American Forest Foundation CEO welcomes budget reconciliation passage; bill includes tax provisions supporting family forest producers who manage one-third of United States forests

CONTACT: Kris Voorhees, Senior Director of Communications, media@forestfoundation.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rita Hite, president and CEO of the American Forest Foundation, issued this statement following the passage of budget reconciliation:

“Family forests fuel American industries and keep our environment healthy. Federal support of family forest producers, through tax provisions and conservation programs, provides some of the tools they need to strengthen local economies while improving the health and productivity of our nation’s woodlands.

More than one-third of American forests are privately owned and managed by family forest producers. They grow more than half of the raw materials that build our homes, produce our energy, and fuel our economy, all while cleaning our air and water, creating habitat for fish and wildlife, and capturing and storing carbon The budget reconciliation bill passed today includes several tax provisions and programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture that are instrumental in supporting these lands. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to ensure support for other tax provisions and programs that incubate and unlock access to new markets that help family forest producers improve the health and productivity of their forests."

The American Forest Foundation is a national organization that empowers family forest owners to deliver meaningful conservation impact. The organization’s    programs, the Family Forest Carbon Program and the American Tree Farm System, help landowners implement forest management practices to care for the health and productivity of their woodlands. To learn more about the American Forest Foundation and the Family Forest Carbon Program, visit www.forestfoundation.org.