AF & PA Action Supported by PIA
This past week, Printing Industries of America (PIA) weighed in to support the American Forest & Paper Association’s (AF&PA) bid to achieve government approval of a formalized commodities promotional and marketing program that would be financed by assessing paper producers. Known informally as a “check off” program, the effort must be approved of and overseen by the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and would be similar to campaigns run by the milk, chicken, and beef industries. Printing Industries filed formal comments with the USDA and stated the need for a major industry-funded initiative to promote paper communications while also debunking sustainability myths. Proponents of the program estimate a potential 25 percent ROI in both growth of certain paper segments, such as kraft papers, and a stem in decline of other segments, notably writing and printing papers. While any added costs to paper production is a potential pass-through to a printer, our team noted that the very small fraction of the assessment would be felt in a minute way (if at all) and that the overall benefits would greatly outweigh any costs. The public comment period is now closed, and the USDA will begin its review period and further rulemaking this spring.
