WASHINGTON – The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Heidi Brock released the following statement in response to New York’s Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act (S.4859-A/A.5682-A):
"New York’s Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act ignores the fact that the U.S. paper and wood products industry champions sustainable forestry. The legislation is unnecessary because tropical deforestation is already banned in New York and supply chains are already required to be transparent under existing international and industry standards.
"The proposal would create trickle-down effects for our industry’s circular supply chain. It also raises serious questions on the trade restrictive approach to forest management. The bill requires certification of products that do not originate from land where tropical deforestation occurred. North American producers can certify sourcing wood from responsibly managed forests. This added layer of administrative burden puts our industry at a competitive disadvantage.
"We urge Governor Kathy Hochul to veto New York’s Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act. It will deliver a major blow to the forest products industry which employs more than 26,000 New Yorkers.”
Source: AF&PA
