Alternative Facts?

Revised data that corrects a “massive” disparity in Canadian softwood lumber shipment volumes to the United States in 2016 could significantly impact countervailing and/or anti-dumping duty cases. According to Random Lengths, statistics gathered through the U.S. Census Bureau had reported that imports from Canada were 16.065 billion board feet in 2016. Figures from Statistics Canada indicated Canadian shipments to the U.S. were 14.954 billion board feet. “The gap between the two sets of data of 1.11 bbf, or 7%, was massive by historical standards. The discrepancy surfaced late in the first quarter last year, and grew as wide as 10%” (Random Lengths International Report, March 15). We’re told a number of downward adjustments released yesterday by the U.S. Census Bureau which included SPF, Western Red Cedar, and Douglas Fir shipments, brings the U.S. import statistics in accord with Canadian export data.

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