The Warren County Forestry Association has been busy planning this year’s annual membership meeting, set for 6 p.m. Jan. 28 at International Paper’s training facility at Redwood.

John C. Coccaro is county Extension director. Write to him at 1100-C Grove St., Vicksburg, MS 39180 or call 601-636-5442. E-mail him.

With approximately two-thirds of Warren County being private and commercial forestland, there is no doubt that the WCFA is an important, organization that provides valuable educational opportunities to forest landowners.

The WCFA, led by Hunter Fordice, will provide an educational presentation on the new Biomass Crop Assistance Program. Steve Melton, state program specialist for the Conservation and Compliance Division of the USDA Farm Services Agency, will explain the details of the program.

It is believed that most forestlandowners know little or nothing about the BCAP program — one that could substantially enhance the profitability from selling certain wood products. BCAP was authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill and it assists agricultural and forestlandowners and operators with matching payments for the amount paid for the collection, harvest, storage and transportation of eligible material by a qualified Biomass Conversion Facility. Here in Warren County, International Paper’s Redwood mill is listed with USDA as an eligible facility. 

If you go

The Warren County Forestry Association’s annual membership meeting will be at 6 p.m. Jan. 28 at International Paper’s training facility on Mississippi 3 at Redwood. To register, call 601-636-5442. A $20 fee is payable at the door and includes a one-year WCFA membership and a meal. Spouses may attend for $10.

According to the USDA’s BCAP fact sheet, the CHST matching payment program will provide eligible material owners matching payment for the sale and delivery of eligible material to a qualified facility such as IP. The payments are available to material owners at the rate of $1 for each $1 per dry ton paid by the facility to the material owner, limited to a maximum of $45 per dry ton and limited to a 2-year payment duration.

In 2009, President Barack Obama issued a directive to aggressively accelerate the investment in and the production of biofuels. Among the list of eligible materials are waste, including crop residue and other vegetative waste such as wood waste and residue. 

It is important that landowners note matching payments will not be made for any eligible material delivered before an application is approved by the USDA Farm Services Agency. 

Since timber prices have been relatively low for the past year, it seems rather obvious forestlandowners will be eager to learn more about this program, designed to increase revenues from forest-related products.