FRA reached out to associations across the Lake States Region and asked them to provide information about what keeps them up at night in terms of the challenges and initiatives of the forest products industry.

The U.S. white-tailed deer population has ballooned to an estimated 30 million in number. Thirty million! These overabundant “soft-eyed nibblers,” as my old wildlife management professor called them, are hindering the regeneration of desirable hardwood species in the eastern U.S., spreading disease-carrying ticks, and causing about 1.5 million vehicle collisions and 10,000 crash-related injuries every year.

Starting tomorrow, February 24, the Biden Administration will open a period when only companies with fewer than 20 employees are eligible to apply for loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This two-week period begins tomorrow, Wednesday, February 24, through Tuesday, March 9.