The United States Department of Agriculture Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau, with the overall direction and control of the cooperative program to be maintained by APHIS. This program provides the necessary documentation that kiln dried Southern Pine lumber exported to foreign countries has reached a critical temperature at the core to eradicate the "Pinewood Nematode" and its vectors.

SPIB audit services will be provided to lumber producers who have already demonstrated that they can properly kiln dry Southern Pine lumber. In most cases, these producers already stamp their domestic lumber with KD stamps. Previously, none of the material had been grade-marked because the major portion of export Southern Pine is sold as rough or full rough manufacture.

However, EU countries have stated that all pine species must be kiln dried for sterilization prior to being exported from the USA. This program requires the marking of each and every package of export lumber (destined for EU countries) with a distinctive SPIB mark, which identifies the sterilization process (kiln drying) and the location of the kiln facility.

Recognizing SPIB’s expertise and reputation in the Southern Pine Lumber Products Industry, the USFS, APHIS, and many foreign countries participating in the program designated SPIB to verify their subscribers’ kiln drying of export products.

The program requires the lumber producers to designate key personnel at their plants who are responsible for accurately completing the forms which document the sterilization of the Southern Pine through kiln drying. The form, entitled "Heat Treatment Certification Using a Kiln Facility," is then sent to the SPIB office for "Agency Validation" and receives an authorized SPIB staff signature and official SPIB seal.