Gov. Ayotte Signs New Lumber Grading Law at Milan Lumber Co.

MILAN — In a business setting perfect for the moment, Gov. Kelly Ayotte last Friday ceremonially signed into law a bill seen as crucial to the state’s lumber industry, one that puts it on an even playing field with how Canada grades its lumber.

Inside the sprawling warehouse at Milan Lumber Co., Ayotte, local elected officials, employees and guests gathered for her signing of House Bill 1204, a bill that changes how New Hampshire grades state-grown timber for sale.

The change has to do with removing one letter — an “s” at the end of three other letters, s-p-f, standing for spruce-pine-fir, which is how Canadian lumber is marked.

Before the Legislature passed the bill, the state’s lumber was marked as s-p-f-s. The “s” at the end stands for “south,” meaning south of the Canadian border.

Removing the extra “s” at the end of New Hampshire milled lumber means it is graded the same as Canadian milled lumber and should be sold at the same price.

The change to s-p-f grading for New Hampshire lumber means it is a premium-grade product and keeps it in line with prices paid for Canadian lumber also deemed as s-p-f.