Rural job training bill targets forestry workforce in struggling communities
H.R. 4575 — Jobs in the Woods Act · Filed by Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) · 16 cosponsors · Introduced Jul 21, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
The Jobs in the Woods Act directs the Department of Agriculture to establish a competitive grant program providing $500,000 to $2,000,000 per grant to eligible entities (nonprofits, states, tribes, local governments, and colleges) to run career training programs in forestry for rural, low-income areas. Grants prioritize regions with aging workforces and youth out-migration, and require partnerships with schools or colleges. The bill authorizes $10 million annually from 2026 through 2030 to fund these programs.
Why we flagged it
The bill establishes a competitive grant program for forestry career pathway training in rural areas. It is a straightforward workforce development initiative with no hidden provisions or narrow beneficiaries.
What the text implies
- Grant prioritization for areas with aging workforces and youth out-migration may concentrate federal resources in specific rural regions, potentially creating geographic winners and losers in forestry workforce development.
- Requirement for broadband access or plans to achieve it may inadvertently exclude the most isolated rural communities that lack infrastructure investment, limiting reach to the most underserved populations.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
forestry operations companies; timber processing and products manufacturers; vocational and technical education providers