Forestry Protection Act of 2026

The "Forestry Protection Act of 2026" aims to incentivize the use of domestic raw wood materials by reducing import costs. It mandates a 50 percent reduction in duties and covered import restrictions on finished forestry products if the importer can demonstrate that the product contains 100 percent raw wood material originating in the United States. The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, must issue regulations within 90 days to implement this provision, including verification and fraud prevention procedures.

A "finished forestry product" is defined as an article manufactured, processed, or assembled outside the U.S. from raw wood material, classified under specific Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheadings (4408-4421). "Raw wood material" refers to products classified under subheadings 4401-4407 that have only undergone processing such as sawing, chipping, or drying.

Furthermore, the bill establishes a new notification requirement for the imposition or modification of any duty or import restriction on finished forestry products under certain trade laws. The President must publish such changes in the Federal Register at least 90 days before the effective date. This notice must include the rate, applicable trade law, affected products, justification, and proposed effective date.

The notification process also requires a 60-day public comment period, allowing interested parties to submit written feedback. This provision aims to increase transparency and public engagement regarding trade policy changes affecting the forestry sector.