Australian Forest Products join the NFF

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has today welcomed the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) as its newest commodity member.
NFF CEO Simon Talbot said AFPA’s addition further enhances the NFF’s strength as the united voice for the nation’s primary production sector.
“The NFF exists to provide a single, strong voice for primary production in national policy-development, and to represent those businesses on the national stage. Today we are pleased to broaden our membership base to take in forestry – an important part of the primary production picture,” Mr Talbot said.
“Australian forestry has a very positive story to tell, and we look forward to working with AFPA on issues of shared importance, including management of the precious resources on which we both rely and increasing market access for our high-quality products.
“AFPA joins 30 NFF members at the decision-making table, bringing their interests forward for debate at the highest level and supporting the development of effective policy for our primary industries. We are excited to welcome AFPA into the NFF Family,” Mr Talbot said.
AFPA is the national peak industry body representing the timber growing, sawmilling, other wood processing, and pulp and paper industries, including both plantations and naturally regrowing forests.
“AFPA works to ensure that we have the right policy settings and a durable strategy to enable this sustainable, environmentally-friendly industry to grow to its maximum potential,” AFPA CEO Ross Hampton said.
“The industry currently contributes about $20 billion to the economy and provides employment for more than 120,000 Australians (when we include downstream users of timber such as truss and frame manufacturers). These jobs are often outside our capital cities, making the forest, wood and paper products industry one of the backbones of rural and regional Australia.
“Australia’s primary production industries share many mutual goals: including the responsibility that comes with being stewards of the Australian landscape. We look forward to supporting the rest of the NFF in our shared determination to ensure that the broader Australian community shares pride in the way our primary industries care for our precious natural resources,” said Mr Hampton