USDA Approved Firewood Vendors

[Firewoodguy NE]

In texas there are currently no kiln dried, heat treated or moving restrictions but that will change some day as almost every state is moving to having restrictions... from not moving firewood more than a certain distance (25-50 miles seems the norm) unless it is heat treated. Heat treated and Kiln dried are not the same thing. Kiln dried simply means that it was put in a kiln (mostly to reduce water content) while Heat treated is a USDA term and has specific core temperatures and time in a kiln to achieve a "heat treated status" and this is done so that all invasive species and many tree diseases are done away with.....So think "all Natural" vs Organic... All natural means nothing while Organic has multiple legal requirements. Sooner or later every state will tighten the transport radius or mandate Kiln dried. We are building a kiln now to differentiate ourselves and will start out saying the wood is "kiln dried" until we get our temps and gauging systems dialed in to go for the USDA "heat treated" label. Since National and State parks are leading the charge to combat invasive species they are the first to restrict.....Right now the National Parks require firewood to be either gathered on site or purchased on site or USDA (I believe). We sell firewood only in State parks so it is in our best interest to get out ahead of the changes.

Apparently, The EAB has just been discovered in Texas about a year ago. https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/map/texas/
Your newer regulations for movement of firewood is closer than you think. " Good Timing !" You installing a kiln couldn't be of a better time. Hope u do well !

 

[Firewoodguy NE]

In texas there are currently no kiln dried, heat treated or moving restrictions but that will change some day as almost every state is moving to having restrictions... from not moving firewood more than a certain distance (25-50 miles seems the norm) unless it is heat treated. Heat treated and Kiln dried are not the same thing. Kiln dried simply means that it was put in a kiln (mostly to reduce water content) while Heat treated is a USDA term and has specific core temperatures and time in a kiln to achieve a "heat treated status" and this is done so that all invasive species and many tree diseases are done away with.....So think "all Natural" vs Organic... All natural means nothing while Organic has multiple legal requirements. Sooner or later every state will tighten the transport radius or mandate Kiln dried. We are building a kiln now to differentiate ourselves and will start out saying the wood is "kiln dried" until we get our temps and gauging systems dialed in to go for the USDA "heat treated" label. Since National and State parks are leading the charge to combat invasive species they are the first to restrict.....Right now the National Parks require firewood to be either gathered on site or purchased on site or USDA (I believe). We sell firewood only in State parks so it is in our best interest to get out ahead of the changes.

Apparently, the time is closer than u think https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/map/texas/

 

[woodshax]

Snap....thanks....we better get into high gear!!

 

[fireemt799]

I have looked into it but I don't face any quarantines in my area. My kiln will reach the required temperature but was quoted over $15k to get certification which is way too much for me. If I had to certify I would get a kiln direct kiln because they come out and certify it when they install and would need their larger volume to even make it worth considering.

There is also a different certification that different groups are pushing. It is basically the same certification as pellets go through from pellet fuel institute and others. This new push coincides with the new epa stove emmission rules. Of you don't burn dry wood your stove will put out more emmissions than its supposed to. They want to certify firewood to meet their standards and make that the only wood you can use in epa approved stoves. It's a bad idea that would have very bad restrictions on producers that would kill the little guys and increase the cost of wood to be uncompetitive. It has been in biomass magazine among others and really hope it doesn't get legs and become laws. The next level of epa stove emissions is pretty scary as well.

 

[Hddnis]

Exactly, it has everything to do with power and nothing to do with invasive species.

 

[Firewoodguy NE]

NO

Good old USDA. How much does it cost to be certified to sell firewood???


I'm sorry sir, that wood burns tooo hot and toooo clean-- you are going to have to buy electric or gas,, we don't want you savin any money burning your own renwable resource. Now here is your $10,000 fine and I am goin have to take your saw and your truck, have a nice day!!!!:bang:

How much does it cost to be certified to sell firewood???
Reply; In the northeast, there are only a few heat-treated processing that meets state and USDA compliances. average cost per cord is between $300 - 350.00 per cord in bulk delivered by the manufacture. you also get a numbered recite that its USDA compliance interstate / intrastate movement of firewood. There is NO state / federal fee to become a re-distributing dealer. Hope this helps

 

[sb47]

With travel being so easy and millions doing it everyday. There only slowing it down at best. I'm sure there not interested in stopping the spread of EAB as much as there just collecting a new tax. I don't cut ash so that may not affect me. But knowing our goobberment they will tax all wood just as a new source of revenue. If you plan on selling commercially you already have to be certified.

 

[sb47]

$500,000 fine for moving the wrong wood!!!! Dang, selling my saws and buying a pick axe and shovel- what are regs on self mining coal???

Just seems impossible to control because many of the firewood cutters do not know what kind of wood they have cut.

What does a tree service do with a bad ash tree for removal??? They don't burn it where it grew, do they?

Those are some serious regulations and fines:msp_ohmy::msp_ohmy::msp_ohmy:

There simply gonna say. "Ignorance of the law is no excuse".

 

[woodshax]

With travel being so easy and millions doing it everyday. There only slowing it down at best. I'm sure there not interested in stopping the spread of EAB as much as there just collecting a new tax. I don't cut ash so that may not affect me. But knowing our goobberment they will tax all wood just as a new source of revenue. If you plan on selling commercially you already have to be certified.

Certification depends on the State....Big brother or tree huggers......it is a toss up on who is pushing the new regs but they are a comin! so might as well suck it up and play the game. If I could get heat treated wood here in texas for $300 a cord, I would forgo the kiln and just buy all I could get....I resell it for $1200 a cord after it is bagged or bundled and could sell it for more if it is certified

 

[redoakneck]

There simply gonna say. "Ignorance of the law is no excuse".

