ANLA submits comments about bark and mulch supply threat
15 Apr, 2010 LDB Solutions
On April 9, the American Nursery & Landscape Association (ANLA) submitted comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the potential harms for the Green Industry represented by implementation of the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP).
The inclusion of BCAP in the 2007 Farm Bill allows for a subsidy of up to $45 per ton of wood-based materials like pine bark and hardwood/softwood chips that are used in production and installation of green goods. This USDA biomass fuel subsidy program potentially threatens the availability of all wood mill based residual materials, including bark, bark-based soils and mulch supplies. According to the ANLA, the marketplace disruption could be devastating as the price and potential availability of these materials comes into question. This will impact all segments of the green industry from the growing of containerized nursery stock, maintenance of plants in the landscape, and retail sales of mulch, bark and bark-based soil products.
ANLA is lobbying with representatives of other impacted industries to try to blunt the possible impact and to make changes in the proposed BCAP rule. Its comments to USDA FSA on behalf of the nursery, landscape and floriculture industry ask that restrictions be placed on the use of wood-based residues in the program.
In a video on ANLA's site, Corey Connors said particle board prices were already endangered by the subsidy because it applied to sawdust. USDA froze the program, but ANLA says the current rules are not enforceable and will not protect the affordable availability of pine bark and wood chips.
For more information, visit ANLA’s BCAP resource page.
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