Federal Government offering help to the Mississippi Timber industry

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY (WCBI) – The Federal Government is helping Mississippi’s Timber industry cut a PATHH through the pandemic.

Mississippi is in-line to get $15.7 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers – or PATHH – program.

The money is set aside to help those in the timber business whose business was negatively impacted by the pandemic.

The Timber Industry provides nearly 62,000 jobs in Mississippi and the pandemic cut into production last year.

“We appreciate Congress and USDA’s recognition of the importance of this essential industry in economic development and infrastructure development in Mississippi and the Southeastern United States,” said Wes Burger, MSU College of Forestry and Resources.

“Mills cut back on buying logs. That meant the loggers in the woods, the cutters, processors, the timber haulers had to park their equipment. When they couldn’t run their equipment, it’s hard to pay their bills, so this pandemic sidelined them. The trees still grew, but the equipment was parked,” said Rubin Shmulsky, Sustainable Bioproducts Dept.

Mississippi’s share of the PATHH funds is the highest of the 44 states receiving money through the program.