House Ag Chair “Very Concerned” about Hardwood Industry’s Future but Talks Up Increased Federal Usage
By Ben Stanley
US Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson admits he is “very concerned” about the state of the American hardwood industry but is hopeful that policy tweaks, especially around increased federal usage, can help bolster its future.
In a rare interview focused solely on the beleaguered industry, Rep. Thompson, the powerful chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, opened up about legislative plans to raise the amount of hardwood used by the Department of War and in federal buildings. He also spoke about the potential for increased hardwood lumber exports to China.
“I’m very concerned about what’s happening in the hardwood industry,” Rep. Thompson told HMR/Fastmarkets. “Part of it is based on trends in purchasing and stupid policies.”
“If we lose sawmills, we lose our ability to manage forests,” he continued. “[That leads to] a negative impact on rural America that is unacceptable.”
Rep. Thompson, who has been the chair of the committee since 2023, represents Pennsylvania’s 15th Congressional District. Comprising a substantial chunk of Northern Pennsylvania, the district could accurately be described as hardwood heartland. Rep. Thompson said he has a number of hardwood sawmill contacts from his district that he speaks with regularly.
Despite its rapid contraction over recent years, the future of the hardwood industry is one of few issues that has broad bipartisan support in Washington. In 2025, Rep. Thompson, a Republican, and Rep. Terri Sewell, a Democrat from Alabama, introduced the Solid American Hardwood Tax Credit Act. A similar bill with bipartisan support was introduced in the Senate. Neither have progressed beyond committee debate.
In May, Rep. Thompson, along with Andrea Salinas, a Democrat from Oregon, introduced the Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act. The bill would give contract preference to American hardwood lumber, and Rep. Thompson was bullish on its chances of becoming law. “The American hardwood industry is a leading asset and critical partner in the building market,” he said.
Rep. Thompson also talked up working with the Department of War to phase out imported wood in military truck trailer flooring. The US Army has long used Keruing in trailer floors. The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act kickstarted the initial pivot towards Red Oak, but Rep. Thompson said a full switch was close. “That alone would make a huge difference,” he said.
Following his visit to China in May, President Donald Trump announced plans to start a US-China Board of Trade that will manage commerce “across non-sensitive goods” between the two superpowers.
While the effectiveness of the Board of Trade is yet to be seen, Rep. Thompson was a signatory on a letter sent to Jamieson Greer, the US Trade Representative, in late June, encouraging him to include hardwood lumber in the organization’s discussions.
The letter, which was signed by dozens of senators and congressmen from both parties, also asked Greer to included American hardwood lumber—but not logs —in China’s $17 billion trade procurement commitment, which was reached with the US in May. China pledged to spend $17 billion on American agricultural products every year between 2026 and 2028.
“In terms of trade, I have always worked hard for hardwoods to be involved in any China deal,” Rep. Thompson said. He also described his “personal” relationship with Greer, something that could prove beneficial as conversations progress.
Though Rep. Thompson conceded that trade negotiations with China “look chaotic,” he was confident a deal could be reached that would be mutually beneficial for the hardwood lumber trade between the US and China, in the long-term.