Policy Gaps in the 2018 Agricultural Improvement Act and their Effects on Forest Resources

Forests of the US consist primarily of naturally regenerated hardwood species in eastern states and softwood species in the West. Nonindustrial families in the South own one-third of the 475 million acres that are private. Of the 253 million acres that are public, 75 percent are overseen by the Forest Service. Biotic and abiotic stressors are adversely affecting forests nationwide. Title VIII sections targeted in this paper is unlikely to improve the situation because they do not accord with current knowledge or regional norms. Congress must work with state governments to formulate a new federal policy implementable across ownerships.