FORESTRY 411
2022 STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION REPORT
Association lobbyist Jim Spratt reports that both Senate and House leaders are actively working on budget allocations. He says the state is in strong financial circumstances and that it would not be surprising to see a significant uptick in non-recurring projects to ultimately receive funding.

From a policy standpoint, he reports that there were several bills which continued their voyage through the legislative gauntlet this week.
BIELLING SPEAKS TO SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE
Association Vice President Jimmy Bielling spoke before the Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday. He provided an update on the state of Florida's forest industry and also shared the Association's recently released "Florida Forestry" video. View the video here.

In his remarks, Bielling explained to the committee members that although forestry is mainly associated with North Florida, its economic and environmental benefits positively impact the entire state.

He was joined by Executive Committee member Jim Karels and Executive Vice President Alan Shelby (pictured below) and Florida Forest Service Assistant Director Johnny Sabo.
TEAM SAFE TRUCKING RELEASES 2022 SAFETY BOOKLET
Team Safe Trucking has released the 2022 Team Safe Trucking Accident and Preventive Measures Booklet. This publication goes over 12 accidents that occurred in 2021, which will allow you to cover an accident each month with your team. 

Reviewing these accidents will help your team identify causes and preventive measures. Discussions can take place, and strategies can be developed to prevent accidents from recurring. The booklet provides preventive measures for each accident, however you and your teams may discuss additional or more specific preventive measures that your company can put into place to prevent these types of accidents.
FMCSA ENTRY LEVEL TRAINING RULE
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Entry-Level Driver Training Rule is set to take effect on February 7, 2022. The rule finalized in 2017 sets minimum federal training requirements that a driver must obtain prior to receiving a commercial driver’s license. Applicants will be required to obtain training from a provider listed on the FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry.

The new training requirements are said to be welcomed by the trucking industry, although there are concerns that the additional training requirements will add to current driver shortages. 
SFI LAUNCHES NEW STANDARDS
SFI certification is a powerful tool to provide customers and producers of forest products with the tools and guidance they need to make responsible supply chain decisions and achieve responsible forest management goals.

Over the last two years, SFI has engaged in extensive consultations as part of their goal of continuous improvement in the standards and guidance. They gathered input from more than 2,300 stakeholders from the conservation community, Indigenous communities, the forest products sector, brand owners, private forest landowners and public forest managers, government agencies, trade associations, landowner associations, academia, and the public, and have released new requirements.
TAX TIPS
The dedicated forest business extension specialists at the University of Florida, the University of Georgia and the US Forest Service are once again providing tax help to forest landowners. To help you understand the forestry specific tax provisions and how the general tax rules apply to your forestry activities, here are the Tax Tips for Forest Landowners for the 2021 Tax Year. 

Also, the Woodland Stewards Extension Program is providing a webinar series to help private forest landowners understand timber tax rules, how timber expenses should be reported, and how they are taxed. Remaining dates for the webinars are February 1, 8, and 15, 2022.

LOOKING TO SAVE SOME BUCKS?
Partnering with Outdoor Underwriters, Inc., the Association offers our members special reduced rates for liability insurance for hunting leases and timberland.
 
CALENDAR OF EVENTS

AG HALL OF FAME INDUCTION BANQUET
February 15, 2022
State Fairgrounds
Tampa, FL

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
February 16, 2022
State Fairgrounds
Tampa, FL

February 26, 2022
8 AM-12 PM Eastern
Branford, FL

May 3-4, 2022
8 AM-5 PM Eastern
Florida Gateway College
Lake City, FL

July 14, 2022
8 AM-12 PM Eastern
Virtual

September 22, 2022
8 AM-12 PM Eastern
Virtual

October 22, 2022
8 AM-12 PM Eastern
Virtual

December 8, 2022
8 AM-12 PM Central
Blountstown, FL
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