President Trump Issues Executive Order to Modernize Wildfire Response and Prevention
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President Trump Issues Executive Order to Modernize Wildfire Response and Prevention

ByMichelle Cain

On June 12, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed a pivotal Executive Order titled Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response, aimed at overhauling the federal government’s approach to wildfire management. The directive seeks to strengthen coordination across agencies, promote innovative technologies, and enhance the effectiveness of wildfire prevention and response nationwide. Under the Executive Order, the…

USDA Rescinds Roadless Rule, Boosting Active Forest Management
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USDA Rescinds Roadless Rule, Boosting Active Forest Management

ByMichelle Cain

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially rescinded the Roadless Rule, a decades-old regulation that restricted road construction and timber harvesting on National Forest System lands. This move marks a significant step toward restoring balance to forest management policies and supporting the communities and private landowners who neighbor federally managed forests. Originally implemented in…

Senator Cassidy Presses Treasury Secretary on Timber Tax Fix, Advancing Disaster Reforestation Act
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Senator Cassidy Presses Treasury Secretary on Timber Tax Fix, Advancing Disaster Reforestation Act

ByMichelle Cain

At a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) once again championed the needs of private forest landowners by highlighting a longstanding issue: landowners impacted by natural disasters are often unable to deduct the true value of their destroyed timber. This tax inequity places a heavy burden on family forestry businesses working…

Senator Cassidy and Senator Warnock Introduce the Disaster Reforestation Act to Support Multi-Generational Family Forest Landowners
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Senator Cassidy and Senator Warnock Introduce the Disaster Reforestation Act to Support Multi-Generational Family Forest Landowners

ByMichelle Cain

Washington, D.C. – Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) have introduced the Disaster Reforestation Act, a crucial bipartisan bill that provides essential tax relief for private forest landowners facing catastrophic losses from natural disasters. Unlike other agricultural commodities, timber is not eligible for disaster relief tools such as crop insurance or safety net programs….

$29 Billion Disaster Relief Package Includes Critical Forestry Support
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$29 Billion Disaster Relief Package Includes Critical Forestry Support

ByMichelle Cain

Congress recently approved a disaster relief package allocating $29 billion for agriculture, including targeted support for private forest landowners. This significant measure represents a pivotal step toward recovery for communities and industries devastated by hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other natural disasters over the past two years. Signed into law by President Biden, the package addresses…

FLA Champions Fix Our Forests Act: Bipartisan Victory in House
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FLA Champions Fix Our Forests Act: Bipartisan Victory in House

ByMichelle Cain

In a significant victory for forest management, H.R. 8790, the Fix Our Forests Act, passed the U.S. House of Representatives with strong bipartisan support on September 24, 2024. This landmark bill, co-sponsored by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and Congressman Scott Peters (D-CA), marks a crucial advancement in forest management policies that…

Policy Alert: Supreme Court Overturns Chevron Doctrine
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Policy Alert: Supreme Court Overturns Chevron Doctrine

ByMichelle Cain

Late last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn the Chevron Doctrine, established in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (1984). The landmark ruling in Loper Bright v. Raimondo and Relentless v. Commerce (2024), authored by Chief Justice Roberts, marks a significant shift in the regulatory landscape. For forty years, the…

ESA Revisions Set to Impact Landowners in 2024
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ESA Revisions Set to Impact Landowners in 2024

ByMichelle Cain

This month, several revisions to the Endangered Species Act regulations were finalized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While some of the revisions are beneficial for landowners, others are a step backward in our efforts to achieve flexibility and collaborative conservation. Service Streamlines Conservation Agreements On April 11th, the Service finalized their proposal to…

FLA Hosts Timber Talk in South Carolina – Planting the Future: From Seedlings to Success
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FLA Hosts Timber Talk in South Carolina – Planting the Future: From Seedlings to Success

ByMichelle Cain

On October 3, 2023, FLA conducted a Timber Talk that showcased the journey of longleaf pine from the seedling to the stands. The event included a half-day program and tour at the new IFCO nursery in Windsor, South Carolina, followed by a half-day tour of family landowner Ben Christensen’s longleaf pine straw operations. At the…

Biden Administration Unveils Old Growth Inventory
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Biden Administration Unveils Old Growth Inventory

ByMichelle Cain

Last year the Biden administration announced Executive Order 14072: “Strengthening the Nation’s Forests, Communities and Local Economies.”, which tasked the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management with defining and inventorying old growth and mature forests on federal lands. The order cited the importance of old growth’s carbon sequestration and storage for climate mitigation as…