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MO hardwood industry hurt by tariffs, looks for new markets

The head of the Missouri Forest Products Association says the hardwood industry is being hurt by the trade war with China. Brian Brookshire, who helped host a recent trade trip in Missouri with Vietnamese buyers tells Brownfield Ag News, “With the difficulties that we’re having now with the Chinese tariffs, we need to look at every opportunity to further expand our market for hardwood lumber coming out of Missouri.”

Brookshire says 10-percent tariffs went into place on September 24th, “Upwards of 70% of the higher quality lumber products that are produced here in Missouri end up in China.

Brookshire says most of the hardwoods sold to China stay there, whereas Vietnam turns U.S. hardwoods into furniture and flooring that it sells back to Europe and Asia. Brookshire says Vietnam imports a lot of hardwoods from the U.S. and that new business deals were reached with Vietnamese buyers in the recent tour of Missouri sawmills. Most of the hardwoods exported from Missouri are red oak. (Interview below)

Missouri Ag Department hosts Vietnamese forestry product buyers

LISTEN: Interview with Brian Brookshire ~

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