economic consequences.  The Hardwood Federation is a part of a growing coalition of more than 40 industry and environmental groups working with Congressional staff to secure  Administration support for an effective and pragmatic implementation of the Lacey Act Amendments included in the 2008 Farm Bill.  For more information please visit the Document Library  and also www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/lacey_act.