As we return from our annual meeting at the Canaan Valley Resort & Conference Center, (and take time to catch our collective breath) we can report a fabulously renovated hotel facility, good times, renewed acquaintances and, importantly, a recent-record attendance; e.g., 212 for the BBQ alone!

We will be reporting more in coming issues as the numbers 'fall out' and the reports roll in...

Some U.S. senators may introduce a floor amendment to REMOVE the provision in the Transportation Appropriations bill that would suspend the Hours Of Service "Restart Rule." Loggers would benefit from other members of the forestry community asking our U.S. senators to vote against any such amendment in a floor vote. Sen. Susan Collins’s (R-ME) proposal to suspend the new, unworkable trucking Hours Of Service "restart" rule pending a one-year study to validate its methodology was included in the Senate Transportation Appropriations bill on a strong, bipartisan vote, weeks ago. Senators should oppose any floor amendment to remove or weaken that language.

Our logging friends at the Forest Resources Association are reporting about working with other sectors to protect the Section 530 "Safe Harbor," which has protected qualifying independent contractors from reclassification as employees under IRS jurisdictions since 1978. The latest threat was from Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who offered his Fair Playing Field Act (S 1706), which is essentially a Section 530 repeal, as an amendment to the PATH Act (which would provide stop-gap funding to the nearly depleted Highway Trust Fund) in the Senate Finance Committee.

Messages have been seen to Senate Finance Committee members affirming the value of the Safe Harbor and urging opposition to the Brown amendment.

During the July 10 Finance Committee markup of the PATH Act, Sen. Brown withdrew his amendment, taking Section 530 repeal out of consideration for the present.

Educating House and Senate members of both parties of the importance and fairness of Section 530 in wood supply management remains an important priority.

Waffle Hut, Flatwoods, WV
(without attachments)

WV Tree Farm Committee Vice-Chairman, Jim Mitchell, called the meeting to order at 10:09 a.m. Jim was acting in the place of Charles McNeel who recently resigned as WV Tree Farm Committee Chairman.
Jim introduced Mona Griswold (Mead Westvaco) from the VA Tree Farm Program and Frank Stewart, the new Executive Director of WVFA. Valerie Grant with WVU-CES was also introduced.

The following were present: Barb McWhorter, Jim Mitchell, Juergen Wildman, Jerry Waybright, Rick Persinger, Rudy Williams, Mona Griswold, Terry Jones, Cinda Francis, Todd Carnell, Russ Richardson, Dave McGill, Frank Stewart, Valerie Grant.

Minutes of the April 15, 2014, meeting were reviewed. It was noted that Tree Farmer of the Year Steve Antoline’s name was spelled wrong. Rick Persinger made a motion to accept the minutes with the name correction. Cinda Francis seconded the motion. The motion carried by voice vote.

"After shrinking by 1.4 percent in 2012, West Virginia's economy grew by 5.1 percent last year, more than all but two other states. While West Virginia is well-known as one of the nation's largest coal miners, the state is also a burgeoning source of natural gas. According to a report by the Bureau of Business & Economic Research at West Virginia University, the state's coal production is expected to decline in the coming years, while natural gas production has risen dramatically and is expected to continue to grow..."
Wyoming was No. 2 and North Dakota was first.