CONTACT: Lindsay Murphy / Tim Ebner
(202) 463-2587, comm@afandpa.org
WASHINGTON – Earlier today, President Trump and Canada’s Prime Minister Trudeau agreed to close the border separating the United States and Canada temporarily to non-essential travel amid the COVID-19 outbreak. American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Heidi Brock issued the following statement in response to both countries recognizing the importance of cross-border trade:
“The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) would like to thank President Trump and Prime Minister Trudeau for recognizing that cross-border trade in goods is necessary to maintaining closely linked supply chains that exist between our two countries.
“In 2019, total U.S. – Canada trade in pulp and paper products totaled $12.8 billion. Now more than ever, it is imperative that AF&PA members are afforded the ability to continue manufacturing our essential products for consumers and businesses globally.”
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The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance a sustainable U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products manufacturing industry through fact-based public policy and marketplace advocacy. AF&PA member companies make products essential for everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources and are committed to continuous improvement through the industry’s sustainability initiative — Better Practices, Better Planet 2020. The forest products industry accounts for approximately four percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufactures nearly $300 billion in products annually and employs approximately 950,000 men and women. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $55 billion annually and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 45 states. Visit AF&PA online at afandpa.org or follow us on Twitter @ForestandPaper.