Trees in the Program

[GunnyGene]

For y'all who may not know what the "program" is, it's the USDA Conservation Reserve Program that pays people a small annual stipend to grow trees. I have a few acres in loblolly pine that's been growing for about 35 years, and we're reaching the end of the contract next year. So I made a few calls to find out the going price for pulp wood. Not good. About $3/ton, minus what it would cost to get them harvested, which would eat up all of that and then some. So I reckon I'll just let 'em grow until they fall over. That's ok, the turkey, deer and other wildlife likes it thisaway.

[Kissmybrass]

Screen Shot 2021-08-12 at 9.58.16 AM.png (44.6 KiB) Viewed 1013 times

Hang on to that gold mine!

[GunnyGene]

Screen Shot 2021-08-12 at 9.58.16 AM.png





Hang on to that gold mine!

What exactly is that chart supposed to depict and what's the source?

[Kissmybrass]

It's the market trend for pulp.

https://ycharts.com/indicators/us_produ ... s_woodpulp

[GunnyGene]

It's the market trend for pulp.

https://ycharts.com/indicators/us_produ ... s_woodpulp

That's after it's been turned into pulp, not what the harvested trees are worth. Especially not here.

[Kissmybrass]

Doesn't the demand and increase drive the tree value up? Thought that would go hand in hand - at least the Turkeys will be happy lol

[Sir Henry]

If you don’t need the money which doesn’t seem to be there let them grow. What would you do with the money buy a picture of a turkey!

[fortyshooter]

Haven't seen a turkey around my range property in 2 years and a lot of clear cutting around during that time too. Used to see a dozen or more on my trail cams. Back in 2018 https://youtu.be/MlA_-xwc118

[GunnyGene]

Doesn't the demand and increase drive the tree value up? Thought that would go hand in hand - at least the Turkeys will be happy lol

It would have to triple for it to be worth harvesting here. Harvested trees (mostly coniferous) only account for about 16% of the pulp source material. The rest is largely from recycled paper, sawmill waste(sawdust, chips, etc.), and other manufactured wood products such as cardboard, fiberboard, plywood, construction lumber, etc., that's scraped out.

[markiver54]

As far as paper goes, it depands on what kind of paper they are making, as to what goes in the pulp. News board is the lowest grade, which has all sorts of crap in it. Higher quality paperboards/paper, are made from Hard Woods.

[GunnyGene]

As far as paper goes, it depands on what kind of paper they are making, as to what goes in the pulp. News board is the lowest grade, which has all sorts of crap in it. Higher quality paperboards/paper, are made from Hard Woods.

True. It's a lot more complex process from start to finish than most people realize.