Trump orders a probe allegedly dismissing lumber on the American market

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Donald Trump has ordered a probe for dumping on the US lumber market, setting the basis for the industry to join the extended basket of goods aimed at the World Trade War in Washington.

On Saturday, the President ordered the Ministry of Commerce to investigate whether the import of lumber and wooden products was undermined in such a way that the US national security was at a few days after the order of the copper industry.

If the investigation reveals evidence of dumping, the president can impose retaliation measures, including quotas and tariffs. Canada, of course, the largest source of import of lumber in the United States would be the most difficult.

“It is clear that something is going on here. We know that with these exporters there are mass subsidies that our market use, “the White House official said on the eve of the order.

“But it depends on (commerce) the secretary Howard Lutno To investigate this and return to the president with a report. ”

While the import of Canadian lumber is already subject to a tariff of 14.5 percent, the announcement means the first official step towards dragging the industry into the Trump global trade war. Any new tariffs will be in addition to the previous Canadian levies.

It goes on the eve of sweeping 25 percent tariffs, which will be presented in Canada and Mexico next week, as well as another 10 percent duties on Chinese imports as Trump tightens pressure on US trading partners.

The president also sought to focus on certain industries, where he claims that imports undermine the internal industry. He intends to impose 25 percent tariffs for steel imports and aluminum since March 12, after a similar probe in this sector during the first term.

On Tuesday he announced the investigation In the import of copper, causing fear that the metal will become the next sector that struck the tariffs.

In the US, there was a long hostility with Canada over the import of lumber. In 2023, it imported about 34 million cubic feet from a service tree. The vast majority – over 28 million cubic meters – from Canada. The next largest Germany and Sweden put less than 3.5 million cookies.

Forestry is a big business for Canada. In 2022, the sector introduced $ 33.4 billion to real GDP, or about 1.2 percent. In the same year, Canada’s export exports were estimated at $ 45.6 billion, most intended for the US, according to the government.

The province of British Colombia, where there is a high concentration of the Canadian forest industry, as well as companies, have been held decades in courts that have been fighting US levies and confrontations.

In 2016, the American industry launched the last round of trial, calling on the Department of Trade to act as “Canadian lumber unjustly subsidized and dumped to the American market,” A statement from the government BC.

The dispute depends on the practice of the Canadian Forest Industry to search for wood from the ground of the crown or parks managed by the provinces, so the cost of production and administration is lower than for US forest companies that rely on private land.

Since becoming president, Trump has repeatedly raised this issue and threatened the tariff for the import of the tree.

Derek Nigbor, president of the Canadian Forest Products Association, said any increase in tariffs on lumber would harm the forest sector employees on both sides of the border, as well as on US families seeking affordable housing.

“We need to be focused on strengthening our competitive advantages, creating more affordable housing, joint work to resolve the risk to fires and attracting a more North American tree into the world,” he said last month.

But Andrew Miller, the owner of the STTOS, and the chairman of the US lumber coalition, said: “Unjust trade of Canada goes for direct costs of US companies and workers.”