Trump orders probe into alleged dumping of lumber in US market

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Donald Trump ordered an investigation into dumping in the wood market in the United States, which made this stage of industry to join the basket of expanding goods targeted by the World Trade War in Washington.

On Saturday, the President ordered the Ministry of Commerce to investigate whether wooden imports and wood products are undermining local trees recordings in a way that poses a threat to US national security, days after a similar review request to the copper industry.

If the investigation is found evidence of dumping, the president can impose retaliatory measures, including quotas and definitions. Canada, to a large extent the largest exporter of US wood imports, will be the most difficult blow.

“It is clear that something is happening here. A White House official said before the matter:” We know that there are huge subsidies with these sources who benefit from our market. ”

“But it’s up [Commerce] secretary Howard Lootnick To investigate this and return to the president with a report. ”

While Canadian wood imports are already subject to 14.5 percent definitions, the advertisement represents the first official step towards withdrawing the industry to Trump’s global trade war. Any new tariff will be in addition to the pre -existing Canadian graphics.

This comes on the eve of the inclusion of definitions of 25 percent of scheduled to be presented in Canada and Mexico next week, in addition to another duty by 10 percent on Chinese imports, as Trump increases pressure on American trading partners.

The President also sought to target the specified industries as he argues that imports undermine the local industry. The 25 percent capacity is scheduled to be imposed on steel and aluminum imports from March 12, after a similar investigation in this sector during its first term.

Tuesday An investigation announced In imports of copper, which raises fears that the metal will be the next sector slapped by definitions.

The United States had a long -term runner with Canada on wood imports. It imported about 34 million cubic feet of wooden wood in 2023. The vast majority of that came – more than 28 million cubic meters – from Canada. The next largest, Germany and Sweden, less than 3.5 million cubic meters were shipped.

Forests are the major business in Canada. In 2022, the sector contributed $ 33.4 billion in real GDP, or about 1.2 percent. In the same year, exports of forest products in Canada were evaluated at 45.6 billion Canadian dollars, with the majority of the United States allocated, according to government data.

The British Columbia province has spent a great concentration in the forest industry in Canada, as well as companies, contracts in courts that fight us anti -beating fees and duties.

In 2016, the American wood industry launched the latest round of litigation, and urged the Ministry of Commerce to serve as “Canadian wood supported and unfairly said in the American market,” according to statement From the British Columbia government.

The dispute depends on the practice of the Canadian forest industry of obtaining wood from the crown lands, or gardens run by the provinces, and therefore the costs of production and management are less than American forest companies that depend on private lands.

Since he became president, Trump raised this issue over and over and threatened to definitions on wood imports.

Derek Niegbour, head of the Forest Products Association in Canada, said that any increase in customs tariffs on wood will harm the forest employees on both sides of the border, and the American families who seek to obtain affordable housing.

“We must focus on strengthening our competitive advantages, building more affordable housing, working together to address the risks of the growing wildfire, and bring more North America’s wood to the world,” he said in a statement.

But Andrew Miller, the owner of Stimson Lumber and head of the wood coalition in the United States, said: “The unfair Canada trade comes at the expense of direct American companies and workers.”