Chavez-DeRemer introduces bipartisan bill to address forestry labor shortage

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) – Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) introduced Wednesday the bipartisan Jobs in the Woods Act, which seeks to address the current labor shortage impacting forestry and forestry-related industries.

Specifically, the bill would create a grant program for nonprofit organizations, state governments, and colleges to utilize for workforce training in forestry-related fields – helping prepare students for jobs in the U.S. Forest Service and the timber industry.

“As I crisscross the 5th District, I’ve heard repeatedly from constituents in forestry-related industries that a lack of workers is negatively affecting their operations. Our bipartisan legislation will help expand education opportunities in an effort to grow our workforce. I’d like to thank Congresswoman Gluesenkamp Perez for introducing this bill with me – it will greatly benefit forestry-related commerce across the Pacific Northwest,” Chavez-DeRemer said.

"The only way we'll keep the woods working for future generations is if we provide the next generation a pathway to pursue careers in forestry," said Gluesenkamp Perez. "This bipartisan bill will make that possible and connect people to careers in this critical field that is essential to Southwest Washington."

The forest products industry is one of the U.S. economy’s largest manufacturing sectors, sustaining over 930,000 families and contributing $295 billion annually. Consumers rely on loggers, haulers, pulp and paper mills, paper packaging plants, and lumber facilities to manufacture a variety of everyday products.

However, labor shortages across the timber industry are limiting modernization and investment growth. Necessary government agencies, such as the U.S. Forest Service, are also seeing a decline in qualified applicants to keep our forests safe.

The Jobs in the Woods Act will provide workforce training opportunities to inspire the next generation of forestry workers. With most of the forest manufacturing industry located in rural areas, this bill will give individuals the opportunity to learn skills that can serve them and their communities.

The Jobs in the Woods Act will:

• Create education programs for states, nonprofits, and colleges through grants of $500,000 to $2,000,000;
• Create the programs in rural and low-income areas to spur economic development, bringing thousands of dollars of investments into rural and underserved communities;
• Create a pool of talented, trained, and qualified applicants to fill job openings in forestry-related industries; and
• Partner with programs that have proven to help students find forestry industry jobs and programs that engage with their local communities.

The proposal has support from over 50 different stakeholder organizations, spanning from Oregon to Texas. A summary of the legislation is available HERE. Full text of the bill is available HERE.