Harvesting economics and wood fiber utilization in a fuels reduction project: a case study in eastern Oregon

In the United States, timber and agriculture are two important components of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The purpose of this study was to quantify the volume and value of timber in the U.S. economy in 1991 and compare the value of timber with that of agriculture. Combined, timber and agriculture accounted for 6.2 percent of total GDP in 1991, and 13.2 percent of the goods and structures portion of GDP. Primary timber products production totaled 17,889 million ft. 3 in 1991 and was valued at $19,370 million. Primary agricultural products were valued at $156,094 million in 1991. Although timber was only 11 percent of combined timber and agricultural primary products production, it was the highest valued crop produced in two regions, the South and Pacific Coast, and fourth highest in two regions, the North and Rocky Mountain. Only the value of corn and soybeans produced in the North exceeded the value of timber produced in any region. Secondary timber-related products added $40,128 million of value ; secondary agriculture-related products added $139,554 million. When primary and secondary products were combined, timber-related products accounted for 17 percent of all timber- and agriculture-related products in 1991.