Family Forest Blog
May 15, 2025
Statement: Committees Take First Step in Supporting Forest Landowners in Reconciliation
Today, the US House Agriculture Committee and Ways and Means Committees took the first steps in supporting the more than 21 million American family forest owners by protecting and growing voluntary conservation programs and maintaining important tax provisions.
March 27, 2025
Statement: Disaster Reforestation Act Will Help Family Forest Owners Recover
Currently, family forest owners cannot recoup the value of their timber lost in natural disasters, making it that much harder for these owners to reinvest in the recovery of their forest. The Disaster Reforestation Act aims to fix this by amending the tax code to allow forest owners to deduct the market value of their timber destroyed by natural disasters.
February 27, 2025
Statement: AFF Applauds Appointment of Tom Schultz as Chief of United States Forest Service
AFF congratulates Tom Schultz on his appointment as the 21st Chief of the United States Forest Service. Tom brings a wealth of public and private land management experience to this role. We look forward to working with Tom to unlock markets and champion economic opportunities for rural families and communities while conserving our working lands.
February 13, 2025
Statement: AFF Applauds Confirmation of Brooke Rollins as Secretary of Agriculture
Scaling market-based solutions that invest in forest health and productivity can help these rural communities thrive and tackle the growing threats these lands and communities are facing. We’re excited to work with Secretary Rollins to advance both traditional and emerging markets that improve the health and productivity of our nation’s woodlands.
January 22, 2025
Statement: AFF Applauds Introduction of Disaster Reforestation Act
The Disaster Reforestation Act would provide family forest owners with an important financial tool they need to recover from a natural disaster: the ability to deduct their losses.
October 29, 2024
Branching Across the Aisle: How Building a Voluntary Carbon Market Benefits Rural Communities & The Planet
With the presidential election right around the corner, our television screens and social media feeds are filled with divisive messages and rhetoric. However, in a time where finding common ground seems nearly impossible, there is at least one thing that Americans on both sides of the aisle support: our forests.
August 14, 2024
Statement: USDA’s Advisory Council to Support Market Transparency and Credibility
"USDA’s creation of this council is a major step in creating the enabling conditions needed to build and scale a market that works for people and the planet."
August 13, 2024
The Forest Landowner Support Program: An Opportunity to Advance Conservation for Everyone
Through FLS, states can partner with projects like the Family Forest Carbon Program to unlock landowners’ access to the voluntary carbon market, opening the door to public and private investment in their forests and local economies.
June 17, 2024
Unlocking the Power of Rural America: The Rural Forest Markets Act
The fast-growing voluntary carbon market can unlock the potential for family forest owners to create meaningful impact, but their goals are often out of reach.
June 11, 2024
Statement: Senate Republican Farm Bill Framework Supports Rural America
We know that Rural Americans – especially rural landowners – play a critical role in achieving our country’s climate and conservation goals.
May 28, 2024
Statement: White House’s Voluntary Carbon Market Principles Support Rural America
The new guidance from the Biden-Harris Administration is a welcome acknowledgment of the value of climate-smart forestry and the importance of scaling the voluntary carbon market.
May 24, 2024
Statement: House’s Farm Bill Movement Represents Great Forward Progress for Rural Landowners
AFF encourages members from both chambers, on both sides of the aisle, to work together to strengthen and pass a bipartisan Farm Bill that supports rural forest owners.
May 21, 2024
Statement: House’s Farm Bill Signals Commitment to Family Forest Owners
The passage of the Farm Bill is critical to our country’s efforts to protect the health and wellbeing of our America’s forests, rural landowners and rural communities, and the planet.
May 1, 2024
Statement: Stabenow Farm Bill Framework Promising for Rural Family Landowners
“Rural family landowners are on the front lines protecting our forests and the clean air and water, climate mitigation, wildlife, and wood products that come from these lands that every American benefits from."
March 15, 2024
AFF Awarded IRA Funds to Empower Landowners with Market-Based Solutions
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded AFF $20 million of Inflation Reduction Act funds through its Forest Landowner Support program.