HBS Dealer: Coalition continues push for U.S. lumber reliance

The U.S. Lumber Coalition, a nationwide alliance of softwood lumber dealers, continues to rail against what it views as “unfair Canadian trade practices” that dilute demand, production and competition in the country.

Last week, it sent out a release seeking to counter CNBC’s recent coverage that featured builders’ anxiety tying imminent price increases to tariffs and elevated duties—as well as broader concerns about the nation’s ability to produce enough domestically-sourced lumber should imports cease or slow down.

The NAHB, which has been resolutely against any tariffs or duties that might increase the price of building materials, takes the view that “Price increases to lumber can cause a huge disruption for home builders. And lack of certainty adds complexity to the home-building process.”

It elaborates on its stance:

“A new single-family home on average requires $174,155 worth of building materials for construction, with imports accounting for $12,713 of the total building material cost. In the short run, building materials prices will become volatile as they are typically driven by price expectations, which have moved higher by recently announced tariffs. In the long run, tariffs will reduce the availability of building materials, resulting in higher prices.”

Now, with countervailing and antidumping duties anticipated to more than double this fall, the NAHB and U.S. Lumber Coalition are both ramping up advocacy efforts in direct opposition.

Read the full article here.