KGW, Portland's NBC affiliate, and KTVL, Medford's CBS affiliate, both recently interviewed Professor Jeff Reimer on his research on the increase in lumber prices happening now nationwide.
“It just seems to be the strong demand for lumber prices right now by the big home builders but this is a nationwide thing all over really, so the southern United States it's all over really," said Reimer.
Along with the demand for new homes, comes the demand for more material. But where does that material come from? Our neighbors to the north: Canada. And those materials are not that easy to get right now.
Reimer said there have been changes in supply from Canada. There is a tariff for some wood and a lot of mills closed in 2019, which has made less available material for parts of the United States.