Issue Position: Jobs in Forest Industry

Issue Position

The West Virginia forest industries provides more than 30,000 jobs to our economy. However, the Forestry Industry has grown increasingly vulnerable as timber values continue to decline, the cost and availability of adequate workers' compensation insurance are moving in the wrong direction and we are lacking a skilled labor force. Indeed, a number of logger and sawmill operations have cut back hours of operation, laid off employees or even closed. As Commissioner of Agriculture, I will serve on the Board of Public Works and thus have the ability to serve as a vital advocate for creating a positive business environment for the forest industries. I will focus my efforts for ways to mitigate the negative path we are headed on, while keeping a watchful eye for and fighting against future challenges. Further, I will encourage the other Public Works members to promote a business climate that is a level field for all that allows the economy picks the winners and losers, not the government.

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