207-688-8195 Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast

PLC Member Weekly Update March 8, 2024

PLC Events:

Logging News:

Safety Resources:

News Clips:

Member Benefits:

PLC Events

The Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast (PLC) is pleased to offer Logger, Fleet and CPR Safety Training to all PLC Members and Master Loggers March 28-May 17 in 2024!

By now you should have received registration forms in the mail and may also register online if you have not already done so. Please review our Logger and Fleet offerings and return registration forms as soon as possible, but no later than March 15, 2024, to ensure there is room for your employees at the chosen location/s. Don’t delay! Register now!

FOR SCHEDULE AND ONLINE REGISTRATION CLICK HERE

IF YOU PREFER TO REGISTER ON PAPER CLICK HERE

 

This year, the PLC Annual Meeting, Dinner, Awards Ceremony and Live Log A Load Auction will be held on May 9 – 10, 2024 at the Samoset Resort in Rockport!  Please be sure to block the dates in your calendars.

We are planning for a fun social event on Thursday, so stay tuned for more updates.

Below is the reservation link for early booking information.

Reservation Booking Link:

Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast

Code: 051024plcm

 

Do you know a person or business involved in the logging industry who ought to be recognized for service to the community, outstanding professionalism or service to the industry? If you do, please NOMINATE THEM for one of the PLC’s annual awards.

PLC Logging Contractor of the Year Award – The PLC Logging Contractor of the Year award recognizes a PLC Logging Contractor for their commitment to the sustainability of the industry and logging as a profession.

PLC Community Service Award – This Award is given annually to a PLC member, Supporting Member or affiliated organization that has demonstrated a significant commitment to giving back to their community.

PLC Supporting Member of the Year Award – The PLC Supporting Member of the Year Award is presented annually to a PLC Supporting Member who has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to logging contractors in the Northeast.

Nominations should be received no later than March 29, 2024.

Awards will be presented at the PLC Annual Meeting on May 10 at the Samoset Resort in Rockport, ME.

A list of previous winners is available HERE

NOMINATION FORM HERE

Logging News

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.

**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@tcnef.org, call (207)-688-8195, opt. 2 or visit masterloggercertification.com.

 For more information, click here for the Direct Link Loan Program.

Weather related losses for Vermont loggers mounting with no relief efforts in sight as second warm winter persists

Weather related losses have been mounting for Vermont loggers for months now as they grapple with severe storms and abnormally warm and wet conditions year-round, yet no relief programs currently exist to help the industry.

The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of the Northeast trade association is now working with Vermont legislators, officials, and state agencies including the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation to explore options for assisting logging contractors in dealing with the unusual weather devastating their industry.

“Vermont logging contractors have been hit with a relentless series of weather challenges over the past year and a half, starting with an abnormally warm winter in 2022-2023, continuing with exceptionally wet conditions for the spring and summer last year including major flooding in July, and ending with more flooding in December that has been followed by another unusually warm and wet winter,” Dana Doran, Executive Director of the PLC, said. “These conditions have often made it difficult or impossible to harvest and haul timber, cutting productivity while driving up uncompensated costs as loggers must work harder to protect forest health and water quality.”

Damage to roads and bridges from severe flooding in Vermont like that which occurred in July and December of 2023 has had a major impact on the ability to harvest wood and move it to markets. Persistently rainy conditions have made many forested areas too wet to harvest and required time consuming and expensive efforts on the part of logging contractors to protect water quality and soils in others. The lack of deeply frozen ground in the winters is having a chilling effect on operations and profitability, and as February ended with more heavy rains and temperatures well above freezing, logging contractors appeared to be heading into an early and unproductive spring, where their equipment and employees would be idled.

Read the Full Article Here

Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast and Northern Maine Community College announce recruiting is underway for Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Program in 2024

HINCKLEY, ME -The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of the Northeast and Northern Maine Community College (NMCC) today announced recruiting is underway for the Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking (MLOFT) Program, an expanded version of their highly successful logging operations certificate program that now includes Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training.

The program will run for 20 weeks, from June 24 to November 7. Classes will take place at an active timber harvest site on the Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) Alfond Campus on U.S. Route 201 in Hinckley. Tuition remains free for qualified students.

“This program has a proven track record of addressing Maine’s shortage of qualified logging operators and forest truckers in an efficient and affordable way,” PLC Executive Director Dana Doran said. “Thanks to Maine’s Congressional delegation the program has secured Congressional Directed Spending (CDS) support, and with planned new equipment purchases to support forest trucking for this year’s program, we are well positioned to provide top-notch instruction and hands-on experience for the incoming class.”

