Importers and domestic manufacturers of softwood lumber will be subject to a new assessment beginning Jan. 1, 2012, under a Department of Agriculture final rule. The assessments will be used to finance operations under the new Softwood Lumber Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Industry Information Order, which aims to strengthen the position of softwood lumber in the marketplace, maintain and expand markets for softwood lumber and develop new uses for softwood lumber within the U.S.
The assessment will initially be set at $0.35 per thousand board feet of softwood lumber shipped within or imported into the U.S. but could be increased to a maximum of $0.50 per thousand board feet. No assessments will be imposed on organic lumber, exports, entities that domestically manufacture and ship or import less than 15 million board feet per fiscal year, and the first 15 million board feet for imports and domestic shipments in excess of that amount.
