U.S. Customs Cracks Down on Lumber Trade Violations

In a move to uphold fair trade practices in the maritime industry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced a crackdown on the alleged evasion of trade remedy laws by Coastal Specialty Forest Products, Inc. on lumber imports from Canada. According to a press release from the U.S. Lumber Coalition, CBP publicly announced its investigation on September 30, 2025. The investigation centers around claims that Coastal Specialty Forest Products has been evading the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on Canadian lumber imports. 'We commend CBP for its commitment to addressing evasion of the trade remedy laws that are critical to maintaining a level playing field for U.S. lumber producers,' said Jason Brochu, Co-Chair of the U.S. Lumber Coalition. 'Duty evasion undermines the effectiveness of the trade relief provided by these orders and harms U.S. manufacturers.' The announcement comes as the U.S. lumber industry continues to grapple with the impacts of unfair trade practices. Lumber producers have long argued that Canadian firms benefit from government subsidies, allowing them to sell product in the U.S. market at artificially low prices. Trade remedy orders are intended to offset these unfair advantages. CBP's investigation into Coastal Specialty Forest Products represents the latest effort by U.S. authorities to enforce trade laws and protect domestic industries. Maritime industry observers will be watching closely to see what actions result from this probe and whether it signals a broader crackdown on trade violations.