North Carolina man who voted for Trump forced to kill family lumber mill due to tariffs.

Guno צְבִי

Guno צְבִי

We fight, We win, Am Yisrael Chai
Wilson Jones stands in what used to be the heart of his family's lumber empire — the Mackeys Ferry Sawmill in North Carolina.

But instead of the familiar roar of saws cutting through Southern pine, there's only silence.

"I've grown all my life in the lumber business," the 60-something mill owner tells Bloomberg (1), his voice heavy with emotion. "And to hear nature at a sawmill, I think for any lumberman is not natural. I don't wanna be overly dramatic, but in a way it's as unnerving as watching a loved one take their final breath."

Jones is the fifth generation in his family to run a lumber business — and the first to close a mill. The culprit? President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, announced April 2, 2025, which promised to bring manufacturing jobs roaring back to America.

"When I say Liberation Day, I cannot put enough snark and sarcasm in my voice because we weren't liberated," Wilson says. "Liberation Day, it did, at the time, it had damn near liberated me from our business."

The Jones family's story isn't unique. It's playing out in factories, mills and plants across America. Since President Trump's April tariff announcement, overall manufacturing employment has declined by 42,000, while job openings and hires have fallen by 76,000 and 18,000, respectively according to the Center for American Progress (2). Manufacturing hiring plunged in May to the weakest rate since 2016 under President Barack Obama

 

Supply chain disruptions and confusion devastate rural America​

The ripple effects reach far beyond individual factories. The Joint Economic Committee finds that continued tariff uncertainty could reduce U.S. manufacturing investments by more than 13% per year — more than $490 billion by 2029 U.S. (13).

In Washington County, North Carolina, where Mackeys Ferry operated, Economic Development Director Kelly Chesson calls the closure "a big blow."

"50 guys are going, men and women are gonna lose their jobs. Yeah, that is a blow," Chesson says, noting the county still hasn't recovered from losing 200 jobs when a paper mill closed 20 years ago. "We still haven't recovered from that."

The uncertainty paralyzes business planning. Companies need decades-long horizons to invest in new facilities, but tariff policies change by the day — sometimes by the hour. For rural communities already struggling with limited economic diversification, each facility closure promises to echo for generations.
 
Guno צְבִי said:
Wilson Jones stands in what used to be the heart of his family's lumber empire — the Mackeys Ferry Sawmill in North Carolina.

But instead of the familiar roar of saws cutting through Southern pine, there's only silence.

"I've grown all my life in the lumber business," the 60-something mill owner tells Bloomberg (1), his voice heavy with emotion. "And to hear nature at a sawmill, I think for any lumberman is not natural. I don't wanna be overly dramatic, but in a way it's as unnerving as watching a loved one take their final breath."

Jones is the fifth generation in his family to run a lumber business — and the first to close a mill. The culprit? President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, announced April 2, 2025, which promised to bring manufacturing jobs roaring back to America.

"When I say Liberation Day, I cannot put enough snark and sarcasm in my voice because we weren't liberated," Wilson says. "Liberation Day, it did, at the time, it had damn near liberated me from our business."

The Jones family's story isn't unique. It's playing out in factories, mills and plants across America. Since President Trump's April tariff announcement, overall manufacturing employment has declined by 42,000, while job openings and hires have fallen by 76,000 and 18,000, respectively according to the Center for American Progress (2). Manufacturing hiring plunged in May to the weakest rate since 2016 under President Barack Obama

Click to expand...
He got what he voted for.
 
I am pretty sure that we are a net importer of finished lumber....which would make the claim BullShit.

Very often when people fail at business they blame someone else.
 
Guno צְבִי said:
North Carolina man who voted for Trump forced to kill family lumber mill due to tariffs.

Wilson Jones stands in what used to be the heart of his family's lumber empire — the Mackeys Ferry Sawmill in North Carolina.

But instead of the familiar roar of saws cutting through Southern pine, there's only silence.

"I've grown all my life in the lumber business," the 60-something mill owner tells Bloomberg (1), his voice heavy with emotion. "And to hear nature at a sawmill, I think for any lumberman is not natural. I don't wanna be overly dramatic, but in a way it's as unnerving as watching a loved one take their final breath."

