From the Forest Resources Committee comes a new series, Mill Closures and Workforce Shortages in the West, which examines legal and policy solutions to workforce challenges linked to the alarming rate of lumber mill closures in the American West. These closures have far-reaching implications for regional forest health and economic vitality. Mill owners cite various reasons for shutting down, from global market pressures to regional regulatory hurdles, with one recurring challenge: attracting and retaining a skilled workforce.

In this first episode, Andrew Kihn joins Jesse Wade, economist and director of tax and trade policy analysis for the National Association of Home Builders, to explore the economic and policy landscape driving these issues.