NEWS

The EPA's expanded definition of "waters of the U.S.," or WOTUS, will increase the scope of required permits in forest management, expanding regulators' reach over private property, experts say. Administrative burdens—and legal uncertainties of the expanded definition—may increase costs and drive down the value of forestland. See the Hardwood Federation's report for more details.

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U.S. imports of multilayered wood flooring grew to $1.2 billion in value, up by more than 16%, and reached nearly 715 million square feet, up by 13% in volume, through November of last year. Imports from Vietnam alone grew by nearly 33%. These significant increases follow growth of more than 31% in volume in 2021.

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Floor imports Nov 2022 (PDF)

Through November of last year, imports of hardwood plywood grew by nearly 25% in value to more than $2 billion and almost 8% in volume to more than 3.1 billion square feet. These dramatic increases follow a 35% growth in volume in 2021. Indonesia and Vietnam drove growth in 2022, as the value of imports from Indonesia increased by a whopping 55% and imports from Vietnam grew by 33%.

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Decorative Hardwoods Association (formerly HPVA) eNews Volume XVI, Issue I: Coalitions Push For Continuation Of Duties On Imports From China | USTR Seeks Input On Tariffs On China | Associations Oppose Final WOTUS Rule | White House Releases Regulatory Agenda For 2023 | 

Which tree produces the largest fruit in the world?

Answer: A native of Asia, the jackfruit can produce a single fruit that weighs more than 50 pounds.

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NPR: Here's The Scoop On Jackfruit, A Ginormous Fruit To Feed The World

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