Governor Kay Ivey
Alabama forest landowners who harvested timber March 2020 through July 2020 are eligible to receive up to US$10,000 in relief funds due to reduced stumpage fees paid during that time. Source: Timberbiz
Governor Kay Ivey awarded US$10 million of the Coronavirus Relief Fund for a state-wide program to assist Alabama timber owners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The forestry industry has an economic impact of over US$23 billion in the state of Alabama and provides over 40,000 jobs in some of the most rural parts of our state,” Governor Ivey said.
“CARES Act funds are intended to stabilize our economic losses and help our state recover from COVID-19. This program is designed to reduce the burden of Alabama’s 23 million acres of timberland and the subsequent jobs that depend on a healthy timber industry.”
This grant program will be administered through the Alabama Forestry Commission and will include grants of up to $10,000 on a first-come, first-serve basis to qualifying timber owners who harvested timber in Alabama during the months of March through July.
“The Alabama Forestry Commission understands that forest landowners in the state have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus. These assistance payments will not make landowners whole, but they will help,” State Forester Rick Oates said.
“An even more important effect of this program will be that this money will not sit in people’s bank accounts. It will help landowners better care for the forest resources with which they are entrusted, and in doing so, will ber einvested in the economy and be spent several times. We are pleased that Governor Ivey chose to use CARES money to help Alabama forest landowners.”
