Ever since 2000, lumber has been something of a sore subject in the United States. Growth in Chinese furniture manufacturing has undercut many domestic businesses, turning local hardwood production into more of an export-driven endeavor. And the housing crisis has put a clamp on what was, for decades, a healthy demand for kitchens and flooring made with wood. "It's been a very difficult industry to be in the last 10 years or so," said Bill Luppold, who is an economist for the U.S. Forest Service. "We've lost so much of our business."