Source: USDA, 7/19/16

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced today that it is postponing a continuance referendum on the Softwood Lumber Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Industry Information Order. The referendum was scheduled for August 2016. A new referendum date has not yet been determined. All program obligations, including the collection of assessments and filing of reports, remain in effect.  

The softwood lumber program is authorized under the Commodity Promotion, Research and Information Act of 1996. The program was developed to strengthen the position of softwood lumber in the marketplace, maintain and expand markets for softwood lumber, and develop new uses for softwood lumber within the United States.

Research and Promotion Programs are industry-funded, were authorized by Congress, and date back to 1966. Since then, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards. They empower agricultural industries by establishing a framework for them to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, to ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.