Logging trade group urges tax relief and low‑interest loans as mill closures, wet weather strain Vermont contractors

Dana Duran, executive director of the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast, told the Vermont House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry on an occasion during the committee meeting that Vermont logging contractors face falling markets and weather‑related work losses and asked the committee to back tax and loan measures to improve competitiveness.

The trade group's top legislative priority this session, Duran said, is a sales‑tax exemption for purchases and parts for heavy‑duty trucks used in logging, a bill sponsored by Representative Lipsky. Duran said New York and New Hampshire offer similar exemptions and that Maine is considering a similar change this year. He also asked for support to approve a state revolving loan program for low‑ground‑pressure equipment and for master logger scholarship funding already included in last year’s appropriations.

Why it matters: Duran said statewide timber markets and contractor capacity have fallen in recent years because of mill closures and weak saw‑log pricing, and that weather has shortened workable field seasons for many contractors. He said the combination of market loss and reduced work days has put Vermont contractors at a competitive disadvantage relative to neighboring states.

Details from testimony and committee context Duran described…