Insufficient production is causing an unprecedented spike in US lumber prices as sawmill output fails to keep up with consumer demand and housing starts outpace lumber production.  The U.S. residential construction industry faced many challenges in 2021, but none as big as the high price and inconsistent supply of lumber.  A slow reaction by sawmills amid strong demand for new homes and a significant uptick in demand from do-it-yourselfers and big-box retailers during the pandemic resulted in lumber prices peaking at a record-shattering $1,500 per thousand board feet in May ...