{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/mississippi-federal-delegation-unites-effort-protect-states-agriculture-forestry-exports-eu", "Mississippi federal delegation unites in effort to protect state\u2019s agriculture, forestry exports from EU regulations", "2025-12-04", "2025", "2025-12", "Republican", "Senate", "MS", "Cindy Hyde-Smith", "H001079", "www.hydesmith.senate.gov", "hydesmith", "https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/newsroom", "scraper", "The new regulations are expected to negatively impact producers by installing barriers to the state\u2019s exports.\n\nBy Jeremy Pittari\n\nMississippi\u2019s federal delegation united Thursday in hopes of protecting the state\u2019s forestry and agricultural industry, which could be impacted by deforestation regulations soon to be enforced by the European Union.\n\nEnforcement of these regulations is expected to go into effect next year and Mississippi officials say it could negatively impact the state\u2019s multibillion dollar industry if concessions are not made.\n\nIn a letter led by U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) that was sent to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, all members of the state\u2019s delegation outline that in Mississippi, forestry has a nearly $20 billion impact on the state\u2019s economy, supporting 130,000 landowners and 84,000 jobs.\n\n\u201cAs currently designed, the EUDR is a non-tariff trade barrier that introduces substantial uncertainty for landowners, manufacturers, and exporters in our state, and risks further depressing already strained log and wood-product markets, harming rural communities that depend on healthy, functioning timber economies,\u201d the officials write.\n\nThe EU regulations were approved in 2023 in an effort to curb deforestation that can occur when harvesting agricultural goods and are expected to be enforced by December 30, 2026.\n\nIn addition to focusing on wood products, the rule also focuses on products derived from cattle. Mississippi exports a number of products to the E.U. including wood, wood pellets, soybeans and sweet potatoes, the delegation reminded Greer.\n\nJoining Hyde-Smith in the letter were U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R) and Congressmen Bennie Thompson (D), Mike Ezell (R), Trent Kelly (R) and Michael Guest (R).\n\nThe letter describes to Greer how enforcement of the EU Regulation of Deforestation-free products will install barriers in the exportation of Mississippi\u2019s forestry products.\n\nIn spite of this nation\u2019s deforestation risk being designated a \u201clow-risk,\u201d the E.U.\u2019s regulations concerning verification and data do not work with forestry production systems within the United States.\n\nAdditionally, the delegation states in the letter that the rights of private landowners will be infringed due to contingencies in the regulation that imports be from lands with \u201cdeclared future management.\u201d\n\n\u201cRegardless of risk level, exporters must still provide geolocation data and verifiable information showing that the product is deforestation-free. The system required to comply with this regulation does not fit the complex supply chain used by our domestic timber industry, and it will create significant administrative and cost burdens for businesses and landowners,\u201d the delegation stated.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T20:09:11Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/mississippi-federal-delegation-unites-effort-protect-states-agriculture-forestry-exports-eu"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6065179370343685, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}