Wilton Simpson, Florida’s Agriculture Commissioner, has published a letter in which he calls on US senators and members of the Trump administration to fully exempt US forests from the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR). The letter (dated 18.02.25) was co-signed by 18 agricultural commissioners from the US. In the letter, it is emphasized that the US is a low-risk country, which does not contribute to deforestation, yet the EUDR would result in excessive compliance costs for the US, which would have a severe economic impact.

The American Forest and Paper Association backs this view. It wants President Trump to push for a so-called green lane for more than US-$3 billion worth of pulp, paper and lumber which are imported into the European Union.

 Main Concerns Raised in the letter:

1. Unfair Burden on U.S. Agriculture & Forestry
   • The EUDR, effective December 30, 2025, mandates strict compliance to ensure that commodities entering the EU are not linked to deforestation after 2020.
   • Despite the U.S. being classified as a low-risk country with sustainable forestry practices (e.g., planting over 1 billion trees annually), American businesses face the same compliance requirements as high-risk countries.
   • This approach is costly, unnecessary, and lacks added environmental benefit.
2. Negative Economic Impact
   • The U.S. forest products industry represents 5% of national manufacturing GDP, producing $350 billion annually and employing 925,000 people.
   • The estimated impact on U.S. agricultural exports to the EU is $8 billion per year.
3. Issues with Compliance Requirements
   • Geolocation Traceability: The EUDR requires tracking timber products to the exact plot of land of origin, which is impractical for the U.S. paper and pulp industry.
   • Confidentiality Concerns: The regulation may expose competitive business information within the supply chain.
4. Violation of Private Property Rights
   • The EUDR restricts land use by preventing timber mills from accepting wood from lands planned for conversion to agriculture.
   • This limits landowners’ economic freedom and contradicts core U.S. legal and economic principles.

Request to U.S. Government Officials:

• Oppose the EUDR to protect private property rights.
• Seek clarifications on land use conversion enforcement.
• Advocate for exemptions for low-risk, sustainably managed regions like the U.S.
• Demand an economic impact analysis on the regulation’s effect on global agriculture.