Page 12 - Georgia Forestry - Issue 4 - Fall 2023

GFA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Bringing Together Economic Progress & Ecological Preservation
Senator Jon Ossoff Connects with Forestry Leaders
By John Casey
A formidable force in the global
forestry land- scape, the United States forestry
sector stands as a perennial top contributor to the interna- tional trade of forest products — with the state of Georgia, the top forestry state in the nation, leading the charge.
As the industry continuously expands to meet global needs, it is crucial for the state to implement forward-thinking for- estry policies that ensure both economic progress and ecological preservation.
In order to sustain the growth of the industry both economically and environ- mentally, federal policy must be aligned with the needs of forestry stakeholders. In a recent visit to the Jones Center at Ichauway, Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff (D) sat down with Georgia Forestry Asso- ciation (GFA) President & CEO Andres
Senator Jon Ossoff (center) and Georgia Forestry Association President & CEO Andres Villegas (right of center) join forestry leaders at the Jones Center in Ichauway.
10 | GEORGIA FORESTRY