On March 23, 2026 at the Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Administrator for the Rural Business and Cooperative Service J.R. Claeys announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture is guaranteeing $115.2 million across eight states through the Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program (TPEP) to ensure sawmills and other wood processing facilities have the necessary funding to establish, reopen, expand, or improve their operations. The states receiving the advancement include California, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Oklahoma, Virginia and Wisconsin.
“We cannot allow wildfires to devastate and destroy our rural communities,” said Claeys. “That’s why the USDA is taking bold action to stop the destruction of our forestlands by investing in sawmills and wood processing facilities that support sustainable timber harvesting. These actions strengthen local businesses, support rural prosperity and create jobs for hardworking Americans.”
