MISS. DELEGATION ASKS U.S. TRADE REP. TO PROTECT MISS. FOREST, AG PRODUCTS IN TRADE TALKS WITH E.U.

MISS. DELEGATION ASKS U.S. TRADE REP. TO PROTECT MISS. FOREST, AG PRODUCTS IN TRADE TALKS WITH E.U.

United Congressional Delegation Outlines Harm in E.U. Deforestation Regime

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A united Mississippi congressional delegation today encouraged the Trump administration to use ongoing trade talks to prioritize the protection of Mississippi forest and agricultural exports that could be harmed if the European Union (E.U.) implements deforestation regulations.

U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and U.S. Representatives Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Trent Kelly (R-Miss.), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), and Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) today issued a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that outlines how the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) will make it harder for Mississippi products to be exported to the E.U. market.

"In Mississippi, forestry has a nearly $20 billion impact on the state's economy, supporting 130,000 landowners and 84,000 jobs. As currently designed, the EUDR is a non-tariff trade barrier that introduces substantial uncertainty for landowners, manufacturers, and exporters in our state, and risks further depressing already strained log and wood-product markets, harming rural communities that depend on healthy, functioning timber economies," the delegation wrote in a letter led by Hyde-Smith.

The Mississippi lawmakers wrote that designating the United States as a "low-risk country" for deforestation does not negate the fact that EUDR data and verification requirements are unworkable in U.S. domestic timber production systems.

"Regardless of risk level, exporters must still provide geolocation data and verifiable information showing that the product is deforestation-free. The system required to comply with this regulation does not fit the complex supply chain used by our domestic timber industry, and it will create significant administrative and cost burdens for businesses and landowners," the delegation explained.

The delegation also expressed concern that making imports contingent on declared future management of forested lands is an infringement on private property rights - EUDR requirements that were "never tailored to the U.S. regulatory system or to the realities of private ownership."

The Mississippi delegation encouraged Greer to work with the EU to:

• Recognize the responsible forest management practices in the United States and Mississippi forestry sectors;
• Support simplified EUDR compliance requirements for the United States as a low-risk country for deforestation; and,
• Address how the current EUDR regulation infringes on American private property rights.

The E.U. approved EUDR in 2023 to address global deforestation and its link to agriculture commodities. The rule's scope includes wood and wood products, as well as agriculture commodities and cattle. After several delays in implementation, the E.U. is set to begin enforcement on Dec. 30, 2026, including a six-month extension for small operators, while also conducting a targeted simplification review by April 30, 2026.

The congressional delegation's efforts are supported by the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, Mississippi Forestry Association, and Mississippi Cattlemen's Association, which have joined a multistate push for the U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Department of Agriculture to challenge the EUDR for its threat to U.S. forestry and cattle and row crops raised on land previously in timber production.

Forest products, including wood pellets, and crops like soybeans and sweet potatoes are among the leading Mississippi agricultural products exported to the E.U.

Read the Mississippi congressional delegation's letter here.

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