Beckwith Lumber Awarded $1M USDA Forest Service Grant

A recent press release by the Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation (GVEDC) announces that Beckwith Lumber Company, Inc. has been awarded a $1,030,900 grant through the USDA Forest Service Wood Products Infrastructure Assistance Program. This will expand the company’s hardwood manufacturing and support forest restoration, by enabling Beckwith to install a new vertical line resaw system at Beckwith’s hardwood sawmill in Slaty Fork, West Virginia. The GVEDC assisted Beckwith with the grant application through its Business Retention & Expansion Program

The award was also announced by the U.S. Forest Service as part of its nationwide investment of more than $105.5 million in grants to support the wood products industry and strengthen markets for material generated through forest restoration projects. “The greatest threat to forest landowners and those who use forests is the lack of critical markets in today’s timber and wood products industries,” said U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “There are significant gaps where low-value wood, small diameter trees and restoration byproducts lack viable buyers. To close these gaps, we are investing in companies and organizations that are developing technologies, products, business models and training to expand and strengthen markets directly connected to forest restoration. Over time, this will help create new uses for underused materials, strengthen rural economies, improve forest health, and make forest management more financially sustainable.”

The new equipment Beckwith will receive through this grant will improve lumber recovery, increase mill efficiency, and expand Beckwith Lumber’s ability to process smaller-diameter logs and underutilized hardwood species on the Monongahela National Forest and private lands. The project is expected to create new opportunities in timber markets while supporting restoration activities designed to improve long-term forest health.

“This investment is tremendous news for Beckwith Lumber, our employees, and the forest products industry throughout Pocahontas County,” said Daniel Woods, President of Beckwith Lumber Company, Inc. “This award allows us to leverage our investments to increase production and utilization, while helping to manage the federal forests that surround us. It’s a win-win situation.”

Founded in 1961, Beckwith Lumber has been a cornerstone of Pocahontas County’s economy for more than six decades. The company currently employs 40 workers and supports a network of independent logging contractors, truckers, equipment operators, and forestry professionals throughout the region.

The award comes as Beckwith Lumber continues efforts to modernize its operations following a fire in 2025. The company has invested heavily in rebuilding and upgrading its facility and views the Forest Service grant as an important partnership that will help accelerate those efforts while supporting public forest management objectives.