“This short-term training is the opportunity of a lifetime for people looking to learn equipment operation and earn a CDL,” stated NMCC Assistant Dean of Continuing Education Leah Buck. “To be able to learn both in a 20-week span is incredible, and thanks to a grant from the USDOL supported by Senators King, Collins, and Rep. Golden we can offer this training at no cost to the 16 students selected to join us this summer. I encourage anyone interested in the program to reach out and fill out the online application without delay. A career working in the woods of Maine is waiting.”

Read the Full Article Here

Northeastern Loggers’ Association Expo 2024

Safety Resources

Are your logging employees CPR/First Aid/Bloodborne Pathogen certified?  Did you know that evidence of training is required every two years for OSHA and Master Logger compliance?

This spring, the PLC currently has four classes scheduled that are FREE to members and their employees.

To date, we have scheduled training for: 

March 29th – Porter, ME

April 5th – Milford, ME

April 10th – Mexico, ME

April 19th – Strong, ME

Wait, there’s more…..

If these locations don’t work for your company or you have more than 15 employees and would like to schedule a company specific training, we can work with you and companies in your area to schedule an alternative date for free training.

Again, if your employees need this training in 2024, the PLC is offering the course, and it is free to members and their employees.  If you would like to schedule or sign up for an existing training, contact Jessica at Jessica@plcloggers.org or 207-688-8195.

SafetyWorks!

Workplace safety and labor law requirements can seem complex – join the Maine Department of Labor for no-cost upcoming trainings!

Upcoming classes:

Emergency Scene Traffic Control – VIRTUAL

March 11, 2024 I 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  

Performing duties while working in the roadway is extremely dangerous for emergency responders. This class covers requirements for training, personal protective equipment (PPE) for firefighters and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers who will be controlling traffic at unplanned motor vehicle accidents. This program will also include setting up a safe work-zone, equipment needed, guidance for day and nighttime operations, blocking to protect the scene, apparatus parking, incident types, signs, communication regulatory text, liability and much more.

Wage & Hour Compliance –

March 13, 2024 I 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Northern Maine Community College, 33 Edgemont Drive, Presque Isle

This course is designed for human resource or benefits professionals, accountants, business owners, managers, or payroll supervisors. Labor laws can be complex. This seminar covers wage and hour laws, including minimum wage, overtime, youth employment, severance pay, equal pay, rest breaks, leave requirements (earned paid leave, family medical leave, family sick leave and leave for victims of violence). This class addresses commonly asked labor-related questions.

10 Hour Construction Standards –

March 14 & 15, 2024 I 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 a.m. (Day 1); 8;30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Day 2) University of Maine Presque Isle, 181 Main Street, Presque Isle

This one-and-a-half-day course offers basic information on a variety of construction industry safety/health standards (29 CFR 1926). Attendees who complete the course will receive an OSHA 10-hour course completion certificate.

Wage & Hour Compliance –

March 20, 2024 I 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

This course is designed for human resource or benefits professionals, accountants, business owners, managers, or payroll supervisors. Labor laws can be complex. This seminar covers wage and hour laws, including minimum wage, overtime, youth employment, severance pay, equal pay, rest breaks, leave requirements (earned paid leave, family medical leave, family sick leave and leave for victims of violence). This class addresses commonly asked labor-related questions.

Impairment Detection Training for Employers –

March 21, 2024 I 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. SafetyWorks! Training Institute, 45 Commerce Drive, Augusta

This one-day training session is designed to help owners, managers, and supervisors recognize and respond appropriately to employee-impairment in the workplace to reduce worker accidents and injuries. Participants will be taught procedures to detect impairment regardless of the substance or cause. This class is designed to fulfill the federal DOT requirements for reasonable suspicion training of supervisors. In addition, participants will learn how to develop and implement policies that address impairment in the workplace and are in compliance with Maine’s Substance Use Testing Law.

Register and browse more SafetyWorks! classes: https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/training/scheduled_classes/register.shtml

If you have questions about safety or upcoming classes, reach out to SafetyWorks! at 1-877-SAFE-345 or general.bls-safetyworks@maine.gov.

