WASHINGTON, DC – American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) President and CEO Donna Harman and the Printing and Graphics Association MidAtlantic (PGAMA) Jay K. Goldscher issued the following statement regarding the MarylandPaper and Printing Products Industry Advocacy Luncheon hosted by AF&PA and PGAMA at the state Capitol in Annapolis, MD. The organizations partnered to bring legislators and forest product industry representatives together to highlight sustainability successes and discuss public policy measures that can support industry expansion and job creation. 

“With 44 wood product, pulp, paper and paper packaging facilities, Maryland companies are key players in our industry,” said Harman. “They have consistently contributed to industry sustainability successes, including a 66.8 percent paper recover rate for recycling and greenhouse gas emission reductions of 16 percent for member facilities. We applaud those efforts and welcome the opportunity to discuss industry policy needs with PGAMA officials and legislators. Our commitment remains on backing measures that will support our companies’ ability to grow and all along the way utilize the sustainable manufacturing processes they are known for.”

PGAMA’s Goldscher stated, “We thank AF&PA and legislators for coming together to share  ideas for what we see is a bright future for our industry in Maryland. Our companies’ use of sustainable manufacturing methods enables us to produce essential products while ensuring the renewable resources used to make them are available for generations to come. That practice has been central to our success today, allowing Maryland’s printing and publishing industry to employ more than 16,000 hard-working men and women and meet a payroll in excess of $1billion.  So we can widen that success in the future, we will continue to make sure our policy needs are heard and addressed.”