In other AF & PA news.

IN OTHER AF & PA NEWS: The organization has congratulated the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on successfully completing negotiations of the United States--Australia free trade agreement (FTA). AF & PA is pleased that tariffs on all paper and wood products currently ranging up to 5% will cease immediately upon the implementation of the FTA. This move will improve the competitiveness of suppliers in the United States in a developed but distant market. The AF & PA says immediate zero tariffs on all paper and wood products is a priority objective for the United States forest products industry and an objective that the industry would like to see replicated in all ongoing and future bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade negotiations.

The AF & PA also says that the most important item the U.S. Congress can do to reverse recent manufacturing job losses is to address policies that have reduced natural gas supplies. The price of natural gas in 2003 according to AF & PA was nearly double the average price for 2002. This forced the industry to spend almost US$ 1 billion more for the same quantity of fuel.