By: Ag. Reporter Mollie Goode
A new bill designed to preserve and protect the White Oak population was announced Friday.
The announcement came from the United States Senate and was supported by U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell and U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner who introduced the White Oak Resilience Act of 2025. This new act will direct more federal resources to research protecting our nation’s White Oak tree population.
A news release from the United States Senate says the species is facing a shortage, which could potentially disrupt industries that depend on wood, such as bourbon and furniture production. The new bill plans to encourage population growth to support the economy and jobs across the Commonwealth.
Senator McConnel says, “Kentucky bourbon is synonymous with the White Oak tree, used to age our state’s signature spirit in its wooden barrels. As we face an impending White Oak shortage, I’m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation that will help protect this species and preserve Kentucky’s iconic bourbon industry that bolsters our economy and supports thousands of jobs across the Commonwealth. This is commonsense conservation at its best.”