Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) concluded a trip to Wisconsin, where he joined U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) to attend the Great Lakes Logging & Heavy Equipment Expo and visit forestry operations in the state to learn more about Wisconsin's timber industry.

"I always welcome the opportunity to visit other parts of the country and hear from folks on the ground about their operations, particularly at a time when timber production on federal lands is under siege by the Biden administration," Westerman said. "Congressman Tiffany is a faithful advocate for these issues on our committee, and it was great to see these wood products sites in person. We had productive conversations, and I look forward to putting these ideas into practice and continuing to find ways to make our forests healthier and more resilient for generations to come."

"Northern Wisconsin is home to some of the best forest industry products in the world, and I enjoyed welcoming Ranking Member Westerman to Wisconsin’s Seventh District to hear directly from timber professionals, whose livelihoods have been harmed by the Biden administration’s disastrous policies," Tiffany said. "We must continue to fight to boost U.S. timber harvesting as it supports our local economies, creates rural jobs, and helps mitigate catastrophic wildfires."

Background

As the threat of catastrophic wildfire grows annually in part due to overstocked forests, lack of management and overgrown hazardous fuels, scientific forestry practices are essential to mitigate these blazes before they even begin. Timber companies are implementing these best practices across the U.S., and Westerman and Tiffany visited several of the ones based in Northern Minnesota to hear more from the men and women on the ground.