This funding will be used to upgrade hardware and software within the sawmill s current board edger which will optimize the equipment efficiency

Forestry First LLC received a $544,177 Project Grant awarded on September 18, 2025, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Region 2 (Rocky Mountain Region), under the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act Financial Assistance to Facilities that Purchase and Process Byproducts for Ecosystem Restoration program (CFDA 10.725). The grant funds hardware and software upgrades to the company's board edger equipment at its sawmill facility. These operational improvements are designed to optimize equipment efficiency and enhance fiber recovery by 1–2.5% per processed log while increasing grade quality by 1–3% per processed log. The upgrades will enable the sawmill to maintain profitable operations amid projected decreases in timber volume availability from the Black Hills National Forest.

The project aligns with CFDA 10.725's core objective of reducing ecosystem restoration costs by enabling wood-processing facilities to utilize byproducts from federal land management activities. By improving the efficiency and output quality of its processing equipment, Forestry First LLC will increase demand for restoration byproducts from fire mitigation and thinning operations on federal lands. The grant must be completed by September 1, 2028, within the five-year completion requirement established for the program.

This optimization is projected to increase fiber recovery by 1-2.5% per processed log and increase grade quality by 1-3% per processed log. This will allow for operation on the currently projected decrease in timber volume offered by the black hills national forest at a higher efficiency.