HLS 18RS-1692 ORIGINAL
2018 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 42
BY REPRESENTATIVE HILL
AGRICULTURE/FOREST DEPT: Urges and requests the Department of Agriculture and
Forestry to study the feasibility of creating a lumber grading training program
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to study the feasibility of
3 creating a lumber grading training program under the office of forestry.
4 WHEREAS, small sawmills producing local-use lumber have levels of production
5that make obtaining and maintaining the ability to grade-stamp cost prohibitive; and
6 WHEREAS, New Hampshire passed legislation in 1994 to allow sawmills registered
7with the New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands to certify local lumber or lumber
8sawn in the state for local end-use applications; and
9 WHEREAS, Wisconsin passed legislation in 2004 to establish a basic lumber grading
10training program to allow individuals to grade lumber for use in the construction of
11dwellings under very limited circumstances; and
12 WHEREAS, New Hampshire and Wisconsin offer one-day courses on lumber
13grading standards and require individuals to take a grading test upon completion of the
14course that must be retaken every five years to maintain certification; and
15 WHEREAS, these courses are offered through the University of New Hampshire
16Cooperative Extension and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and are under the
17authority of the Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food and the Department of Natural
18Resources, respectively; and
19 WHEREAS, in Louisiana, the office of forestry under the Department of Agriculture
20and Forestry is responsible for the facilitation of educational programs relating to forestry;
21and
Page 1 of 2 HLS 18RS-1692 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 42
1 WHEREAS, Louisiana currently has forestry programs offered at Louisiana State
2University and Agricultural and Mechanical College at Baton Rouge, Southern University
3and Agricultural and Mechanical College at Baton Rouge, Louisiana Tech University at
4Ruston, and Central Louisiana Technical Community College at the Oakdale and Huey P.
5Long campuses, which will merge with SOWELA Technical Community College in July
62018; and
7 WHEREAS, offering a basic lumber grading training program either directly through
8the office of forestry or in partnership with one of the state's existing college forestry
9programs would allow small mills to grade local lumber for individuals to use in their
10homes.
11 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
12urge and request the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to study the feasibility of
13creating a lumber grading training program under the office of forestry and submit a report
14of its findings and recommendations to the legislature no later than February 1, 2019.
15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
16to the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the state forester, the
17Louisiana State University vice president for agriculture and dean of the College of
18Agriculture, the chancellor of the Southern University Agricultural Center and dean of the
19College of Agriculture, the president of Louisiana Tech University, and the chancellor of
20SOWELA Technical Community College.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 42 Original 2018 Regular Session Hill
Urges and requests the Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry to study the feasibility of creating
a lumber grading training program. Requires the department to submit a report of its
findings and recommendations to the legislature no later than Feb. 1, 2019.
Page 2 of 2