MDAC Launches New Online Resource for Mississippi Timber Industry

Today, Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced that the Mississippi Department of Agriculture of Commerce (MDAC) is launching a website dedicated to marketing Mississippi’s abundant timber and forest products. The site is now live and can be accessed at https://timber.mdac.ms.gov/.

“Some time ago, our agency saw a need to create a useful, verified resource to promote Mississippi timber, which is one of our state’s largest industries,” said Commissioner Gipson. “Before, this kind of valuable information was not readily available. This timber website will be an asset to economic developers and logistics coordinators, as well as timber and forest product producers, sellers and buyers around the state. We hope everyone will use this one-of-a-kind tool and helpful resource by visiting https://timber.mdac.ms.gov/.”

Forestry is Mississippi’s third largest industry, earning $1.3 billion in 2022. Currently, the state is home to 19,235,186 acres of forestland and provides 64,544 timber-related jobs. MDAC’s new online portal:

Showcases Mississippi’s timber resources, including a general overview of the economic impact of timber to the state;

Allows timber buyers, sellers and producers to complete a profile for inquiries for the buying or selling of timber;

Includes a trade section featuring MDAC’s upcoming international inbound trade mission for 2024;

Provides logistics information and an overview of the state’s infrastructure;

Provides data, including a wealth of information in maps and tables on Mississippi’s rich forestland.

“We are delighted to present this site as a tool for both the general public and those within the timber industry,” said Ginger Williamson, Deputy Bureau Director of MDAC’s Timber Commerce Division. “This site has been several years in the making. We wanted to do our due diligence by researching data, vetting resources, hosting international timber trade missions and building relationships with ports, rail, trucking and logistics experts. We are excited about the potential of Mississippi’s wood industry and believe that the future is bright because of the positive collaboration the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce has enjoyed with these entities and many others throughout this process.”

For questions regarding MDAC’s timber website, contact Ginger Williamson at ginger@mdac.ms.gov. To learn more about MDAC and its various divisions, visit www.mdac.ms.gov and follow the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Visit the website https://timber.mdac.ms.gov