Emporium Hardwoods Successfully Ships to the EU with NHLA KD Certificate

NHLA is happy to report that NHLA member company, Emporium Hardwoods has successfully shipped to the European Union solely with the NHLA Kiln Drying Certificate. Emporium Hardwoods, a division of Rossi Group, shipped containers of hardwood lumber to the United Kingdom on January 8 with no incident.

On December 18, 2013 the EU implemented the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NHLA and the USDA APHIS as the NHLA KD Certificate replaces the need for a Phytosanitary Certificate.

The current list of countries that accept the NHLA KD Certificate as an equivalent to the PHYTO are as follows: Australia, Brazil, European Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Vlovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom), Venezuela and Vietnam.

China and Mexico are currently reviewing acceptance of the NHLA KD Certificate. Information will be released on additional country acceptance as NHLA is notified.

The KD Certificate Program achieves the same goals as the APHIS PHYTO Certificate but at less cost to both APHIS and the U.S. hardwood industry. The Program involves regular inspections of subscribing hardwood facilities in the U.S. by both NHLA contracted inspectors and APHIS inspectors to ensure continuing performance to the Kiln Drying Sawn Hardwood Standard.

If your company is interested in learning more about the NHLA KD Program or would like to join, contact NHLA Chief Inspector, Dana Spessert at [email protected] or by phone at 901-399-7551.

Contributed by:
National Hardwood Lumber Association