The so-called “Softwood Agreement” between the U.S. and Canada has been a bone of contention for decades. The agreement has been in negotiations but nothing has resulted, until now. The duty on Canadian lumber into Montana is now 14% but that’s about to change. This fall, the duty paid by Canadians goes to 34%.
The folks at the Stoltze Mill in Columbia Falls — being the largest independent mill in Montana — are thinking this could really help them sell more of their products. They fear that the lower priced Canadian lumber will get dumped into the state before the new duties take effect.
It’s all about the divergent grading systems, which tends to put Montana lumber at a disadvantage. All this has nothing to do with the 25% tariffs placed on Canadian products by the Trump Administration. The Softwood Agreement is separate and apart from that.
