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DISCLAIMER, TERMS OF USE and PRIVACY, & COMPLIANCE

Revised August 2019

DISCLAIMER

Southern Forest Products Association owns and operates the following websites.  By accessing and using them, you agree to the Terms of Use.

www.sfpa.org                                                               www.SouthernPine.com

www.SouthernPineDecks.com                                   www.RaisedFloorLiving.com

www.RaisedFloorLivingPro.com                                www.RaisedFloorPro.com

www.SouthernPineGlobal.com                                  www.AmericanSoftwoods.com

 

Neither the Southern Forest Products Association, nor its members make any warranty, expressed or implied, or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the use, application of, and/or reference to opinions, findings, or conclusions or recommendations included in these websites.  SFPA has no control over quality of workmanship or the conditions under which southern pine wood products are used, therefore, it cannot accept responsibility for product performance or designs as actually constructed.  Consult your local jurisdiction or design professional to assure compliance with code, construction, and performance requirements.

TERMS OF USE

Privacy Notice

Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA) respects your concerns about privacy.  This Privacy Notice applies to SFPA websites and blogs.  This Notice describes the types of personal information we collect on these Websites, how we may use that information, and with whom we may share it.  Our Privacy Notice also describes the measures we take to protect the security of that personal information.  We also tell you how you can reach us to answer any questions about our privacy policies.

Information we Collect and How We Use It

  • Personal Information You Provide

You may choose to provide personal information (such as your name, telephone number, and email address) on our Websites.  Here are the ways you may provide the information and the types of information you may submit.  We also tell you how we may use the information.

  • News, Alerts, and Publications

On our Websites, you may sign up to receive news, alerts, and publications from SFPA.  To sign up, we may ask you for information such as your name, company, and email address.  We use the information you provide to send communications that you requested.  We also use the information for internal uses including administration of the Websites, market research, data analytics, and compliance with our legal obligations, policies and procedures.

  • “Contact Us” and “Product Inquiries”

If you communicate with us through the “Contact Us” link or any other Inquiry Forms on our Websites, we may ask you for information such as your name, address, email address,  telephone number, and detailed information on the products you are seeking, so we can respond to your questions and comments.  We may also use the information you provide to communicate with you about topics that we believe may be of interest to you, and Product Inquiries may be distributed to our membership distribution list so they can directly respond to your product request.

  • Personal Information We Collect by Automated Means

We collect certain information by automated means when you visit our Websites, such as how many users visited our Websites and the pages accessed.  By collecting this information, we learn how to best tailor the Websites to our visitors.  We collect this information through various means such as “cookies” and IP addresses, as explained below.

  • Cookies

All of our Websites use “cookies”.  Cookies are bits of text that are placed on your computer’s hard drive when you visit certain websites.  We may use cookies to tell us, for example, whether you have visited us before or if you are a new visitor and to help us identify site features in which you may have the greatest interest.  Cookies may enhance your online experience by saving your preferences while you are visiting a particular website.  Most browsers will tell you how to disable cookies.  Please note, however, that without cookies, you may not be able to take full advantage of all our Website features.

  • IP Address

An IP address is a unique identifier that certain electronic devices use to identify and communicate with each other on the Internet.  When you visit our Websites, we may view the IP address of the device you use to connect to the Internet.  We use this information to determine the general physical location of the device and understand from what geographic regions our website visitors come.  We also may use this information to enhance our Websites.

  • Information We Share

We do not sell, rent, trade, or otherwise disclose personal information visitors submit through our Websites, except as described in this Privacy Notice.  We may share your information among SFPA and our members to respond to your inquiries.  We may also share the information with service providers we have retained to perform services on our behalf.  These service providers are not authorized by us to use or disclose the information except as necessary to perform services on our behalf or to comply with legal requirements.  In addition, we may disclose information about you (i) if we are required to do so by law or pursuant to legal process, (ii) in response to a request from law enforcement authorities or other government officials, or (iii) when we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical harm or financial loss or in connection with an investigation or suspected or actual illegal activity.

We reserve the right to transfer any information we have about you in the event we sell or transfer all or a portion of our business or assets.  Should such a sale or transfer occur, we will use reasonable efforts to require that the transferee use personal information you have provided through this website in a manner that is consistent with this Privacy Notice.

  • Links to Other Sites

We provide links to other websites for your convenience and information.  These websites operate independently from our Websites and are not under our control.  These websites may have their own privacy notices or terms of use, which we strongly suggest you review if you visit any linked websites.  We are not responsible for the content of these websites, any products or services that may be offered through these websites, or any other use of the linked websites.

The Association is in the business of promoting the interests of its members as a whole and does not promote the services, products or publications of one Association member over any other member.  Links to Association member websites, other websites or references to products, services or publication, other than those of the Association at this Website, do not imply the Association’s endorsement or approval of such websites, products, services or publication, nor are such links or references any indication that the Association has received specific authorization to provide these links or references.  The Association does not endorse, approve, certify or control these external websites, and is not responsible for the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, efficacy, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose or correct sequencing of any information located on such websites.  Rather, the links on these Websites to other websites are provided solely as a convenience to users of this Website.  Your linking to these websites and your use of information on these websites is at your own risk and will be subject to the terms and conditions of use of such websites and not the terms and conditions of use of this Website.

The Product Locator is provided as a convenience for visitors interested in finding a source of supply for Southern Pine lumber products.  Listed contact information of Association members products, does not imply the Association’s endorsement, approval or warranty of their products, services, expertise, or business practices.

  • How We Protect Personal Information

We maintain administrative, technical and physical safeguards for these Websites designed to protect against loss, misuse or unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction of the personal information we collect through our Websites.

