We realize there have been some heavy swings going on in the market. Because of the level of detail in our Mill2Market data, we thought we'd share our insight into the cause and course of those swings.

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The claim making the rounds of environmental non-governmental organizations is that whole mature trees are being used to make wood pellets, and that this results in carbon emissions that are at least as bad as coal if not worse.

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The ongoing controversy over forest carbon accounting reminds me of the H.L. Mencken quote, "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple and wrong." The clear and simple answers for complex questions such as when to start the carbon accounting clock, for example, are oftentimes fraught with error.

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The way that timber is sold in the US South provides a strong legal framework for ensuring that harvests are being conducted in a sustainable fashion. The process for selling timber and the documentation that accompanies it-the timber sale contract-are critical for demonstrating not only the legality of the sale but that all laws and best management practices are being followed as well.

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After edging up by 0.1% in October (revised from -0.1%), the seasonally adjusted industrial production (IP) index gained another 1.1% in November. The bulk of November's gain is attributable to utility output, thanks to colder temperatures.

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In its latest release, the Census Bureau provided three months' worth of housing starts, permits and completion data that was previously delayed due to the temporary government shutdown last October. Preliminary numbers for November saw housing starts jump above the one million mark for the first time since March.

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The message that forest products industries must better work to promote their products to consumers was an overarching theme of 2013. This year, companies appear positioned to do just that. A program to promote paper products has been approved, and one for hardwood lumber products may soon follow.

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