Yep, just like hunting or fishing without a license.

 

[Firewoodguy NE]

Certification depends on the State....Big brother or tree huggers......it is a toss up on who is pushing the new regs but they are a comin! so might as well suck it up and play the game. If I could get heat treated wood here in texas for $300 a cord, I would forgo the kiln and just buy all I could get....I resell it for $1200 a cord after it is bagged or bundled and could sell it for more if it is certified

Reply;
I agree with you in forgetting manufacturing heat-treating firewood vs buying approved certified firewood in bulk form. Its a lot less to buy USDA certified firewood delivered to your yard than it is to manufacture / process / heat-treated it and the operating cost and maintenance via Kiln drying firewood yourself. From re-calculating your figures, .75 cu ft Bundled firewood is about the same retail price around here as it is in your area. I never sold bundled firewood, I only been selling partial cord units of kiln dry via Heat Treatment since '97. Around the turn of the century, its now labeled around here as Heat - Treated firewood vs Kiln Drying. thanks for listening, Have a great day!

 

[woodshax]

Yep...."heat treated" is like organic....must meet the USDA guidelines while "kiln dried" is like "natural" no standard....you can stick it in a Kiln for 5 minutes and call it that.....I was thinking of selling "all natural, no chemicals added, kiln dried, Gluten free, no MSG, or added sugar, american made firewood" to see who bites

 

[Erik B]

Yep...."heat treated" is like organic....must meet the USDA guidelines while "kiln dried" is like "natural" no standard....you can stick it in a Kiln for 5 minutes and call it that.....I was thinking of selling "all natural, no chemicals added, kiln dried, Gluten free, no MSG, or added sugar, american made firewood" to see who bites

What about 'no added dyes'? Buyers need to be able to identify wood by its natural color. LOL

 

[Firewoodguy NE]

Yep...."heat treated" is like organic....must meet the USDA guidelines while "kiln dried" is like "natural" no standard....you can stick it in a Kiln for 5 minutes and call it that.....I was thinking of selling "all natural, no chemicals added, kiln dried, Gluten free, no MSG, or added sugar, american made firewood" to see who bites

Woodshax, I wouldn't go that far in advertising unless you have real documentation to back it up. That may or could lead to false advertising if you don't have documentation to back up your advertisements. For an example, I just use the same language as my state and bordering states uses, USDA and EPA "burn wise" recommendations. i.e. Heat-Treated firewood, ...what you burn matters !, ..what you buy matters!, Insect and disease Free, a better choice or safer firewood and etc., etc. for your advertising.
There is requirements you have to follow when you receive a state/USDA compliance agreement to transport heat-treated or un-treated firewood from a quarantine county to another non-quarantine country and vise versa and into and return from a bordering state.
My compliance agreement requirements indicates that if I change my supplier, I have to notify them, and any Heat-treated firewood can not be left on the ground waiting to be re-distributed and transportation vehicles has to be an enclosed top vehicle/vehicles.
Therefore, there is not that much for a dealer to comply to via holding a state/gov compliance agreement. If you hold a compliance agreement, and you as a dealer, violates the compliance agreement, that's where the $5,000 fines are issued
to the dealer.
Hope that my post will help you on advertising and how my compliance agreement worked for me, in my state and the northeast bordering states.
Hope it works well for u too.

 

[woodshax]

Thanks NE.....we will get there....right now I just deal with the DFW state parks and will go through about 200 cords a year selling by the bag....and I am the one leading them forward.... this year....sourced with in 50 miles, next year within 25 and supplemented with "kiln dried",
year 3 25 miles or Kiln dried to the USDA standard but not marked "heat treated" and year 4, 25 miles or USDA standard and marked......They are all over it because the Texas legislators are too busy arguing over what bathrooms people should use vice environmental controls

 

[Firewoodguy NE]

Thanks NE.....we will get there....right now I just deal with the DFW state parks and will go through about 200 cords a year selling by the bag....and I am the one leading them forward.... this year....sourced with in 50 miles, next year within 25 and supplemented with "kiln dried",
year 3 25 miles or Kiln dried to the USDA standard but not marked "heat treated" and year 4, 25 miles or USDA standard and marked......They are all over it because the Texas legislators are too busy arguing over what bathrooms people should use vice environmental controls

Reply, that's interesting to know how different parts of the US states is acting upon firewood/environmental issues. Oh well !
I usually read up on the newest CA regulations, cus those regulations usually or always become effective in this region about 8-10 later. you take care !

 

[ChoppyChoppy]

I can't see kiln drying firewood to be economical. Maybe if the kiln was wood fired, but still would have ~15k in a boiler and setup.

I could in theory fit maybe 3 cords in our kiln. To dry it and break even I'd have to make a $275 cord cost about $450!

I'd have to sell bundles at around $10 each (double the cost) to make about the same profit I do now with regular wood.

We have spruce bark beatles here, it is what it is. No rules about it. I don't sell much spruce anyhow though, I think I did 7 cords last year out of almost 500.

 

[T. Mainus]

We are certified by the State of Wisconsin. This means our firewood can travel anywhere in the state, including state parks. We are quarantined because of the emerald ash borer. Firewood is not supposed to leave the area that it was harvested in to help stop the spread of EAB. Our certified wood has to stay on our premises for 2 years before we sell it. It costs us $50 for the application, and then they send someone out to inspect your log piles/and or splits. We have to have signed documentation from the logging company on when the load was delivered. We then get a certificate that we give to the customers who need it for going camping. Most campgrounds around here won't even let you bring in certified wood any more. They ban all firewood under the disguise of stopping EAB, but they really just want to gouge you on the firewood they are selling in the campground. We do it because we do get some relatively free advertising out of it and we do make some more sales to people going camping.