Jones is the fifth generation in his family to run a lumber business — and the first to close a mill. The culprit? President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs, announced April 2, 2025, which promised to bring manufacturing jobs roaring back to America.

"When I say Liberation Day, I cannot put enough snark and sarcasm in my voice because we weren't liberated," Wilson says. "Liberation Day, it did, at the time, it had damn near liberated me from our business."

The Jones family's story isn't unique. It's playing out in factories, mills and plants across America. Since President Trump's April tariff announcement, overall manufacturing employment has declined by 42,000, while job openings and hires have fallen by 76,000 and 18,000, respectively according to the Center for American Progress (2). Manufacturing hiring plunged in May to the weakest rate since 2016 under President Barack Obama
Click to expand...

:rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:

Let's hope every last one of them learns the hard way about the consequences of their own stupid choices.

No sympathy.
 
Nomad said:
:rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:

Let's hope every last one of them learns the hard way about the consequences of their own stupid choices.

No sympathy.
Click to expand...
As I said I don't feel sorry for anybody that voted for Trump and is now getting bit in the ass , they are getting what they wanted and voted for.
And NOT all of Trumps BBB has been put into effect yet.
They should be wondering why the Republicans put off putting a lot of the BBB into effect till AFTER the mid terms , IMO it is because it is going to hurt a lot of Americans and a lot more MAGAS then DEMS.
We will have to wait and see but IMO it isn't going to be pretty for a lot of Americans.
 
Tbird19482 said:
As I said I don't feel sorry for anybody that voted for Trump and is now getting bit in the ass , they are getting what they wanted and voted for.
And NOT all of Trumps BBB has been put into effect yet.
They should be wondering why the Republicans put off putting a lot of the BBB into effect till AFTER the mid terms , IMO it is because it is going to hurt a lot of Americans and a lot more MAGAS then DEMS.
We will have to wait and see but IMO it isn't going to be pretty for a lot of Americans.
Click to expand...
The collapse of the Empire and America are not all Trumps fault....but the oligarchs and their mind molding apparatus will surely claim such for at least a decade.
 
Hawkeye10 said:
I am pretty sure that we are a net importer of finished lumber....which would make the claim BullShit.

Very often when people fail at business they blame someone else.
Click to expand...

Top 10 Timber Exporting Countries to the U.S. in 2024

Top 10 Timber Exporting Countries to the U.S. in 2024
www.globalwood.org

www.familyhandyman.com

Why Do We Get So Much Lumber From Canada?

Remember when the price of lumber skyrocketed in 2020? It's poised to happen again. Here's why.
www.familyhandyman.com www.familyhandyman.com

What Guano failed to say in the OP was that Mackeys Ferry Sawmill in North Carolina was a major exporter of hardwoods to China and other overseas markets. China retaliated with raising tariffs as well and Wilson Jones the owner was unable to shift with those changes and continue operations.

At the time, Jones’s company already had about $350,000–$400,000 worth of lumber on ships bound for China. Bringing it back wasn’t an option — freight costs from China were about eight times higher in reverse. Jones tried rerouting through Vietnam. He found buyers, but the problem was that Vietnam typically uses lower-quality wood than the premium-grade lumber shipped to China. Jones had to take price concessions for quality and volume, ultimately facing a 40% loss.
www.carolinajournal.com

Liberated from a legacy: Mackey's Ferry Sawmill

Mackey's Ferry Sawmill was the largest private employer in Washington County, until recently, when owner Wilson Jones was forced to shut down due to the impact of tariffs. After almost 40 years, Mackeys ferry Sawmill the largest private employer in Washington County was forced to shutdown due to...
www.carolinajournal.com www.carolinajournal.com

In essence, Jones' specialization in hardwoods and linking his business almost entirely to exports to Asia were what did him in.
 
T. A. Gardner said:

Top 10 Timber Exporting Countries to the U.S. in 2024

Top 10 Timber Exporting Countries to the U.S. in 2024
www.globalwood.org

www.familyhandyman.com

Why Do We Get So Much Lumber From Canada?

Remember when the price of lumber skyrocketed in 2020? It's poised to happen again. Here's why.
www.familyhandyman.com www.familyhandyman.com

What Guano failed to say in the OP was that Mackeys Ferry Sawmill in North Carolina was a major exporter of hardwoods to China and other overseas markets. China retaliated with raising tariffs as well and Wilson Jones the owner was unable to shift with those changes and continue operations.

