U.S. Lumber Coalition Praises CBP's Action Against Trade Evasion in Lumber Imports
On September 30, 2025, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) initiated an investigation into Coastal Specialty Forest Products, Inc. regarding the potential evasion of antidumping and countervailing duty laws on lumber imports from Canada. This announcement comes as part of the ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with U.S. trade laws and safeguard the domestic lumber industry. The investigation was prompted by an allegation filed by the U.S. Lumber Coalition, bolstered by ship manifest data indicating the transshipment of Canadian lumber through New Zealand.
Since 2017, nearly $8 billion has been paid by Canadian softwood lumber producers to the U.S. Customs due to antidumping and countervailing duties as well as Section 232 tariffs. As the Canadian lumber sector struggles to manage excess capacity—exacerbated by heavy government subsidies—it is vital that any attempts to bypass these duty payments are swiftly addressed.
Following an initial review, CBP found reasonable grounds to suspect that Coastal Forest Products had imported Canadian softwood lumber into the U.S. without fulfilling the necessary antidumping and countervailing duty cash deposit requirements. The potential ramifications of a final determination of evasion could include significant duties on any imports linked to this case.
Zoltan van Heyningen, Executive Director of the U.S. Lumber Coalition, emphasized the detrimental impact of transshipping lumber to evade lawful duties, commenting, "Transshipment of lumber into the United States via a third country not only undermines our domestic industry but also threatens American jobs. We commend CBP for their swift action in enforcing trade laws."
The Coalition remains vigilant, reaffirming its commitment to monitor all imports and ensure that the compliance of trade laws protects U.S. producers, workers, and communities. The strategy employed by Coastal Specialty Forest Products, involving the shipment of lumber to New Zealand only to be sent back to the U.S., exemplifies the lengths to which companies may go to circumvent regulations.
In conclusion, the U.S. Lumber Coalition expresses gratitude towards CBP for their dedicated efforts to uncover trade law violations, which are pivotal in maintaining fair competition and preserving the integrity of the U.S. lumber market. The Coalition's overarching mission is to serve as the voice of the American lumber community and to counter Canada's unfair lumber trade practices. The Coalition strongly advocates for the full enforcement of U.S. trade laws, aiming to foster growth within the domestic lumber industry without the interference of unfairly traded imports. For additional information, interested parties are invited to visit www.uslumbercoalition.org, the Coalition's official website. This site further details the Coalition's initiatives and stance against unfair trade practices in the lumber sector.
Since 2017, nearly $8 billion has been paid by Canadian softwood lumber producers to the U.S. Customs due to antidumping and countervailing duties as well as Section 232 tariffs. As the Canadian lumber sector struggles to manage excess capacity—exacerbated by heavy government subsidies—it is vital that any attempts to bypass these duty payments are swiftly addressed.
Following an initial review, CBP found reasonable grounds to suspect that Coastal Forest Products had imported Canadian softwood lumber into the U.S. without fulfilling the necessary antidumping and countervailing duty cash deposit requirements. The potential ramifications of a final determination of evasion could include significant duties on any imports linked to this case.
Zoltan van Heyningen, Executive Director of the U.S. Lumber Coalition, emphasized the detrimental impact of transshipping lumber to evade lawful duties, commenting, "Transshipment of lumber into the United States via a third country not only undermines our domestic industry but also threatens American jobs. We commend CBP for their swift action in enforcing trade laws."
The Coalition remains vigilant, reaffirming its commitment to monitor all imports and ensure that the compliance of trade laws protects U.S. producers, workers, and communities. The strategy employed by Coastal Specialty Forest Products, involving the shipment of lumber to New Zealand only to be sent back to the U.S., exemplifies the lengths to which companies may go to circumvent regulations.
In conclusion, the U.S. Lumber Coalition expresses gratitude towards CBP for their dedicated efforts to uncover trade law violations, which are pivotal in maintaining fair competition and preserving the integrity of the U.S. lumber market. The Coalition's overarching mission is to serve as the voice of the American lumber community and to counter Canada's unfair lumber trade practices. The Coalition strongly advocates for the full enforcement of U.S. trade laws, aiming to foster growth within the domestic lumber industry without the interference of unfairly traded imports. For additional information, interested parties are invited to visit www.uslumbercoalition.org, the Coalition's official website. This site further details the Coalition's initiatives and stance against unfair trade practices in the lumber sector.
Topics Policy & Public Interest）
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