Timber Buyer

Career Overview

A timber buyer is a professional forester, forest technician, or forest worker who specializes in the purchase and resale of standing trees and timber. Timber is purchased from federal or state government lands or private forest landowners and sold to a wide variety of mills and processing facilities. Timber buyers must be skilled at measuring and evaluating standing timber, negotiating with landowners, loggers, and mills, and ensuring that all contracts between the various parties are satisfied. Timber buyers must thrive in a fast-paced work environment, and good communication skills and attention to detail are crucial to success.

Other job titles include: buyer, grain buyer, grain merchandiser, grain origination specialist, purchasing agent, tobacco buyer.