Member Weekly Update – Oct. 17, 2025

The Logger’s Voice Fall edition – Now Available!

The Logger’s Voice Fall 2025 edition is now available. Copies have been mailed out!

Thank you to everyone who attended our second event last night in Farmington! There are two more events coming up. These appreciation events are our way of saying thank you for being part of the PLC and hearing directly from our contractor members on how we can better support your business. You are welcome to bring a guest to join in the evening, Attendance is limited to two people per company. RSVP required! Don’t delay! Next stop, Pat’s Pizza in Windham next Thursday!

Please fill out the Logging and Trucking Economic Impact Survey!

Thank you to those who have already filled out the survey! For those who haven’t, please don’t delay, it is quick and easy and that’s not us talking, that’s what we’ve heard back from members who have completed it!

The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of the Northeast is working on publishing its tri-annual Logging and Trucking Economic Impact Study. As background, every three years, the PLC updates and publishes its economic impact study to convey the impact of the industry to the public, legislators and other stakeholders. In 2026, the study will review the impact of logging and trucking across seven Northeast states for the first time. 

The input of the membership through the survey below is critical to the authenticity and credibility of the published study. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete, and all responses are confidential and anonymous.

Click here to complete the survey by October 31. 

This will be our fourth study, with prior reports published in 2017, 2020, and 2023. These reports have been powerful tools for informing the public and lawmakers about industry challenges.

Thank you for your support! Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Best regards,

Dana

Please RSVP below for the 2025 MLOFT Graduation by October 31st

MLOFT Students Available for Job Shadows and Interviews

PLC Members,

Students in this year’s Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Program (MLOFT) are seeking opportunities to job shadow with contractors on Fridays this fall. This is not only a great learning opportunity for them, but also a chance for you to meet and evaluate potential future employees for your business.

Students are also now available to meet with contractors to explore possible employment opportunities. If you need employees, we encourage you to reach out to schedule interviews now as students typically are hired even before their graduation.

You may view information on each student below. If you are interested in having one or more students job shadow with you on a Friday, please contact Tristian at 207-688-8195 or email office@plcloggers.org

If you would like to visit the MLOFT program to meet students and see the program in action, please contact Donald Burr directly at (207) 356-1541 or email safety@plcloggers.org

Time to Renew! Renew your PLC membership now!

Renewal forms have been mailed or you can renew online!

You should have received your renewal form for the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast (PLC) and/or the Master Logger Certification Program in the mail . If you did not receive it, please let us know so we can send another copy.

How to Renew

To save you time, portions of your mailed renewal form have been pre-filled based on prior information. Please review, update, and complete the form, including your email address and cell phone number, so we can communicate with you quickly when needed.

Completed renewal forms must be submitted by December 1, 2025, using one of the following methods:

• Mail: PLC Northeast, PO Box 1036, Augusta, ME 04332
• Email: office@plcloggers.org
• Fax: (207) 620-7517
• Online: www.plcloggers.org/renewal2026

The PLC remains committed to keeping you informed and ensuring loggers have a strong voice across the Northeast and in Washington, DC. If there’s more we can do to serve you, please don’t hesitate to contact our office at (207) 688-8195.

We look forward to serving you again in 2026.

*Open to all states and available online or in person*

Our fifth FREE CDL Training Class is open exclusively to employees of PLC Member Companies. This comprehensive course is designed to address the growing need for skilled truck drivers in the logging industry and help participants meet federal training requirements.

Held over three days in-person, the course fulfills the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) entry-level driver training requirement and covers all the information necessary to successfully take and pass the state CDL permit test.

Details:

Dates: December 1 – 3

Location: Augusta/Waterville Area

Time: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm daily

Cost: Free for PLC Member Company employees

Registration Deadline: November 1

Spots are limited, so be sure to reserve your place today

Upcoming MFS Trainings on Statewide Standards Transition in Unorganized Territories

Beginning in January, the regulations governing timber harvesting in shoreland areas in the Unorganized Territories  (UT)will shift from Chapter 27 to Chapter 21 – Statewide Standards. The Maine Forest Service is offering a series of trainings focused on this transition.  Each session will qualify for 4 contact hours for the Master Logger Certification Program^®. These sessions will cover:

• The reasons behind the transition
• How the new standards will be implemented
• How MFS interprets and enforces these regulations

The link for registration is below. Please consider attending to stay informed about these important changes if you work in the UT. 

Dirigo Business Incentives Program – Do You Qualify?

Logging companies eligible as of Sept. 24, 2025!

Maine Members, 

The Dirigo Business Incentives program, which started on January 1, 2025, offers eligible businesses the opportunity to greatly reduce state taxes for up to 5 years when they make significant capital investments or provide qualified employee training in certain business sectors. 

Eligible sectors include Forestry

Benefits 

·10% capital investment tax credit (5% capital investment tax credit in Cumberland, Sagadahoc, and York counties) 

·$2,000 per employee provided a qualified employee training program annually  

This credit is capped at $2 million per business per year and can be taken over 5 years. This credit is refundable up to $500,000 per tax year. The qualified business must exceed $50,000 in eligible capital investment to claim annual tax credit.  More on eligible capital investments below.   

Program Became Available to All Logging Companies on September 24, 2025  

In the original law, passed by the Legislature in 2023, logging and trucking companies that have more than 20 employees were ineligible for Dirigo if they laid off employees seasonally.  The only way to correct this issue was to amend the statute.  The PLC worked with the Mills Administration and the Legislature for the last year to correct this issue.    

