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AF&PA Responds to Executive Orders Imposing Tariffs on Mexico and Canada

WASHINGTON – The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Heidi Brock issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s announcement of 25% tariffs on all products from Canada and Mexico:

“The American Forest & Paper Association supports free and fair trade practices, and we rely on Canada and Mexico as key trading partners. In 2024 alone, total two-way trade for pulp and paper products with Canada was over $14 billion and total two-way trade with Mexico was over $5 billion. These tariffs have the potential to seriously disrupt the U.S. forest products industry’s complex, cross-border supply chains that employ more than 900,000 people.

“We strongly encourage the Canadian and Mexican governments to quickly come to the negotiating table to address concerns raised by the U.S. Government. It is imperative we return to normal free and fair trade soon to avoid longer term disruption to U.S. pulp, paper and packaging manufacturing operations.

“We look forward to working with the Administration to provide our industry’s perspective and important data to inform these consequential discussions.” 
 

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance public policies that foster economic growth, job creation and global competitiveness for a vital sector that makes the essential paper and packaging products Americans use every day. The U.S. forest products industry employs more than 925,000 people, largely in rural America, and is among the top 10 manufacturing sector employers in 44 states. Our industry accounts for approximately 4.7% of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufacturing more than $435 billion in products annually. AF&PA member companies are significant producers and users of renewable biomass energy and are committed to making sustainable products for a sustainable future through the industry’s decades-long initiative — Better Practices, Better Planet 2030