Senator Cassidy and Senator Warnock Introduce the Disaster Reforestation Act to Support Multi-Generational Family Forest Landowners
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. Additionally, the tax code fails to recognize the true value of timber lost to hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters, leaving private forest landowners without financial relief. With private forests being the cornerstone of the nation’s economy, environment, and rural communities, this legislation ensures that multi-generational family forest owners have the tools they need to recover and reforest after disasters.
The Disaster Reforestation Act corrects this inequity by allowing family forest landowners to deduct the true value of their lost timber—giving them a fighting chance to recover, reforest, and continue managing America’s forests.
“Natural disasters don’t just wipe out our coasts. They wipe out our forests too. Louisianans need a tax fix like this when storms hit.” said Senator Cassidy.
“Our rural communities need all the help they can get after a disaster like Hurricane Helene devastates farmland and forests. The bipartisan Disaster Reforestation Act will help lessen the burden on forest landowners during a recovery process following a natural disaster,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “The forestry industry is central to Georgia’s economy and ecology, and I’m happy to work alongside Senator Cassidy in this.”
“Landowners currently have no tools to recover after a disaster destroys their forests,” stated Scott Jones, Forest Landowners Association CEO. “The Disaster Reforestation Act is not a handout or a subsidy—it simply corrects the casualty loss deduction so landowners can claim the true value of their damaged timber. This is a necessary step to ensure family forestry businesses can survive future disasters and keep our working forests intact.”
The Forest Landowners Association, along with a coalition of more than 75 national and state associations, continues to advocate for swift passage of the Disaster Reforestation Act and urges Congress to act without delay.
Given the bill’s broad bipartisan support, FLA urges Congress to consider and pass it expeditiously—whether through the budget reconciliation process or other legislative vehicles—to provide essential relief for landowners. Doing so will help ensure that America’s working forests continue to deliver the economic and environmental benefits our nation depends on, including clean air and water, safe wildlife habitats, a stable domestic wood supply, and a strong economic foundation for rural communities.
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For more information, please contact:
[Michelle Cain, FLA’s Director of Communications]
For Senator Cassidy’s press release on the bill, please visit his website.
For more background on the Disaster Reforestation Act, see the Forest Landowners Association’s press release on Congressman Buddy Carter and Congresswoman Terri Sewell’s introduction of the bill earlier this year.
Statements from National and State Associations:
American Loggers Council
“Private forests represent the majority of timber in the supply chain for forest products that society depends upon daily. Without private forests, these essential products would not be available. That is why it is important to maintain the forests and allow them to recover from natural disasters, just like programs to support other agricultural sectors. As the first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Gifford Pinchot said ‘Forestry is tree farming. Forestry is handling trees so that one crop follows another. To grow trees as a crop is forestry.’ That is why forest landowners’ crops deserve the same safety net as other crop sectors.”
-Scott Dane, Executive Director, American Loggers Council
Association of Consulting Foresters
“The Disaster Reforestation Act is a long-overdue solution to a major gap in disaster relief for private forest landowners. Our members work closely with landowners across the country who face devastating timber losses from hurricanes, wildfires, and other natural disasters. As trusted advisors, consulting foresters help landowners make informed decisions about recovery and reforestation. This bill gives them a fair and practical path forward—ensuring forests are not just replanted, but sustainably managed for generations to come.”
-Shannon McCabe, Executive Director, Association of Consulting Foresters
Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
“Private working forests are essential for wildlife conservation and sportsmen’s access. Natural disasters often destroy timber that has been sustainably managed for decades, and helping landowners maintain the economic viability of continuing to manage their land as forests, instead of selling for development, is crucial for avoiding the loss of habitat and hunting opportunities. We thank Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus Member Senator Cassidy and Senator Warnock for introducing the Disaster Reforestation Act to provide tax relief for timber losses caused by natural disasters and look forward to working with the bill sponsors to advance this legislation to prevent the conversion of forests to other land uses.”
-John Culclasure, Senior Director of Forest Policy, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
Family Business Coalition
“I am proud to support the Disaster Reforestation Act, which would help family businesses in the Timber and Forestry sector rebuild after natural disasters. Currently, the casualty loss deduction does not provide relief for forestland owners working to recover and replant after disaster strikes. These businesses provide good-paying jobs, contribute to their local communities, and are stewards of millions of acres of private forestland across the country. We applaud Senators Cassidy and Warnock for providing a common-sense bipartisan solution for these businesses.”
