{"id":78966,"date":"2020-03-30T08:31:21","date_gmt":"2020-03-30T08:31:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tin.happy-projects.ro\/u-s-forest-product-companies-considered-essential-to-operate-under-coronavirus-lockdown\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T08:52:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T08:52:57","slug":"u-s-forest-product-companies-considered-essential-to-operate-under-coronavirus-lockdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.timberindustrynews.com\/ro\/u-s-forest-product-companies-considered-essential-to-operate-under-coronavirus-lockdown\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. forest product companies considered ”essential”; to operate under coronavirus lockdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Labor have both said the\u00a0forest products industry\u00a0is an \"essential\u00a0critical infrastructure workforce in the nation's response to the coronavirus pandemic.\"<\/em><\/p>\n

These are allowed to operate during shutdowns. Most states are following the federal guidelines when ordering people to shelter in place.<\/p>\n

Here are updates from some states:<\/p>\n

Pennsylvania<\/strong><\/p>\n

The PA Governor's Office has amended its\u00a0list of companies permitted to work as \"life-sustaining business only\" to now\u00a0INCLUDE sawmills. The change came late Saturday and sawmills join logging and forestry. Veneer plants and secondary wood processing are ordered to close but can apply for a waiver to operate.<\/p>\n

New York<\/strong><\/p>\n

The state Department of Agriculture and Markets has revised the guidance for \"Essential Businesses\" to include forest products and those involved in forestry operations, logging, manufacture of lumber\u00a0and paper products, and the distribution of those products are\u00a0\"essential and exempt from the State's guidance for workforce reduction.\"<\/p>\n

Ohio<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Governor issued a\u00a0stay-at-home order on Sunday, saying only essential businesses,\u00a0as defined by the Homeland Security document\u00a0(which includes forest products), are permitted to stay open. Gov. Mike DeWine said,\"these are generally the accepted businesses that are essential for us to continue to live.\u201d\u00a0The order goes into effect at 11:59 p.m. Monday and will remain in effect until April 6.<\/p>\n

Companies are advised to ask state legislators and Governor to follow the\u00a0U.S. Homeland Security\u00a0and Department of Labor\u00a0guidance that\u00a0recognizes the forest products industry from forestry through secondary manufacturing as \"essential.\"<\/p>\n

This will help keep the forest products industry to work at the discretion of company owners.<\/p>\n

Companies are advised to list on the waiver application that forests products are essential for:<\/p>\n