USDA implements new wood processing program
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack unveiled a new program to support American wood processing facilities.
USDA Rural Development is partnering with USDA Forest Service to provide funding through the new Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program (TPEP). The program will support the processing and utilization of wood products from National Forest System lands to improve forest health and reduce the risk posed by wildfires, insects and disease and the detrimental impacts they have on communities and critical infrastructure.
Through TPEP, USDA Rural Development and the Forest Service will make $220 million available in loan guarantees for borrowers to establish, reopen, retrofit, expand, or improve wood processing facilities, sawmills and paper mills, that use trees harvested from federal or Tribal lands. The program is designed to manage up to 20 million acres of national forests managed by USDA Forest Service and complement the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy.
USDA Rural Development will begin accepting TPEP applications on December 26, 2024, with a maximum loan amount of $25 million. USDA encourages applicants to use the TPEP Dashboard to find areas the Forest Service has identified as high or very high priority areas to address the risk of wildfires and insect infestations or disease, which have caused or have the potential to cause significant damage.
Applicants may learn more through the upcoming TPEP webinar, scheduled for Jan. 6, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
USDA encourages applicants to consider projects that will advance the following key priorities:
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• Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities;
• Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to USDA Rural Development programs and benefits from Rural Development-funded projects; and
• Assisting rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure.
Applications must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov.
