近距离内射合集

The rising price of wood, combined with a strained economy, has had a profound impact on Albuquerque-based furniture maker Andy Monahan, who owns Watersong Furniture on Central. Monahan said he braced for higher lumber prices when President Donald Trump took office in January.

鈥淚 have learned through the years to weather the ups and downs,鈥� Monahan said. 鈥淚鈥檓 hanging onto my business, but I鈥檓 treading water right now. So we鈥檙e waiting for better times.鈥�

Monahan has been making custom-built wood furniture and cabinetry for more than 40 years. Since the economy has tightened, he said, people just aren鈥檛 spending money like they used to.

鈥淧eople are holding up. They鈥檙e looking out for themselves, which they should. Medicine, food and shelter is a lot more important than a piece of furniture,鈥� he said.

Trump鈥檚 tariffs on foreign furniture and wood products took effect Tuesday, prompting uncertainty among Albuquerque-area businesses and developers, who say the duties will put pressure on an already tight market.

At the end of September, the Trump administration tariffs of 10% on imported lumber and 25% on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities, aimed at decreasing the 近距离内射合集 States鈥� reliance on foreign products. On Jan. 1, tariffs on upholstered furniture will rise to 30% and tariffs on kitchen cabinets will rise to 50%.

The U.S. imports 40% of its softwood lumber from other countries, according to Andrew Muhammad, professor of agricultural and resource economics at the University of Tennessee. More than 80% of foreign lumber comes from Canada.

For New Mexico businesses that get all of their wood from abroad, the tariffs have created financial hardship.

For local housing developers, it鈥檚 hard to predict the tariffs鈥� impact. Though with housing affordability already a major problem for buyers, developers like J.P. Rael have concerns about how more expensive lumber might affect the market.

鈥淚 think the hardest thing that we鈥檙e facing is consumer sentiment,鈥� said Rael, president of the Albuquerque Home Builders Association. 鈥淭he idea of impending price increases in an already difficult market makes it extremely tough.鈥�

Al Baca, New Mexico sales manager for materials supplier Builders FirstSource, said using domestic lumber isn鈥檛 always an option, especially for building homes. The wood native to New Mexico isn鈥檛 able to withstand the arid climate, so builders turn to imports, usually from Canada.

鈥淚n this market and this climate, you can鈥檛 just put any wood into a house or any lumber, otherwise we鈥檇 be buying domestic all day long, because domestic ends up being cheaper,鈥� Baca said.

In a proclamation, White House officials said the tariffs were intended to 鈥渂olster American industry and protect national security.鈥�

鈥淧resident Trump recognizes that an overreliance on foreign timber, lumber, and their derivative products could jeopardize the 近距离内射合集 States鈥� defense capabilities, construction industry, and economic strength,鈥� the proclamation said.

Government officials, Trump said, found via an analysis of wood imports that the country鈥檚 dependence on foreign timber 鈥渢hreatens to impair national security.鈥�

Some experts say this reasoning doesn鈥檛 hold up.

鈥淣o politico is going to explain why, say, your dining set or your coffee table is somehow a threat to national security because it came from China, Vietnam,鈥� Muhammad said.

Higher prices will get passed on to the final consumer, Muhammad said, which will make business more difficult for flooring or furniture companies.

The tariffs could make Canadian imports so expensive that the U.S. invests in timber production stateside, though Muhammad said Trump鈥檚 constantly changing tariffs aren鈥檛 beneficial to growth.

鈥淵ou need the business environment to have a certain permanence about it to foster investment,鈥� Muhammad said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing permanent about these tariffs.鈥