NAHB Highlights Need to Boost Lumber Output from Federal Lands

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) urged the Congress to work towards increasing domestic lumber production from federal lands. This, according to the association, will not only help to resolve lumber supply shortages, but also put a break on rising lumber prices. The Association pointed out that there has been a huge decline in timber production from federal lands over the past three decades.

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While addressing a forum hosted by Republican members of the House Natural Resources Committee and GOP members of the House Western Caucus, Chuck Fowke, Chairman of NAHB noted that boosting domestic lumber production should be considered as only one among several solutions to address the issue. Other issues including long-standing trade dispute over softwood lumber imports between the U.S. and Canada, supply chain constraints and labour supply shortages also need to be resolved at the earliest, Fowke added.

The lumber prices have skyrocketed over the past one year, though they have receded from their peaks during the most recent weeks. Lumber prices have surged higher by over 165%, compared to April 2020 level. The oriented strand board (OSB) prices too have gone higher by almost 400%. The unprecedented rise in prices has increased the price of new homes by over $36,000, NAHB noted.