You could say the annual rate fluctuations are the result of some black box inside the U.S. Department of Commerce. We don't know why the rates go up or down from one year to the next, but they bring great uncertainty. The only thing companies can control—to the extent that's possible—is their costs.
Cost is one factor that determines competitiveness, but the other factor is the tax rate, which affects market predictability and the industry's capacity to meet demand, make investments and commit to purchasing lumber.
Without long-term predictability, the industry will have a harder time planning for the future, making investments, undertaking processing, developing new products and meeting the needs in the coming decades.