California-based National Assn. of Music Merchants joins Lacey Act Defense National Consensus Committee, set up by industry groups to create compliance standard

Wendy Lisney

CARLSBAD, California , October 28, 2011 (press release) – The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) announced today that it has joined the Lacey Act Defense National Consensus Committee, a newly-formed group made up of companies, associations and organizations impacted by the Lacey Act, and leading environmental groups, with the purpose of creating a new standard designed to provide a defense to Lacey liability.

The following organizations will participate in the new committee's activities: Forest Stewardship Council, Anderson Berkshire Hathaway, National Wood Flooring Association, Rainforest Alliance, Knoll, Williams Sonoma, Sustainable Furnishings Council, National Wildlife Federation, Floor Covering Institute, Wood Flooring International, Gibson Guitar Corporation, Staples, Home Depot, Kimberly-Clark, Columbia Forest Products, C.F. Martin & Company, Danzer Group, and the Capital Markets Partnership.

"Along with other activities, this effort represents a yearning for clarity in Lacey Act regulatory guidelines, enforcement rules and the desire of business and industry to implement adequate and appropriate 'due care' in assuring that material and product imports meet the requirements of the Lacey Act," said Mary Luehrsen, NAMM's director of public affairs and government relations. "Due care standards have been negotiated for other regulations such as Superfund environmental cleanup; NAMM will work with other industry groups to achieve a fair and reasonable standard by which business can operate successfully within the guidelines and intent of the Lacey Act."

Richard Donovan, Sr. Vice President of Rainforest Alliance said: "Importantly, the standard has the potential to fill an important gap in terms of understanding the concept of due care as it applies to the amended Lacey Act and in doing so positively affect the conservation of forests around the world"

A draft of the proposed standard will be announced at a public meeting to be held in the next 90-120 days. An approved National Consensus Standard is expected in mid 2012. For updates on this activity along with information about the Lacey Act and its impact on the music products industry, please visit www.namm.org/publicaffairs.

About NAMM

NAMM is the not-for-profit association that unifies, leads and strengthens the $17 billion international musical instruments and products industry. NAMM's activities and programs are designed to promote music making to people of all ages. NAMM is comprised of approximately 9,000 Member companies. For more information about NAMM or the proven benefits of making music, interested parties can visit www.namm.org or call 800-767-NAMM (6266).

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