U.S. Lumber Coalition Commends CBP Commitment to Addressing Evasion of Trade Remedy Laws

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection on September 30, 2025 announced publicly its investigation into alleged evasion by Coastal Specialty Forest Products, Inc. of the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on lumber imports from Canada.  CBP launched its investigation based on an allegation filed by the U.S. Lumber Coalition that was supported by ship manifest data showing the transshipment of lumber from Canada through New Zealand.  

To date, close to $8 billion dollars in antidumping and countervailing duties, as well as Section 232 tariffs, have been paid directly by Canadian softwood lumber companies to U.S. Customs since 2017.  As the Canadian lumber industry is desperately trying to maintain its disruptive and harmful massive excess lumber capacity fueled by billions of dollars of Canadian taxpayer funded federal and provincial subsidies, it is critical that any steps to evade the payment of duties and tariffs is stopped in its tracks.

CBP imposed interim measures after finding "reasonable suspicion" that Coastal Forest Products entered Canadian softwood lumber into the United States that was transshipped through New Zealand without the payment of the required antidumping and countervailing duty cash deposits. Should CBP make a final determination of evasion, the agency will assess duties on imports made by Coastal Forest Products subject to its final determination.

"Transshipment of lumber into the United States via a third country to evade antidumping and countervailing duty orders on subsidized and unfairly traded lumber imports undercuts the domestic industry and American workers," stated Zoltan van Heyningen, Executive Director of the U.S. Lumber Coalition. "The U.S. Lumber Coalition applauds the quick action taken by U.S. Customs and Border Protection under the Enforce and Protect Act to stop the evasion of the U.S. trade laws."

"The U.S. Lumber Coalition will continue to monitor all imports to ensure evasion of the trade law orders does not harm U.S. producers, workers, and communities," added van Heyningen. "The fact that a Canadian company will ship lumber to New Zealand only to then ship it back to the United States also demonstrates the length Canada will go to ship dumped and subsidized lumber products to the U.S. market."  

"The U.S. Lumber Coalition commends CBP for its commitment to root out evasion and ensure that much needed trade relief from unfairly traded imports isn't eroded by non-compliant actors," concluded van Heyningen. 

About the U.S. Lumber Coalition
The U.S. Lumber Coalition is an alliance of large and small softwood lumber producers from around the country, joined by their employees and woodland owners, working to address Canada's unfair lumber trade practices. Our goal is to serve as the voice of the American lumber community and effectively address Canada's unfair softwood lumber trade practices. The Coalition supports the full enforcement of the U.S. trade laws to allow the U.S. industry to invest and grow to its natural size without being impaired by unfairly traded imports. Continued full enforcement of the U.S. trade laws will strengthen domestic supply lines by maximizing long-term domestic production and lumber availability produced by U.S. workers to build U.S. homes. For more information, please visit the Coalition's website at www.uslumbercoalition.org.

CONTACT: Zoltan van Heyningen
[email protected] | 202-805-9133

SOURCE The U.S. Lumber Coalition