-Palmer Schoening, Chairman, Family Business Coalition
Georgia Farm Bureau
“I’ve witnessed firsthand the devastation a natural disaster can bring to a farm or forest—it’s truly heartbreaking. As stewards of the land, we work tirelessly to sustain it for our families and communities. The Disaster Reforestation Act is a practical solution. It offers timber landowners a fair chance to recover from natural disasters by supporting reforestation, ensuring the forestry industry remains robust. We’re not seeking handouts; we simply need a way to safeguard our livelihoods, particularly in states like Georgia, where timber is a cornerstone of our economy.”
-Tom McCall, Georgia Farm Bureau President
Georgia Forestry Association
“Behind every working forest are the people who care for it: multi-generational families, small business owners, and rural communities whose livelihoods depend on the land. The Georgia Forestry Association is grateful to Senators Cassidy and Warnock for championing the Disaster Reforestation Act, which brings long-overdue tax fairness to forest landowners. When disaster strikes, this bill will give forest stewards the ability to recover and replant—ensuring the future of forestry and the communities it supports.”
-Tim Lowrimore, President & CEO, Georgia Forestry Association
Louisiana Farm Bureau
“All of agriculture is risky and subject to Mother Nature. Forestry and timber production are no exception. Senator Cassidy and the Louisiana Farm Bureau recognize that. Our members are grateful that he and Senator Warnock are once again imploring Congress to recognize it, too. The Disaster Reforestation Act would give forest landowners some sign of hope when a disaster strikes. It is only right to provide these hardworking folks some relief when they’ve been knocked down. This bill would go a long way in doing just that.”
-Richard Fontenot, President, Louisiana Farm Bureau
Louisiana Forestry Association
“The Louisiana Forestry Association appreciates the leadership and support Senators Cassidy (LA) and Warnock (GA) have demonstrated in helping family forest landowners restore their forestland following a natural disaster. The financial burden is overwhelming to a family forest owner, and the Disaster Reforestation Act will help landowners begin restoring their forests back to health and productivity. Healthy forests are good for our nation and communities dependent upon them.”
-C.A. “Buck” Vandersteen, Executive Director, Louisiana Forestry Association
National Alliance of Forest Owners
“We applaud Senators Cassidy and Warnock for introducing the Disaster Reforestation Act, a bipartisan bill that will support America’s forest owners and strengthen our nation’s forest health and resilience,” said Dave Tenny, President and CEO of the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO). “This bill provides relief to forest owners following a disaster and will help keep working forests working to provide clean air and water, wildlife habitat, and good-paying jobs in rural communities. We look forward to working with Senators Cassidy and Warnock and their colleagues to further advance opportunities for private working forests.”
-Dave Tenny, President and CEO, National Alliance of Forest Owners
National Association of State Foresters
“In 2024 alone, millions of acres of forestland across the country were compromised by catastrophic storms, uncharacteristic wildfires, insects, and disease. Our forests’ capacity to provide clean air and clean water, support rural economies, and bolster wildlife habitat remains under constant and increasing threat. Private forest landowners – who manage the majority of our nation’s forests – lack the resources to recover from these natural disasters. The Disaster Reforestation Act is key to enabling long-sought, fair tax treatment for these important landowners to reforest following a disaster.”
-Jay Farrell, Executive Director, National Association of State Foresters
National Wild Turkey Federation
“When a private forest owner suffers a disaster, like a tornado, hurricane, flood or fire, they have limited options to make themselves whole. Even after such hardship, the Disaster Reforestation Act ensures that forest owners will be able to continue to manage their forests in ways that provide the full suite of benefits to people and wildlife.”
– Kurt Dyroff, Co-CEO, National Wild Turkey Federation
The Conservation Fund
“Private forests comprise 58 percent of all forestland in the U.S. and face significant conversion pressure—pressure that increases in the wake of natural disasters,” said Larry Selzer, president and CEO of The Conservation Fund. “The Conservation Fund is dedicated to preserving working forests, which support local jobs and the rural tax base, by addressing the threat of forestland conversion to non-forest uses. We applaud U.S. Senators Cassidy and Warnock for stepping up to provide an important economic support for working forests affected by disaster and look forward to continuing working with leaders in Congress to get the pragmatic and bipartisan Disaster Reforestation Act enacted.”
-Larry Selzer, President and CEO, The Conservation Fund