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Report: Forest Products Industry Still Big Player in Maine's Economy

LEWISTON, Maine - A new report finds that Maine's forest products industry supports more than 33,000 jobs and will contribute about $8.5 billion to the state's economy this year, despite recent job losses and mill closures. 

The report, by an assistant University of Maine professor, was presented at the Maine Forest Products Council's annual meeting on Monday.  It shows that the industry's overall economic impact dropped by about $1 billion between 2014 and 2016, but is no worse off than it was in 2011.

Executive Director Patrick Strauch says he is encouraged by the findings. "I think it's important for people to realize we're still making a huge contribution to the economy of Maine, and we're already seeing the mills that we have left responding in different ways to become more competitive and to put in more capital investment into their operation."

According to the report, Maine had more more than 17,000 direct forest products-related jobs in 2011.  That number now stands at 14,500. 

Strauch says most of the job losses and mill closures were in the Penobscot River Valley where facilities were smaller and required more investment.  

He says the next step is to plot a roadmap for the industry to grow.