USDA investing $200m in timber production
May 30, 2025
Stated aims include a more stable supply of wood products and healthier forests.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has confirmed a $200 million investment to implement the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service’s National Active Forest Management Strategy.
The investment comes on the heels of President Trump’s Immediate Expansion of Timber Production executive order, which seeks to streamline regulations and expedite project approvals. Increasing the use of long-term contracts to carry out these projects, the strategy envisions a more stable supply of wood products, healthier forests, and stronger rural economies.
“President Trump is committed to cutting red tape, rolling back burdensome regulations and unleashing the potential of America’s abundant natural resources. We are doing just that at USDA with this announcement to invest in timber production. This is a win for consumers who will see better prices with American grown products, and a win for forest management, which will help keep our forests safer and reduce wildfire risk,” said Secretary Rollins. “Not only will this help our staff on the ground better carry out the mission of protecting lives, livelihoods and resources, it will support jobs in rural America and reduce our reliance on foreign lumber imports.”
What the investment aims to achieve
The Forest Service has committed to increasing timber harvest on national forests by 25%, with an overall goal of 4 billion board feet harvested annually by fiscal year 2028.
Using tools like Good Neighbor Authority, this investment aims to support efforts to work across jurisdictions and property lines to improve forest health and grow economies in communities nationwide. This investment also focuses on wood products like cross-laminated timber. Similarly, active management often creates byproducts with a low conventional wood market value but are still useful in wood energy, pellets and other biomass applications.
According to the USDA, these investments will have direct impacts on communities and businesses in the wood products sector, supporting jobs in timber harvest, at lumber mills, as well as in innovative wood products and energy sectors. Ultimately, the agency says the investments aim to secure a strong domestic timber supply, fueling rural industries, stabilizing markets and driving long-term economic prosperity.
For more information, view the National Active Forest Management Fact Sheet here.
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