At the time, Jones’s company already had about $350,000–$400,000 worth of lumber on ships bound for China. Bringing it back wasn’t an option — freight costs from China were about eight times higher in reverse. Jones tried rerouting through Vietnam. He found buyers, but the problem was that Vietnam typically uses lower-quality wood than the premium-grade lumber shipped to China. Jones had to take price concessions for quality and volume, ultimately facing a 40% loss.
www.carolinajournal.com

Liberated from a legacy: Mackey's Ferry Sawmill

Mackey's Ferry Sawmill was the largest private employer in Washington County, until recently, when owner Wilson Jones was forced to shut down due to the impact of tariffs. After almost 40 years, Mackeys ferry Sawmill the largest private employer in Washington County was forced to shutdown due to...
www.carolinajournal.com www.carolinajournal.com

In essence, Jones' specialization in hardwoods and linking his business almost entirely to exports to Asia were what did him in.
Click to expand...
Timber and finished lumber are two different things.
 
Slight Tangent: Someone on my well curated grapevine was maybe 6 months ago talking about how vassal Japan now refuses to buy American finished lumber, they will only buy timber and process it themselves....in spite of their labor shortage.....because of constant problems with American lumber quality.
 
T. A. Gardner said:
What Guano failed to say in the OP was that Mackeys Ferry Sawmill in North Carolina was a major exporter of hardwoods to China and other overseas markets. China retaliated with raising tariffs as well and Wilson Jones the owner was unable to shift with those changes and continue operations.

At the time, Jones’s company already had about $350,000–$400,000 worth of lumber on ships bound for China. Bringing it back wasn’t an option — freight costs from China were about eight times higher in reverse. Jones tried rerouting through Vietnam. He found buyers, but the problem was that Vietnam typically uses lower-quality wood than the premium-grade lumber shipped to China. Jones had to take price concessions for quality and volume, ultimately facing a 40% loss.

In essence, Jones' specialization in hardwoods and linking his business almost entirely to exports to Asia were what did him in.
Click to expand...
Wait..... So according to you, because China retaliated in-kind to the tariffs trump put in place first, it's China's fault when Americans lose their businesses and their livelihoods...?

You are wayyy waaayyyy over onto the extreme far "shameless" end of the trump sack-licker spectrum.

Seriously, I've never seen anything like the ass-licking you give trump.

Fucking scary.

😵‍💫
 
Nomad said:
Wait..... So according to you, because China retaliated in-kind to the tariffs trump put in place first, it's China's fault when Americans lose their businesses and their livelihoods...?

You are wayyy waaayyyy over onto the extreme far "shameless" end of the trump sack-licker spectrum.

Seriously, I've never seen anything like the ass-licking you give trump.

Fucking scary.

😵‍💫
Click to expand...
Americas constant aggression and lack of honor has taught the Chinese that we are a hopeless case....going forwards they want to have as little to do with us as possible.
 
Trumps "We are the biggest economy with the greatest military in history.....the Chinks have to do as we say" is 30 years out of date.

This moron has no idea.
 
Nomad said:
Wait..... So according to you, because China retaliated in-kind to the tariffs trump put in place first, it's China's fault when Americans lose their businesses and their livelihoods...?

You are wayyy waaayyyy over onto the extreme far "shameless" end of the trump sack-licker spectrum.

Seriously, I've never seen anything like the ass-licking you give trump.

Fucking scary.

😵‍💫
Click to expand...
Are you... Yea, you are.

Anyway, what I was pointing out was that this sawmill exported almost all of its product to Asia and overwhelmingly to China. That created a very narrow and niche market for the mill that ran a big risk of something in the market changing abruptly and resulting in their being put out of business. Well, that something happened.

It isn't Trump's fault that this company didn't diversify its sales to prevent a disaster like the one that happened. That's on its management for being myopic.

You on the other hand just want to blame Trump. Sure, Trump started the cascade of events that led to the mill's demise, but it was the mill's management that set it up for failure.
 
The Imperial Empire is powered by abuse, racism, lack of honor and delusion.

Buckle Up.....this is going to hurt.
 
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