Stumped Spring 2013
March 1, 2013 at 4:00 PM by certification
Answers to Inspectors’ Most Frequently Asked Questions
Q: One of my landowner clients owns a small family business and conducts frequent annual harvests. Is this ownership considered nonindustrial? Is American Tree Farm System® certification right for them?
A: A range of ownership types are eligible for ATFS Certification. The ATFS Eligibility Requirements state that “properties must be nonindustrial, but may be associated with small local business”. According to federal guidelines, small business logging and timber tract operations have annual receipts less than $7 million and fewer than 500 employees. The state tree farm committees are open to accepting these small business landowners, but ones with more land (more than 10,000 acres) or different ownership structures may fit better with an Independently Managed Group.
