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Paper Check-off:
Moving Forward
By Donna Harman, President & CEO, American Forest &
Paper Association
Just a few days shy of
2013,
the United States
Department of Agriculture
(USDA) issued the proposed
national Paper and Paper-Based
Packaging Promotion, Research
and Information Order for public
comment. Comments are being
accepted until March 4, 2013.
The proposed program, more
commonly referred to as the Paper
Check-off, would help to highlight
the benefits and sustainability of
paper and paper-based packaging
products and allow the industry
to showcase its products.
Through consumer education
and information, the program
would allow our industry a unique
opportunity to make a sustained
investment in telling our story in
a targeted and positive way and to
correct any misperceptions about
our products that may persist.
Research previously commissioned
by the paper and packaging
industry confirmed that consumer
misperceptions tend to be based
on incomplete or inaccurate
information. For example, some
of the studies’ participants
were unaware of the industry’s
sustainable forest management
practices and thought paper
recovery rates were much lower
than they are. When presented
with the facts about our industry’s
products, however, participants’
viewpoints improved dramatically.
Consistently presenting consumers
with the facts on the sustainable
nature of our industry’s products
will allow them to make informed
decisions, and empower them to
choose paper products in their
purchasing decisions.
The health and well-being of our
industry, our supply chain, and the
communities in which we operate
will benefit from this program. The
forest products industry employs
nearly 900,000 people, including
329,000 jobs directly affected by
the four segments (printing and
writing papers; kraft packaging
paper used for products such as
grocery bags; containerboard used
to make shipping containers; and
paperboard used for food and
beverage packaging, tubes, etc.) to
be included in the Paper Check-off.
The total number of jobs affected by
covered grades through the supply
chain reaches 1.4 million jobs.
The Paper Check-off was initiated
several months ago by a panel of
industry leaders. The program
will be funded by producers and
importers of 100,000 tons or
more annually who will make an
investment of 35 cents per short
ton. Converters will not be asked
to contribute, nor will producers
and importers of less than 100,000
short tons. The entire supply chain
will benefit from better consumer
knowledge about the attributes and
sustainability of paper products.
The program will be administered
by a 12-person board of directors,
which will carry out activities
to highlight the renewability,
reusability and recyclability of paper
and paper-based packaging. The
USDA oversees such promotional,
research and information programs
for numerous industries, which
each have initiated and continue to
fund their own Check-off programs.
A referendum will be held among
eligible domestic producers and
importers prior to the program going
into effect.
The paper and paper-based
packaging industry has a great
story to tell. Our collective industry
action to promote our products
through a Paper Check-off program
will help the industry gain greater
traction than each product acting
alone and will help improve the
perceptions of our industry at-large.
From great product attributes to
high recycling rates and sustainable
business practices, educated
consumers and product buyers are
the key to securing existing markets
and unlocking future markets for
our products.
For more information, visit
papercheckoff.com.
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