37 



Need to move on here. We will get some other questions I am 

 sure. Mr. Scott Berg. 



STATEME^^^ of SCOTT BERG, ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, 

 FOREST ENVIRONMENT AND RESEARCH, AMERICAN FOREST 

 AND PAPER ASSOCIATION 



Mr. Berg. Mr. Chairman and Members of the subcommittee, I 

 am Scott Berg, Assistant Vice President of Forest Resources and 

 Environment with the American Forest and Paper Association. 



Mr. Rose. Tell me, who is in your organization. 



Mr. Berg. All of the major forest and paper producers in the 

 United States. 



Mr. Rose. What is the difference between a forest producer and 

 a paper producer? 



Mr. Berg. We use that distinction to mention that we are as con- 

 cerned about the forest as we are about paper. 



Mr. Rose. I understand, but do you have any members that are 

 not paper producers? 



Mr. Berg. Yes, we do. A lot are solid wood producers, so we rep- 

 resent — in fact, we are the national trade association for the forest 

 products industry across the board. 



Mr. Rose. Across the board? 



Mr. Berg. Across the board. No pun intended. 



Mr. Rose. Across the board, okay. 



Mr. Berg. And many of our members import and export un- 

 manufactured wood products. 



Mr. Rose. But you are not the manufacturers trade association? 



Mr. Berg. Yes, we are the national trade association for the for- 

 est products industry in the U.S. 



Mr. Rose. There was some question as to who you represented. 

 That is why I am asking so many questions. 



Mr. Berg. Well, actually we were recently, just the last year or 

 so, consolidated from three national associations. 



Mr. Rose. And you might tell us what those three were. 



Mr. Berg. The American Paper Institute, the National Forest 

 Products Association, and the American Forest Council. 



Mr. Rose. Thank you. That is very helpful. Go ahead, sir. 



Mr. Berg. As I mentioned, our members have a direct and sub- 

 stantial interest in the rulemaking and have worked with APHIS 

 throughout the process. We are fully supportive of the deliberative 

 approach APHIS has employed to carefully consider the question of 

 the phytosanitary requirements. 



And I think first and foremost I want to make sure that the 

 record represents that we, the forest products industry, probably 

 have the biggest stake in this issue than anybody. After all, it is 

 our forest lands in this country that are at risk and we are as con- 

 cerned as anybody about the potential harmful impacts of insect 

 pests and diseases and the future health of productivity of the for- 

 ests, and we have suffered the consequences of the gypsy moth out- 

 breaks and the Chestnut bright and so forth, so we take this issue 

 very seriously, Mr. Chairman. 



We are also concerned about unnecessary delays and barriers to 

 free trade, specifically the entry of imported forest products needed 

 by U.S. mEinufacturers and consumers. 



