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In early October, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Western Hardwood Plywood Producers and Canadian Hardwood Plywood and Veneer Association Fall Meeting in Eugene, OR. This was a great opportunity to see many DHA members and discuss trends and concerns in the industry. If you missed it, my presentation is available here. This meeting leaves me looking forward to our annual DHA meeting, May 14–16, in Scottsdale, AZ.…

DHA recently cohosted a webinar with the U.S. Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to clarify new restrictions on hard maple veneer exports to Europe. These restrictions are causing major disruptions throughout the veneer industry. DHA is taking numerous steps to address the crisis, including detailing typical log heat treatment and veneer drying procedures to APHIS.

The Real American Hardwood campaign needs your support to continue running ads. Many of us have said that the industry needs ads that promote hardwoods on the Magnolia Network, HGTV, etc. The Real American Hardwood Coalition—supported by DHA—recently launched more ads promoting the beauty of real hardwoods. The campaign is on track to reach 100 million consumers by year-end. But, the campaign will require continuous funding to continue to reach consumers.

An important part of DHA's mission is to promote decorative hardwood products. Architects and designers are key decision makers in the purchase of our products. I'm happy to report that architects and designers have responded with overwhelming interest in DHA's continuing education course, Hardwood Plywood, Engineered Wood Floors, and Hardwood Veneer: The Basics. In the first four months alone, more than 1,300 design professionals have already completed our course, demonstrating an incredible interest in decorative…

We know wood stores carbon and hardwood products reduce global warming potential. The Hardwood Federation recently advocated for these benefits to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, using DHA's recent Environmental Product Declaration for engineered wood floors to illustrate their point.