Arkansas Agriculture Edition 25 : Page 7

to get top dollar for their logs. “Some 96 percent of the world’s population lives outside of the U.S.,” King said. “A growing consumer class of people in other countries wants U.S.-grown wood. It’s a status symbol for them.” He mentions flooring as an example. Consumers outside of the U.S. want flooring for their homes made from U.S.-grown hardwood. “Asia is demanding flooring and hardwood lumber.” Ironically, King points out, the reverse is true too. U.S. homeowners want flooring made from Brazilian-grown wood or Asian bamboo. The point is there’s a global market out there now. Grant Pace agrees. He is chairman of Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Forestry Division and runs his own forestry consulting business. “What’s important today is getting the product out to the changing markets around the world,” Pace said. “Improvements to rail, highways and river ports have made it easier to haul products to different mills across the U.S. and even to other countries.” He says these improvements have opened up different markets for timber products. King says Pace has identified and developed one of those markets. He ships veneer-grade southern red oak logs to a Michigan facility that produces the veneer then ships it to Italy to be used in furniture making. The furniture then comes back to the U.S. for sale. That quality red oak log fetches a much better price to the forest landowner when it’s used to its fullest end-product use as veneer then if it were simply cut down and sent to a local mill that doesn’t produce veneer. According to King, more and more furniture-grade hardwoods grown in the U.S. are being shipped overseas to be made into furniture; then it’s shipped back to the U.S. for sale. King says the wood biomass market in Europe – wood chips and pellets – as fuel for heating is another example of an overseas market. “Europeans have regulated themselves into the use of wood chips or compressed wood pellets as a heat source,” he said. He says it’s also a popular choice in the Northeast states. Identifying these markets and establishing ways for Arkansas forest landowners to take advantage of them is critical to keeping the timber industry strong here. With that in mind, King says Arkansas Farm Bureau is teaming up with surrounding states to host the “Forest Product Export Conference” Oct. 30-31 in Vicksburg, Miss. The conference will help provide information to mills, loggers and others on how they can take advantage of the export market. “Mills, loggers and forest landowners are going to have to continue to look for new markets and tailor production practices to meet what the market demands,” King said. Pace sees the future of timber production in Arkansas following in the footsteps of what farmers and ranchers here are already doing in providing food to the world. “Arkansas, along with other states, already helps feed the world,” he said. “One day, we’ll also help with raw products such as wood pellets for heat, pulp for paper, logs for furniture and just about any other need a country has.” King says Arkansas can sustain itself as a Top 5 timber producer nationally with a worldwide export approach and if it continues favorable state policies that encourage continued harvest of timber resources. He says what’s needed now is tax savings legislation that’s competitive with what surrounding states offer. “The timber industry is strong in Arkansas, but we’re missing key legislation to maintain the industry in the future,” he said. “Surrounding states offer sales tax exemptions on forest product equipment. However, Arkansas Foliar Fertilize for $24 per acre per year Yes, with Sea Minerals FA Apply any time during the growing season $8 per application (3 times per year recommended for $24/acre) Works as a soil fertility supplement that re-mineralizes the soil Contains 85 or more minerals and trace minerals Applied as a foliar spray on green plants – Dissolves easily Can be mixed with other ingredients (weed killers, other fertilizers) Livestock beneﬁ t directly from free-choice access “We grow alfalfa and grass in New Mexico. This is our ﬁ rst year to use Sea Minerals and it is amazing! We can almost watch the alfalfa grow. Our neighbor’s alfalfa is 2 feet tall – ours is 3 feet-plus tall. We cut it, water it once, and as soon as it is dry enough to get into the ﬁ eld it is sprayed with Sea Minerals FA. It is be-tween 6 and 8 inches high at this point. When we return to check it in 1 week it is 2 1/2 feet tall!” Wilda D – Belen, NM REALLY? To request a brochure or ﬁ nd your nearest distributor, Call 800.967.0452 or go to www.SeaMineralsFA.com Arkansas Agriculture 7