An American timber business owner who supports Donald Trump is grappling with unsold inventory and shrinking cash flow due to the ongoing trade war, as Washington's punitive tariffs weigh heavily on his operations and push him to seek alternatives to the Chinese market.
Brandon Arbogast, the owner of Valley Log Sales in Timberville, Virginia, has spent decades in the lumber industry, exporting premium Virginia timber, primarily to China.
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Trump-supporting timber business owner struggles as tariffs disrupt trade
Trump-supporting timber business owner struggles as tariffs disrupt trade
Trump-supporting timber business owner struggles as tariffs disrupt trade
Trump-supporting timber business owner struggles as tariffs disrupt trade
Trump-supporting timber business owner struggles as tariffs disrupt trade
In this market, a high-quality timber log can fetch up to 4,000 U.S. dollars. However, the Trump administration's tariffs have upended his trade, leaving him with inventory that would normally be sold overseas.
Although Arbogast is well-versed in the cyclical nature of the lumber business, he now finds himself confronting an unprecedented challenge.
"It's not going too good. We are in a trade war. China takes in about 60 percent of American hardwood, lumber, and logs, and they are such a big market that it makes the rest of the world play fair. It makes it very competitive. And with them not buying, it turns out there are a lot of logs on the market now. Since they are not buying, and people are trying to get the logs as cheap as they can, the rich get richer, and the middle class, like me, suffer," Arbogast said.
Sitting on 120,000 to 130,000 U.S. dollars' worth of unsold wood, Arbogast is contemplating selling some of his land to maintain cash flow.
"I can still hold for a while. I've been okay in this business; the business has been kind to me. I've worked very hard to get where I am. I can hold for a little while. I can't hold forever. I'm just hoping soon something happens with the trade deal, and you know it works out for both sides," Arbogast added.
Despite the difficulties, Arbogast remains hopeful. He is not angry with President Trump. As a self-identified Trump supporter, Arbogast is willing to endure the hardship, hoping that a resolution to the trade dispute will eventually bring relief.
For now, his premium walnut logs, which are typically transformed into furniture, flooring, and kitchen cabinets, remain idle in the field, surrounded by growing crops.
The unsold walnut wood has become a growing concern for Arbogast's business. Like many small business owners around the world, he and countless others are waiting for progress.
Eyes are now on Geneva, where high-level talks on China-U.S. economic and trade affairs commenced on Saturday.
China's lead representative, He Lifeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and vice premier, attended the meeting alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Although Geneva may seem like a million miles away, small business owners like Arbogast are eager for signs of progress. While they can hold out for now, they are hoping to return to normal operations -- shipping logs worldwide and ensuring jobs for workers who transform timber into essential products.
Trump-supporting timber business owner struggles as tariffs disrupt trade
Trump-supporting timber business owner struggles as tariffs disrupt trade
Trump-supporting timber business owner struggles as tariffs disrupt trade
Trump-supporting timber business owner struggles as tariffs disrupt trade
Trump-supporting timber business owner struggles as tariffs disrupt trade
