Why would they quit giving the info out then? They charge for it now.

I didn't know they ever gave current information out for free, even though their "current" information is always a quarter behind. F2M was developed and sold to large companies to benchmark prices against each other. In the past few years alot of the big companies have backed away from it so if they are charging for something now that once was free I imagine its because they are trying to milk a few more bucks from it before all the big companies dump it and it dies.

Forest2market has no meaningful purpose at a local level. It will give you some good information on trends in the large scale and national level.

BINGO!!!!

F2M and Timber Mart South get their prices from consultants, county foresters and Extension Service offices. The county forester and Ex Ser call around to anybody in the area they can get to answer the phone and give them numbers. They are not of much value if you are selling timber tho, they are at least 3 months behind in the numbers and they are not tract specific like you would have on a tract for sale..

F2M had a free SE average price chart that was usually two weeks behind, but timber mart south is a quarter behind. It was great for a landowner.

The way a mill sees it is why pay more for wood close to the mill they are gone to get it anyway. if you pay more every logger landowner close will want more . If a mill needs to add inventory thy will pay logger or landowner 70-100 miles away more, so word doesn't get out. If it does thy say it's because of distance

The point is 99% of F2M's info came from the mills that bought the wood. You think that is legit info? I've work for two mills that used it and I've seen some crazy tricks to manipulate that number. Plus a quarter behind is useless even if it was a relevant number.

We always take bids. Highest bid gets it. My dad sent out letters today on a tract he wants cut. Its only about 200 acres but it will be easy cutting. I told him price was way down but he said if he doesn't get what he wants he will wait.

So does anyone have an answer to the op's question? I'd like to know, also.

The only thing TMS or F2M gives landowners in my area is an unrealistic expectation. CD.

Zone pricing was developed because paper mills can't keep the mill full relying on wood in just a 50 or so mile radius. To get wood from outside a typical procurement area you have to pay a higher delivered price. Generally the landowner will get a similar stumpage from any zone because the extra money in the delivered price goes to the logging/trucking cost. The problem with zones is it encourages zone jumping. Most mills in our area don't have zones so its not a big deal. They usually buy based on the wood specs (especially sawmills). Im pretty sure F2M has changed hands, which is why they went to a pay model. Gotta make money somehow I suppose. Mills were the ones who mainly used their data anyways. F2M stumpage and TimberMart South stumpage numbers were always very inflated for North Alabama.