If you have questions about Wage and Hour compliance, please reach out to the Wage and Hour Division at 207-623-7900 or bls.mdol@maine.gov, or visit www.maine.gov/labor/bls/

Cross Insurance TPA – Loss Control Services SIG Safety Training March 2024

March 19th

VIA ZOOM

9:00am – 11:00am

Sexual Harassment – Ethics and Workplace Respect Presented by: Career Management Associates

This program will help employers comply with all forms of harassment and hostile‐free work environments as outlined in Federal and State laws. This workshop opens with a review of the current climate on the issue of harassment. Employers will learn to comply with federal and state anti‐discrimination laws as well as offer strategies for preventing harassment in your organization. The program covers all Maine State requirements from the MOL for Sexual Harassment training. Additionally, this program also includes how an organization’s ethics, as well as a culture of workplace respect, is critical to long term success.

Who Should Attend? Managers/Supervisors; Human Resource Directors; Safety Coordinators Program Fee: $75/pp

Registration Information

To register for the March 19th session please copy and paste the link listed below to your web browser. If this does not work return to the original email and select the link located there.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIsdeyqpz0qH9UI2Eg3MlBilPF6hrs9QSfp

Please register by March 11th. Maximum of 80 attendees per session. If you have any questions or issues with registering, please e‐mail us at

tpa‐trainings@crossagency.com

Note: In case of inclement weather, please call 1‐800‐698‐3267 Ext 1021 to get a recorded message about training cancellation.

New Small PLC Operator/Driver First Aid Pack!

In response to demand for a smaller/”must have in an emergency” first aid pack to be stored in a machine or pickup, the PLC has created a new Operator/Driver First Aid Pack.

  • Contains “must have in an emergency” bleeding control items 
  • One pack is recommended per machine/truck 
  • Detachable velcro panel ideal for mounting in a machine or truck
  • Meets OSHA requirements for a logging first aid kit
  • Supplements PLC’s larger first aid back pack but is not a replacement

The PLC Member price is $69 plus tax and shipping (if it is not picked up by the contractor or delivered by the PLC). Color RED

More information on the pack and its contents is available HERE. 

Get yours now by clicking HERE!

 

PLC Crew First Aid Backpack

PLC First Aid Pack: In response to widespread interest from members, we have created a PLC First Aid Pack that has everything you need for emergencies in the woods. This Military Elite Tactical Trauma First Aid Backpack was designed for the PLC by Paul Stewart – EMT Houlton, ME. 

To order Click HERE

Now FREE to Maine Loggers! A $300 value!

LEARN MORE

Maine News

Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast, NMCC announce recruiting is underway for Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking Program – The County

From pests to pine health, $1.4M allows new forest research to take root – UMaine News

FAME approves financing for TimberHP, American Unagi – Mainebiz

Vermont News

– Timberline Magazine

Member Discounts

Maine Trailer – Member Discount

PLC Members Only!

Equipment Cost Calculators Available

Members,

With expenses rising rapidly in the industry we know you are struggling to get a handle on your costs. This is a great time to utilize the cost calculators created in 2021 for PLC Members.

These new, easy to use, logging equipment and log trucking cost calculators are available on the PLC Members Only section of our web site You may access this private section of the web site with your member login or set up a login HERE.

These calculators allow you to quickly estimate the hourly cost of operation for any piece of your equipment.

DISCLAIMER: These calculators are being made available for your business use as a member benefit. They produce equipment estimates and are not official products of the PLC nor should they be used for negotiation purposes.

PLC Online Store

Looking for great PLC items and apparel? Gifts? First Aid packs, safety items and more? You will find them at the new PLC Online Store on our web site. Ordering is easy.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

ALC Member Discounts

PLC Members, because the PLC is a member of the American Loggers Council YOU are entitled to special discounts! CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

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Fabian Oil Discount

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Wallingford’s Discounts

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Maine Trailer Discounts

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PLC Members get a 5% discount on culverts purchased at Treeline and Frank Martin & Sons

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Hale Trailer discounts for PLC Members on new trailer purchases! Call Neal at 207-232-7969 for details!

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Cross Arena Discounts for PLC! 

FOR FULL MEMBER DISCOUNT LIST CLICK HERE

PLC Classified Section


Check out the equipment and job opportunities our members have listed at the LOGGING ZONE! 
If you are interested in placing a classified ad, please contact PLC Northeast by Email – office@plcloggers.org or call Vanessa at 207-688-8195.

Preferred Supporting Members

Enhanced Supporting Members