News & Events

The Small Business Development Center is offering a series of free classes aimed to help small business owners manage their business financials, develop marketing strategies and increase profits.

The four-course Accelerator Series includes the following:

Managing Business Financials for Profit, 8:30 a.m. to Noon Friday, May 13. (Online)

Hiring Winners, Operational Excellence for Profit, 8:30 a.m. to Noon, Friday, May 20. (Online)

Digital Strategy for Success, 8:30 a.m. to Noon, Friday, May 27. (Online)

Marketing Strategy for Profit, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 2. (In-person, North Idaho College)

Though the courses can be taken individually, the SBDC says participants will receive the most value from attending all four courses in the Accelerator Series. Learn more and register online HERE.

In addition, the SBDC recommends small business owners check out the Internal Revenue Services Small Business Tax Workshop. The free online workshop includes video training on a variety of topics including: Federal Taxes And Your New Business, Schedule C and Other Small Business Taxes, How to File and Pay Your Taxes Electronically, Business Use of Your Home, Federal Taxes When Hiring Employees or Independent Contractors, How to Manage Payroll and Withholding the Correct Amount of Taxes, Tax Deposits and Filing a Return to Report Your Payroll Taxes, and Hiring U.S. Residents Who Aren’t U.S. Citizens.

Stay informed! Stay#Logger Strong!

WITHOUT REASON: A coalition of anti-forestry groups is pressuring the Biden Administration to effectively ban logging on NFS lands under the guise of protecting “old and mature forests” even though there are not any universally or scientifically-accepted definitions of what “old” or “mature” trees are. http://ow.ly/V0Rk50IMPcQ

REDUCING RISK: “Throughout the season we will be implementing projects we have designed to reduce the impacts of high-severity wildfires on local communities and landscapes,” writes Cheryl Probert/Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests Supervisor. http://ow.ly/YWcA50IMPcP

THIN TO SAVE: Thinning can help offset the cost of managing mature Douglas-fir stands, according to a study by Oregon State University. http://ow.ly/yrci50IMPcR

FUTURE LOGGERS: Oregon has a state-approved high school forestry curriculum that’s currently being offered by 35 school systems in the state. http://ow.ly/sZR150IMPcT

Registration is now open for ALC-Idaho’s Annual Business and General Membership Meeting. The event will be held April 22-23, 2022, at The Best Western Lodge at River’s Edge in Orofino, Idaho.

The event kicks off at 7:30 a.m. Friday, April 22, with the Associated Logger’s Exchange breakfast meeting, followed by ALC’s Annual Meeting and presentations at 9 a.m. Lunch is at noon followed by more presentations, an icebreaker reception at 6 p.m. and music by the Kelly Hughes Band beginning at 7 p.m. A full event schedule is available HERE.

The ALC Board will meet in Executive Session at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, April 23. The ALC Bang-Whacker Tournament (trap shooting followed by a golf match) begins at 9 a.m. The Annual Banquet kicks off with a social hour at 6 p.m. Scott Dane, Executive Director of the American Loggers Council, is the featured speaker for the event.

Click HERE to register online. Registration forms can also be downloaded HERE if you would like to mail in your registration and payment. If you are participating in the Bang-Whacker Tournament, you also need to fill out and mail THIS FORM.

Questions? Call the ALC office at (208) 667-6473 or email jolene@idahologgers.com

The Idaho Department of Lands has launched a new online fire training portal for loggers, industrial forestland owners and foresters, providing access to training resources that qualifies them to safely fight fire on their own land within areas where IDL provides fire protection.

The portal connects these forestry professionals with traditional in-person or virtual classes, and free self-directed online learning.With proper training, owners and operators of heavy equipment can become eligible to contract for work suppressing fire on other lands protected by IDL. This adds to the firefighting capacity of IDL while also benefitting local economies.

The Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho (ALC) supports this new training opportunity.

“This partnership with industry is more important than ever as wildfires have become more frequent and more severe,” said ALC Executive Director Shawn Keough. “Our logging contractors and crews are usually close by and can provide initial attack before others can even arrive thus putting out fires or keeping them small and controlled. They also have the skills and equipment to continue working on containing a fire.”

IDL’s new training portal is available at https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire-management/fire-training-for-loggers-and-industrial-foresters/

Annual Wildland Fire Refresher Training is being offered in multiple locations throughout the state.

