1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to wood measurement; providing standard 
  1.3             measurements for pulpwood, firewood, and other timber; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 239.33.  
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 239.33, is 
  1.7   amended to read: 
  1.8      239.33 [STANDARD MEASUREMENT OF WOOD.] 
  1.9      In all contracts for sale of wood the term "cord" shall 
  1.10  mean 128 cubic feet of wood, in four foot lengths; and if the 
  1.11  sale is of "sawed wood," a cord shall mean 110 cubic feet when 
  1.12  ranked, or 160 cubic feet when thrown irregularly or loosely 
  1.13  into a conveyance for delivery to the purchaser; and if the sale 
  1.14  is of "sawed and split wood," a cord shall mean 120 cubic feet, 
  1.15  when ranked, and 175 cubic feet when thrown irregularly and 
  1.16  loosely into a conveyance for delivery.  If a measurement is 
  1.17  made by weight, the term "cord" or any other term used to 
  1.18  describe freshly cut green aspen in 100 inch or pole lengths 
  1.19  containing 133-1/3 cubic feet of loosely or irregularly piled 
  1.20  wood for transportation constitutes 4,300 pounds during the 
  1.21  period of May 1 through October 31 and 4,500 pounds during the 
  1.22  period of November 1 through April 30.  Specified weights are 
  1.23  based on 74 cubic feet of solid wood content per cord. 
  1.24     Subdivision 1.  [DEFINITIONS.] The definitions in this 
  1.25  subdivision apply to this section. 
  2.1      (a) "Cord" means: 
  2.2      (1) in a contract for the sale of pulpwood, sawtimber, 
  2.3   poles, and other types of timber sold by measured volume in the 
  2.4   state, 133-1/3 cubic feet of 100 inch or pole length loosely or 
  2.5   irregularly piled wood; or 
  2.6      (2) in the case of firewood, 128 cubic feet of firewood 
  2.7   determined when the firewood is carefully stacked and ranked 
  2.8   with all pieces laid parallel to achieve the greatest density. 
  2.9      (b) "Firewood" means wood in four foot lengths or less 
  2.10  offered for sale by personal solicitation as a domestic heating 
  2.11  fuel or as fireplace fuel. 
  2.12     Subd. 2.  [FIREWOOD; INVOICE REQUIRED.] When firewood is 
  2.13  sold or offered for retail sale, the buyer may request a written 
  2.14  or printed receipt that clearly indicates: 
  2.15     (1) the name, address, and telephone number of the seller's 
  2.16  business, or if the seller does not have a business address, the 
  2.17  seller's personal name and home telephone number and address; 
  2.18     (2) the quantity of wood delivered; and 
  2.19     (3) the amount paid to the seller for the wood. 
  2.20     Subd. 3.  [SOLD BY WEIGHT.] In contracts for the sale of 
  2.21  pulpwood, sawtimber, poles, firewood, and other types of timber, 
  2.22  if measurement is made by weight, the measurement must be based 
  2.23  on tonnage or avoirdupois pounds with one ton equaling 2,000 
  2.24  pounds. 
  2.25     Subd. 4.  [WEIGHT-TO-CORD CONVERSION STANDARDS.] For timber 
  2.26  sold by weight, specified weights are based on 79 cubic feet of 
  2.27  solid wood content per cord except for aspen which is based on 
  2.28  74 cubic feet of solid wood content per cord.  "Green wood" 
  2.29  means wood cut and seasoned less than four weeks. 
  2.30                   Green Wood Weights Per Cord
  2.31       Aspen:
  2.32         Summer (May 1 through October 31)       4,300 lbs.
  2.33         Winter (November 1 through April 30)    4,500 lbs.
  2.34       Jack Pine                                 4,600 lbs.
  2.35       White Cedar                               2,900 lbs.
  2.36       Balsam Fir                                4,700 lbs.
  3.1        Spruce                                    4,200 lbs.
  3.2        Balm of Gilead                            4,800 lbs.
  3.3        Norway Pine                               4,700 lbs.
  3.4        White Pine                                4,400 lbs.
  3.5        Tamarack                                  5,000 lbs.
  3.6        Birch                                     5,000 lbs.
  3.7        Hard Maple                                5,500 lbs.
  3.8        Elm                                       5,500 lbs.
  3.9        Walnut                                    5,500 lbs.
  3.10       Oak                                       5,500 lbs.
  3.11       Yellow Birch                              5,500 lbs.
  3.12       All other hardwood species                5,000 lbs.
  3.13       All other softwood species                4,500 lbs.