WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Angus King (I-Maine) and U.S. Representatives Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) introduced the Future Logging Careers Act to support America’s family-run timber industry.
This legislation would allow teenage members of logging families to gain critical, hands-on experience in the trade so they may carry on the family business. The Future Logging Careers Act would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to work in certain mechanized logging operations under parental supervision. Similar exemptions already exist for farming families.
“Idaho’s logging industry is rooted in family-run businesses, but current law is preventing them from passing down the trade,” said Risch. “The Future Logging Careers Act empowers timber families to prepare the next generation of loggers to properly manage our forests and support rural economies.”
“For centuries, logging has been synonymous with the success of Maine — creating good jobs, supporting proud, hard-working families and boosting local rural economies,” said King. “As we prepare for the next generation of Maine loggers, we should provide opportunities for young people to explore this exciting field in a safe and supervised way. The bipartisan Future Logging Careers Act would give aspiring, young loggers the option to jumpstart their career, get valuable hands-on experience, and begin critical training by logging with their parents or grandparents. I’m proud to join my colleagues in working to expand good job opportunities and further build upon our state’s rich forest heritage.”
"Pennsylvania has long been a leader in the forestry industry, and I have the great privilege of representing numerous family-owned logging businesses,” said Thompson. “By allowing young men and women to work alongside their families in this industry, we're ensuring that the skills, knowledge, and traditions of logging can be passed down to the next generation."
“Maine’s working forests are a distinct part of our identity, thanks to the passionate work of generations today and past,” Golden said. “To carry on that proud tradition, young Mainers need the personal investment that comes only from experiencing something with your own two hands — an opportunity that this bipartisan legislation would finally create.”
Additional cosponsors of the legislation include U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and John Cornyn (R-Texas).
The Future Logging Careers Act has received support from the American Loggers Council and the Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho.
“The timber industry is traditionally a multi-generational business where the skills and knowledge are passed on from one generation to the next. This succession process is critical to ensuring that the timber industry infrastructure remains viable to support public and private healthy forest management, rural jobs, wildfire mitigation, and U.S. made forest products. The Future Logging Careers Act will afford the timber industry sector of the agricultural economy the same opportunities and benefits currently extended to the family farm. Workforce development is critical to maintaining the resources necessary to provide the forest management services required to meet the U.S. sustainable healthy forests objectives for today and the future. The American Loggers Council appreciates the bipartisan/bicameral sponsorship of Senator Risch (ID) and Senator King (ME), and Representative Golden (ME) and Representative Thompson (PA), of the Future Logging Careers Act and their continued support of the American timber industry,” said Scott Dane, Executive Director of the American Loggers Council.
“We need this today, more than ever. With the modern mechanized logging practices of today, our contractors have invested millions of dollars in machinery which necessitates the need for equipment operators. In Idaho’s Forest Products Industry, like many others, there is a shortage of labor that is having devastating consequences for our members. We are in the process of a workforce development plan to attract, train and retain workers for our industry, but for now, we rely heavily on family. Our sons and daughters grow up in our family logging operations, visit our jobsites often and many develop a love for logging that fills us with pride. By the time they are 16, they are ready and willing to jump in and start working but are hamstrung by an archaic 1938 Law. We then lose our sons and daughters to other occupations where they are allowed to work, and sadly, many don’t return to the family logging businesses. The Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho fully supports theFuture Logging Careers Actand thank Senator Risch for introducing this important legislation,”said Clete Edmunson, Executive Director of the Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho.
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