Alabama Commissioner Pate Seeks Diesel Aid for Loggers

Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Rick Pate formally requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture extend its new fuel assistance to the state's logging industry. The move comes as timber workers face rising operating costs that threaten their ability to remain profitable.

Diesel prices in Alabama reached a record high of $6.16 per gallon in September, according to AAA data. The current average stands at $5.86 per gallon, a jump of more than $2.40 compared to the same period last year.

The logging sector generates approximately $12.5 billion annually for the state economy, as reported by the Alabama A&M and Auburn universities extension program. More than 123,000 jobs rely on the state's roughly 1,500 logging operations to sustain their livelihoods.

In October, the USDA launched an $8 billion harvest fuel relief program specifically for farmers. Pate argues that loggers require similar support because their vehicles consume heavy amounts of diesel throughout the year. "This is the time of year farmers are using a lot of diesel getting the crops in, but loggers use a lot of diesel every day, heavy trucks with their gears low and just really burning a lot of diesel day in and day out over the whole year," Pate said.

He noted that the South has become a primary source of wood for the nation, making the industry a critical economic pillar. Pate stated that loggers have been struggling for some time and that the current diesel costs are exacerbating their financial difficulties.

The USDA plans to release payment rates for farm crops later this month. The agency has not yet confirmed whether it will include loggers in the relief distribution.