Inland Forest Management is offering the annual RT-120 training in-person on three different dates in Ponderay, Idaho. Classes are planned for March 30, April 12 and June 8. Classroom training begins at 8:30 a.m. and will end at 12:30 p.m. Work capacity fitness testing (pack test or walk test) will be offered after the classroom portion of the course for those who need it. Cost is $65 per person and includes refreshments. Reservations are required and may be made by emailing amber@inlandforest.com or calling (208) 263-9420. Participants will receive a certificate of completion following the training.

Northwest Management has scheduled refresher training for April 21 in Grangeville, May 12 in Grangeville and May 20 in Moscow. Each class begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. with an hour break for lunch. The work capacity test will be offered between 2-3 p.m. for those needing it. All participants needing the work capacity test are advised to consult their physician to make sure they are physically able to participate. Cost is $60 for those who register in advance, or $75 at the door. Pre-registration is available online HERE or using the QR code below. For more information contact Brad Tucker at (208) 310-0320 or email tucker@nmi2.com.

Registration is under way for ALC-Idaho’s 2022 Logging First Aid and Safety classes. The classes will be held at several locations throughout Idaho between March 8 and April 12, 2022. OSHA and the State of Idaho Logging Safety Regulations require that all workers in the woods participate in Logger First Aid & Safety Training every year. This class is also a required component of the Idaho Pro-Logger continuing education program.

Check out our events calendar to find classes in your area and register online: https://members.idahologgers.com/calendar_list.asp

Registration is under way for the 3rd Annual ALC Logging Safety Conference set for Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Hells Canyon Grand Hotel in Lewiston. Free breakfast. Safety training. Earn 4 Idaho Pro-Logger credits. Door prizes and more. Register online at http://ow.ly/N16K50GyL11

The American Loggers Council is urging loggers and truckers to apply for a share of $200 million set aside for the Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers (PATHH) program. Applying for assistance is quick and easy. In fact, the ALC says there is “probably not a simpler federal assistance program.”

To date only 3,000 applications have been submitted and nearly $2 million in initial payments have been disbursed. Prior American Loggers Council surveys and estimates indicate that far more are eligible.The application is only one and a half pages long.

Local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices are prepared to assist loggers and truckers with the application and process. The deadline to apply is October 15, 2021, but don’t wait until the last minute. Apply now!

To find the nearest FSA office to you go here: USDA Service Center Locator. Contact the office closest to you, call them and ask for the person who can assist you with the Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers (PATHH) program.

For additional information visit Pandemic Assistance for Timber Harvesters and Haulers Program | Farmers.gov or the American Loggers Council Application Package For PATHH Program — American Loggers Council I The National Voice for Loggers (amloggers.com)

Here are some testimonials for those who have applied for PATTH assistance:

“I’ve worked with federal grants before and this application was by far the simplest I have ever applied for.  I don’t know how it could have been any simpler.  On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being very difficult, this program and application is a 1.  The application only takes 30 minutes to complete and the FSA office was extremely responsive and helpful with any questions” Nancy Glass, Office Manager, Rutar Logging

 “If you have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, then I strongly encourage you to apply.  The application only took me 15 minutes and I’ve already received my initial payment.” Blake Fjeran, Fjeran Forest Products

Registration is now open for ALC-Idaho’s Fall Meeting & Picnic. The event will be held at ALC-Idaho’s headquarters at 10589 S. Highway 95, Coeur d’Alene.

The event (formerly known as the Pig Feed) kicks off at 8:30 a.m. on September 11, 2021. Due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns, we will have a catered lunch instead of our traditional potluck.

The agenda is in the planning stage, but at present topics for overview and discussion include: DEQ’s proposal for slash burning smoke regulations, wildfire fighting training for logging contractors and crews, and possible updates to rules for trucks regarding operating in hazardous weather. The event will be worth 4 Idaho ProLogger credits.

Please note: Each person attending must register individually. The deadline to register is Sept. 8, 2021. Thank you! 

Click HERE to register online or call us at (208) 667-6473.

With October nearly upon us, make sure you register soon for one of the many upcoming events happening in Coeur d’Alene! Visit the links below for more information on the Team Safe Trucking Annual Meeting, the Forest Resources Association’s Western Region Fall Meeting, and our headline event, the American Loggers Council Annual Meeting!

American Loggers Council Annual Meeting: https://www.amloggers.com/events/2021-annual-alc-membership-meeting

Forest Resources Association’s Western Region Fall Meeting: https://forestresources.org/2021-western-region-fall-meeting

Team Safe Trucking Annual Meeting: https://teamsafetrucking.com/events/team-safe-trucking-annual-meeting-2021/