  • Information We Transfer

We may transfer the personal information we collect through these Websites to other countries where we do business, which may not have the same data protection laws as the country in which you reside.

  • Update to our Privacy Notice

The Association reserves the right to revise or modify these terms and conditions or any information on the Website and to interrupt or discontinue the operation of this Website at any time and without prior notice.  You should periodically review these terms and conditions to ensure that you are up to date with current information.  The date of the most recent update will be indicated at the top of this Notice.

  • How to Contact Us

If you would like to update your contact information or preferences, or have your information removed from our mailing lists, please contact us by:

Email:  mail@sfpa.org

Or Contact:

SFPA

Attention:  Julia Milrod

6660 Riverside Drive, Suite 212

Metairie, LA  70003

 

Prohibited Uses

The Association prohibits the use of the Website for any of the following:  (i) to engage in any activity that is illegal or unauthorized, (ii) to post or transmit any information that will infringe the copyright, trademark or other intellectual property rights of others or violate the privacy or publicity rights of others, (iii) to frame or create a link to any of the information on the Website, (iv) to access any unauthorized data or to breach any security measure on the Website, or (v) to post or send any unsolicited email, promotion or advertisement over the Website.

Risk of Loss

You assume and accept all liability and/or risk of loss associated with use of the Website and your use and reliance on any information provided on this Website is at your own risk. In connection therewith, you will protect, defend, hold harmless and indemnify the Association and its owners, directors, officers, employees, agents, insurers, other customers, contractors, vendors, suppliers and invitees, each of its members and those of its subsidiary or affiliated companies, from and against any and all demands, claims, actions, costs, expenses (including, without limitation, legal costs and attorney’s fees to enforce rights arising hereunder) and liabilities (individually, a “Claim”, collectively, the “Claims”) brought or asserted against the Association by or on behalf of any person or entity whomsoever, which Claims directly or indirectly relate to your use of the Website, by whomsoever incurred, regardless of the extent to which, if at all, a Claim may be attributable, in whole or in part, to the breach of contract, negligence, strict liability or other legal fault of the Association, for acts or omissions occurring or conditions existing at any time. THE ASSOCIATION SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF BUSINESS, OPPORTUNITY, REVENUE OR PROFIT, LOSS OF REPUTATION OR GOODWILL, COST OF MONEY, OR FOR ANY PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE, BY WHOMSOEVER INCURRED AND REGARDLESS OF CAUSE, INCLUDING WHETHER ATTRIBUTABLE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, TO THE BREACH OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHER LEGAL FAULT OF THE ASSOCIATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OR OPERATION OF THE WEBSITE OR THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE INFORMATION OR CONTENT ON THE WEBSITE.

Copyrights and Trademarks

This Website contains content, data compilations, names, trademarks, logos and graphics, which are protected by copyright and trademark laws and are the sole property of the Association or its affiliates. All rights reserved. The use of any of the Association’s protected intellectual property without the express written consent of the Association is prohibited. No content from this Website may be copied, modified, uploaded, published, transmitted or distributed in any form or manner without the prior written consent of the Association. Any unauthorized use of content from this Website which may violate copyright or trademark laws could result in criminal or civil penalties.

Dispute Resolution

This Agreement, establishment, operation and use of the Website and activities related thereto, are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana, excluding any conflicts of laws principles that may call for the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction. By using this Website, or by contracting for or accepting services from the Association through this Website, you expressly agree, for yourself and for your successors and assigns, to: (i) submission of all disputes arising out of or in connection with this Agreement to litigation in the state or federal courts located in New Orleans, Louisiana, (ii) waive any right to a jury trial, (iii) waive and not assert in any proceeding that you are not bound to litigate as aforesaid, that you are not subject to the jurisdiction of the state or federal courts of New Orleans, Louisiana or that New Orleans, Louisiana is an improper or inconvenient location or forum in which to litigate, and (iv) the entry of any settlement or judgment arising from such litigation in a court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing such settlement or making such award executory in that jurisdiction. You are responsible for ensuring that your conduct is at all times in compliance with the laws, rules and regulations applicable to business transactions conducted in your particular location or by persons or entities of your citizenship.

Design Values and Span Tables

The primary purpose of the provided design values and span tables is to provide a convenient reference for specific grades of Southern Pine lumber. The Association does not grade or test lumber; and accordingly, does not assign design values to Southern Pine lumber. The design values contained on the Website are based on the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (“SPIB”) Standard Grading Rules for Southern Pine Lumber, published by the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau, and modified as required by the National Design Specification® (“NDS®”) for Wood Construction published by the American Wood Council (“AWC”).  The maximum spans provided on the Website were determined on the same basis as those in the Span Tables for Joists and Rafters published by AWC.  Accordingly, the Association, its principals and/or members, do not warrant in any way that the design values on which the span tables for Southern Pine lumber contained on the Website are based are correct, and specifically disclaim any liability for injury or damage resulting from the use of such span tables. The conditions under which lumber is used in construction may vary widely, as does the quality of lumber and workmanship. Neither the Association, nor its principals and/or members, have any knowledge of the construction project; and accordingly, cannot and do not, warrant the performance of the lumber used in completed structures.

 

COMPLIANCE STATEMENTS

 

Non-Discrimination Statement and Equal Opportunity Employer

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.  Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.  Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

  1. Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
  2. Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
  1. Email: intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

 

Accessibility Statement

If you require assistance or wish to report an issue related to the accessibility of any content on this website, please email jmilrod@sfpa.org.  If applicable, please include the web address or URL and the specific problems you have encountered.  You may also contact SFPA at 504-443-4464.

 

USDA Compliance Links

https://www.usda.gov/accessibility-statement

https://www.usda.gov/non-discrimination-statement