Mississippi Timber and Lumber Manufacturing Businesses Support Changing State Flag

JACKSON, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, the Mississippi legislature has the extraordinary opportunity to do better by both its citizens and its business community by changing the state flag. We stand with the many other businesses in supporting this change. The current flag is not a symbol that accurately represents the rich diversity of all of our citizens. Across the world, Mississippi is recognized and applauded for its abundant diversity within the art, business, literary, medical and music industries, and we have an unprecedented opportunity before us to positively move our state forward.

As providers of economic growth and job opportunities in the state of Mississippi, we urge the legislature to make this change and move Mississippi forward. Together, we represent Mississippi’s largest landowners and lumber manufacturers with millions of acres of working forests and nineteen mills in Mississippi providing for more than 47,000 jobs and $8.5 billion in annual sales and manufacturing revenues. We know firsthand the negative image projected by the current state flag. It hinders business opportunities and economic growth and it does not present the appropriate image to those outside of Mississippi. We are asking our lawmakers to do better, for the State of Mississippi and for all Mississippians, by changing the state flag now…it is time.

Mississippi Timber and Lumber Manufacturing Businesses:
Molpus Woodlands Group	The Westervelt Company
Weyerhaeuser	RMS
Hancock Natural Resource Group	MLMA
Hall Timberlands	Green Diamond Resource Company

MLMA Mill Members:
Hood Industries Joe N. Miles & Sons Canfor Southern Pine Thomasson Company Weyerhaeuser Rex Lumber Shuqualak Lumber Seago Lumber Lincoln Lumber Biewer Lumber Hankins, Inc.	Hankins Lumber Company Southeastern Timber Products A.V. Littrell Lumber Mill Jack Batte & Sons Magnolia Lumber Company Mid-South Lumber Rives & Reynolds Tri-State Lumber	Rutland Lumber Westervelt Cal-Tex Deltic Grayson Lumber Interfor Jasper Lumber Price Lumber West Fraser WestRock Lumber Remanufacturing, Inc