Advocacy In the Time of Covid

byDANA COLE, Executive Director Hardwood Federation

Regular readers of Hardwood Matters are well aware of the Hardwood Federation and our efforts on behalf of the industry in Washington, D.C. We often refer to ourselves as the “Voice of the Hardwood Industry” as we work to support positive federal policies that support the economic viability of hardwood companies and employees across the country. We are your advocates in our nation’s Capital, one of hundreds of trade associations that work to support various industry sectors by presenting their priorities to the Administration and Congress and explaining how action in the right direction will help create jobs and strong local economies. Equally important is we are here in D.C. to play defense, continually building relationships on and off the Hill so that we are in position to kill an emerging policy threat to our sector even before it gains traction. Trade associations, like the Hardwood Federation, are important to the business community because they are able to focus day in and day out on a specific set of problems and can consistently communicate with and educate policymakers on the impacts proposed legislation and regulations can have on employers and employees in their communities. Trade associations also

Over the past few years nearly 250 NHLA member companies have directly contributed approximately $70,000 annually to the Hardwood Federation. This is in addition to the annual contribution of 10% of NHLA membership dues to the Federation.

Photos: NHLA participating in past HF Fly-Ins.

develop consistent messaging that represents general industry agreement on important issues. In a perfect world, everyone in the industry can deliver the same message and strengthen the argument to make policy that best supports hardwood businesses. As a member of the hardwood business community, the majority of your professional focus is on the business and not on politics. The Hardwood Federation focuses on the politics to make your job easier.

Traditionally our work is done on a very personal level, often one on one with Members of Congress or Administration officials. Small group meetings are also popular, sometimes with industry leaders and sometimes with representatives from other forest products associations with common interests. While the days of the three-martini lunch are behind us, fundraising meals and receptions still happen . . . or did in the days before COVID-19.

All that has changed in the last six months. Since the arrival and spread of COVID-19 in the United States, trade association staffs, including those with the Hardwood Federation, have had to adjust the way they do business.

Where we were once internally focused, working directly and in-person with policymakers and their staff, we are now externally focused, communicating primarily via phone, e-mail and most recently, various virtual meeting systems. While this is different, it does have its benefits. Zoom calls with many participants are more controlled by staff, allowing everyone access to the Member of Congress and reducing the chances of one or two people dominating the conversation. We have also implemented new ways for the industry to get more actively involved. Usually, we host our annual Fly-In to DC, inviting members of the industry to come to town and meet with their federal officials to tell their story and express their opinions. Between fifty (50) and eighty (80) individuals took us up on this offer in the past. This year that won’t be possible, so we have provided the industry with a new tool, Phone2Action, allowing individuals to send texts and e-mails directly to Congressional offices. To date, we have initiated three industry outreach campaigns sending 4,000 e-mails and texts from over 1,000 hardwood industry leaders to their Members of Congress, reaching 88 Senators and almost 300 Representatives. We have also used this tool to send thirty-one (31), Covid-19 related Issue Alerts and Updates since the crisis hit in March.

This isn’t to say that we can only rely on one system of communication going forward. We believe future advocacy efforts will include a smart mix of all strategies . . . in person, virtual meetings, direct texting . . . to press our point of view.

Crisis often leads to creative problem solving and new, more efficient ways to get the job done. The Hardwood Federation team is doing our best to identify ways to effectively represent you in Washington, D.C. during these unprecedented times, and we are also constantly thinking about how to take the best practices learned from this experience with us into the future. We know many of you are facing the same challenges at your facilities. Hopefully, we will all be in more positive times soon, but until then, we are confident the industry will rise to the occasion and come out stronger than before.

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