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Expiration Of Canadian Lumber Agreement Could Bring Falling Timber Prices

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Montana's timber industry is watching to see if Canadian lumber will soon flood the market. That's because a 9 year-old U.S.-Canada Lumber trade Agreement expired today.

Montana's timber industry is watching to see if Canadian lumber will soon flood the market. That's because a 9 year-old U.S.-Canada Lumber trade Agreement expired today.

The 2006 agreement was designed to end to what American timber producers felt were unfair practices created by Canadian subsidies. Now, U.S. timber companies are barred from raising any trade disputes with Canada for one year.

Todd Morgan is director of Forest Industry Research at the University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

"That gives a one-year period where we're going to see just how much influence unrestricted trade of Canadian lumber will have on the U.S. market. Prices in the U.S are already pretty low, they've been falling since November/December and they're down about 30 percent from about a year ago," Morgan says.

Tricon Timber in Saint Regis laid off 90 employees late last month. Sun Mountain Lumber in Deer Lodge shut down the night shift in several of its operations in early September, leaving about 50 people out of work.

Edward O’Brien first landed at Montana Public Radio three decades ago as a news intern while attending the UM School of Journalism. He covers a wide range of stories from around the state.
edward.obrien@umt.edu.  
(406) 243-4065
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