The PLC worked with Senator Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot) to amend his bill, LD 1664, An Act to Repeal the Dirigo Incentives Program. Originally, this legislation was an attempt to eliminate the program, which was created in 2023 to replace the Pine Tree Development Zone program and is targeted toward natural resource-based industries in the state.  Once it appeared that Senator Tipping’s bill was going nowhere, the PLC then worked with him to amend the bill and strip everything out of it and amend it to include language to correct the issue for logging companies with 20 or more employees that must lay off their employees during mud season.  This change is vital to seasonal businesses, like logging companies, that want to reinvest in their businesses with new equipment upgrades and the hiring of new employees.  

Notice of Timber Sales -Harriman-Chandler SF and Gile SF

Below are the notices for the upcoming timber sales for Harriman-Chandler SF and Gile SF

Maine’s Direct Link Loan Program

Are you a Master Logger in Maine who is buying new equipment? Take advantage of the Direct Link Loan Program and get an interest rate reduction of up to 2% on qualifying equipment. Details of the program and how you can take advantage of it are below:

1. A Master Logger signs an Agreement with the Maine Forest Service (MFS), the bank submits Agreement to MFS, and it is approved by the MFS for the purchase of a new or new to them piece of qualifying equipment. (Cut to Length Harvesters and Forwarders, Tracked Feller Bunchers, Stroke Delimbers, Mulching Machines, Road Graders; also includes retrofitting of existing equipment like Flotation tires, Bogey wheels, harvester and processor heads; and Miscellaneous purchases like Metal and Wooden Bridges, Bottomless arches, and sediment and erosion control products) Purchases are considered on a case by case basis, with eligibility based on whether the equipment facilitates the implementation of Best Management Practices.

**Equipment that is NOT eligible: Grapple Skidders, Pull-Thru Delimbers, Tree-to-Tree Feller Bunchers. 

2. The Master Logger gets a loan from a participating bank. (See list below) Example: Loan is for $500,000 at current bank interest rate (ex. 7.00%). Contractor can have multiple loans but can’t exceed the $800,000 aggregate limit allowed by the program.

3. The Master Logger is given an interest rate subsidy (reduction) of 1.50% (up to 2%) – the same amount as the *CD rate for as long as they continue to qualify for the program.

Example: 7.00% loan interest rate less 1.50% rate subsidy = 5.50 effective rate.

The following banks participate in the direct link loan program.

• Katahdin Trust Company – David Cambridge
• Farm Credit East – Shannon Webber
• Machias Savings Bank – Anita Madden
• Acadia FCU

**Note: Maine Municipal Bond Bank buys a $500,000 CD for up to five years from bank for up to 2.00% less than the bank’s going CD rate matching the term of the loan. Ex. 1.50 % – (up to 2%)

Don’t see your bank on the list? Reach out and encourage them to get involved!

Not yet Master Logger Certified? Email Sydney at sydney@plcloggers.org, call (207)-688-8195, opt. 2 or visit masterloggercertification.com.

Update as of October 15th:

• 19 applications received for $231K
• 13 applications approved for $1164k
• 3 applications under review or revision
• $470k in funding remains available for future applicants

The SLoCAMP (Supporting Loggers to Comply with Acceptable Management Practices) Grant Program is now accepting applications. This program offers significant cost share benefits for logging contractors working on harvest sites in Vermont. Eligible practices include road hardening, skid trail improvements, and stream crossings.

Applying is quick and straightforward — once you have your materials ready, the online application takes less than 20 minutes to complete. Reviews begin within 2 business days of receiving your submission, so you can move forward without delay.

Visit the link below to learn more, gather your materials, and start your application.

Notice of Timber Sales -Harriman-Chandler SF and Gile SF

Below are the notices for the upcoming timber sales for Harriman-Chandler SF and Gile SF

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit Reports

Click below to read the latest weekly Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Report from the Vermont Motor Vehicle Police.

Vermont News Clips

📌 US Timber Market Analysis, 2033
📌 What can the emerald ash borer reveal about the long-ago loss of American chestnut?
📌 Federal grant to help VT farm and forest businesses – PressReader
📌 Invitation To Talk Invasives – The White River Valley Herald
📌Northern Woodlands editor earns national award from Society of American Foresters

Please join us at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor on Thursday, October 23 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am for the fall PLC Safety Committee meeting to develop our safety training programs for 2026. You will also learn about training requirements and online training options that are available.

Join us, along with your local insurance agent and representatives from Acadia and MEMIC, to develop our safety plans for 2026. Following the safety committee meeting, Acadia clients and affiliated agents are invited to stay for a presentation from Acadia Insurance from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. to learn about claim trends, rates and areas of focus.

Lunch will follow at 12:00 p.m.

Please RSVP below by 10/17

Safety Training Guidelines for Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Master Logger Companies and their employees are recognized as Certified Loggers with all insurance carriers in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. This means you can choose the safety training that works best for your company – while still meeting safety standards.

To Keep Your Certified Status:

• Current Employees
• 8 hours of safety training every 2 years. (NOTE: PLC’s annual safety training meets this requirement.)
• Maintain CPR/First Aid certification
• New Employees
• 16 hours of initial safety training. (NOTE: PLC’s Safe Logger video series meets this requirement.)
• Inform your insurance agent when you hire a new employee. 

Questions? Reach out to safety@plcloggers.org

Free CPR Classes – Schedule Your Class Today!

Now Free to Maine Loggers! A $300 value!

PLC Members Only! Equipment Cost Calculators Available

All PLC Contractors have access to the Members Only section of the website, simply use your email address to login and if you do not know your password for the Members Only account hit “lost password” and you will be emailed a link to add one.  Then to get to resources simply click “Contractor resources” at the top.

PLC Online Store

Member Discounts