Farm Bill Primer: Forestry Title

Farm Bill Primer: Forestry Title

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June 22, 2017
Farm Bill Primer: Forestry Title
Forest management generally, as well as forest research and
National Forest System (NFS), which consists of 145
forestry assistance, is within the jurisdiction of the
million acres of forestland and 48 million acres of
agriculture committees in Congress. Although most forestry
grasslands and woodlands. FS also provides technical and
programs are permanently authorized, forestry often is
financial assistance—primarily through state forestry
addressed in the periodic farm bills to reauthorize many
agencies—to nonfederal landowners. In addition, FS
agriculture programs. Four of the past five farm bills
conducts research to advance the science of forestry and
included a separate forestry title, including the most recent
engages in international forestry assistance and research
farm bill, the Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79; the
efforts. Many of FS’s land management, assistance, and
2014 farm bill). This report summarizes some of the
research programs have permanent authorities and receive
forestry provisions addressed in the 2014 farm bill and
appropriations annually through the discretionary
issues Congress may debate in future farm bills.
appropriations process.
Forestry in the United States
Forestry in the 2014 Farm Bill
One-third of the land area in the United States is forestland
(766 million acres, see Figure 1). These lands provide
Title VIII of the 2014 farm bill repealed, modified,
wood for lumber, plywood, paper, and other materials, as
reauthorized, and created several new forestry assistance,
well as a host of ecological services, including recreation,
research, and federal land management programs. The
clean water, and wildlife habitat, among other things. The
following sections summarize many of those provisions.
federal government owns 238 million acres (31%) of the
Forestry Assistance
forestland; 230 million (30%) acres are owned by states,
The 2014 farm bill repealed a number of assistance
other public entities, and private corporate landowners (e.g.,
programs that had not been authorized for several years
timber investment trusts). The remaining 298 million acres
(e.g., the Forest Land Enhancement Program), had not
(39%) are owned by nonindustrial private landowners (i.e.,
received appropriations in several years (e.g., the
private, noncorporate entities that do not own wood-
Watershed Forestry Assistance Program), or had never
processing facilities).
received appropriations (e.g., the Tribal Watershed Forestry
Assistance Program).
The Forest Service (FS) is housed within the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and is the principal federal forest

management agency of the United States. FS manages 19%
of all U.S. forestlands. FS administers the 193 million acre
Figure 1. Forest Cover Across the United States

Source: Congressional Research Service.
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Farm Bill Primer: Forestry Title
Several other assistance programs were reauthorized
establish new options for forestry research, management of
through FY2018, such as the Rural Revitalization
federal lands, and assistance to nonfederal forest owners.
Technologies Program and the Office of International
Forestry. The 2014 farm bill reauthorized funding, through
Congress may use a future farm bill to address concerns
FY2018, for FS to continue providing assistance for
related to forest health management on both federal and
statewide forest resource assessments and enacted minor
nonfederal lands. For example, this could include programs
program modifications. The farm bill also removed
to reduce the risk of catastrophic disturbance events, such
mandatory funding for the Healthy Forests Reserve
as an uncharacteristically severe wildfire or insect or
Program but authorized appropriations of up to $12 million
disease infestations. For nonfederal forests, this may
annually (through FY2018) for the program and made some
include establishing or modifying assistance programs to
changes to the program.
enhance wildfire protection, preparedness, and forest
resiliency. For federal forests, this may involve establishing
Forestry Research
new authorities or expanding existing authorities to reduce
The 2014 farm bill directed FS to revise the strategic plan
hazardous fuel levels or other forest restoration activities.
for forest inventory and analysis under the Forest and
Congress also may use the farm bill to address issues
Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 (16
related to funding federal wildfire suppression operations
U.S.C. 1642(e)). The strategic plan outlines the
(see CRS Report R44966, Wildfire Suppression Spending:
methodology and goals of the Forest Inventory and
Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 115th Congress,
Analysis Program, which describes the nationwide extent of
for more information).
forest resources and related data.
Congress may use the next farm bill to address any
Forestry on Federal Lands
unforeseen issues with provisions enacted in the 2014 farm
The 2014 farm bill established a process for designating
bill. For example, the GNA has an adjacency requirement
landscape-scale treatment areas in at least one national
that many believe is restricting the application of the
forest in each state where there is declining forest health or
program, and some support clarifying the legislative
the risk of declining forest health due to insect and disease
language. Similarly, many would like Congress to address
infestation, if requested by the governor of the state.
issues with the stewardship contracting authority, such as
Approximately 47 million acres across 36 states have
contract cancellation ceilings and revenue-sharing
received this designation. The 2014 farm bill authorized FS
requirements. The farm bill also may provide an
to prioritize and perform restoration projects in those areas.
opportunity for Congress to modify or expand the insect
The farm bill also established a Categorical Exclusion (CE)
and disease treatment area authorities and designations.
under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that
In addition, the next farm bill may address other forestry
may be available for those projects under specified
and federal land issues and programs, such as the
conditions.
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. This
The 2014 farm bill permanently authorized two federal land
FS program provides funding for 23 landscape-scale
management programs: stewardship contracting and the
restoration projects in priority landscapes for 10 years.
Good Neighbor Authority (GNA). Stewardship contracting
Some would like to expand the program to include
authorizes FS and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
additional projects, whereas others would like to phase out
to enter into dual service and timber sale contracts for up to
the program. Congress also may address assistance issues,
10 years to achieve certain specified land management
such as outreach, education, research, and market
objectives. The GNA, which was permanently authorized
opportunities for traditional and nontraditional forest
and extended nationwide, allows FS and BLM to enter into
products. For example, Congress may include programs to
agreements with state agencies to conduct watershed
incentivize the use of wood residue for renewable energy or
restoration and protection projects on neighboring national
to expand the use of wood in construction applications (e.g.,
forest or BLM lands. Previously, the GNA was authorized
tall wood buildings).
only in Colorado and Utah.
Several of the forestry issues that were debated but
ultimately not included in the enacted 2014 farm bill could
Forestry Provisions in Other 2014 Farm Bill Titles
resurface in future farm bills or other legislation. For
Forestry-related provisions also are included in other farm
example, the House-passed version of the 2014 farm bill
bill titles. For example, the Conservation (Title II),
(H.R. 2642) proposed to eliminate the permanent
Research (Title VII), Energy (Title IX), and Miscellaneous
authorizations for several programs (e.g., the Forest Legacy
(Title XII) titles each contain provisions related to forestry
Program) by establishing a sunset date. The enacted 2014
or forest ownership.
farm bill did not include these provisions, but funding
Potential Forestry Provisions in a Future
authority issues could be the subject of future deliberations.
Farm Bill
Related CRS Reports
CRS Report R43431, Forestry Provisions in the 2014 Farm
The need to consider reauthorizing many of the agricultural
Bill (P.L. 113-79); CRS Report RL31065, Forestry
programs is a prime reason for Congress to consider
Assistance Programs.
periodic farm bills. Even though many forestry programs
are permanently authorized, the farm bill presents an
Katie Hoover, Specialist in Natural Resources Policy
opportunity to modify existing programs and possibly
IF10681
https://crsreports.congress.gov

Farm Bill Primer: Forestry Title

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