LEWISTON, ME -- Starting Monday, Representative Mike Michaud will embark on a tour of Maine's pulp and paper sector and its supply chain. During the tour, Michaud will hear firsthand from mills, forest managers, and suppliers about the challenges they face and the steps they're taking to stay competitive in the marketplace.

In addition to hearing directly from Maine companies and workers, Michaud will use the tour to highlight how important it is that U.S. trading partners live up to their obligations. Through his website, he's collecting stories from Mainers about how critical the pulp and paper industry is to the state's economy and how essential it is that mills compete on a level international playing field. Michaud plans to deliver these stories to the White House and the United States Trade Representative to encourage them to take action to ensure Maine's mills aren't disadvantaged.

"Whether it's illegal foreign subsidies, dumping of underpriced products in our market, or government support of paper industries in countries like China or even Canada, unfair trading practices present significant challenges to Maine's pulp and paper sector," said Michaud. "I look forward to these visits and know that the stories I get from Mainers will help make our case to the Obama Administration."

A list of tour visits open to the media can be found below:

DAY 1 -- Monday, January 28th, 2013

8:30 a.m. -- Tour of NEPW Logistics, Inc.
(309 Lewiston Road, Mechanic Falls, ME 04256)

2:45 p.m. -- Tour of UPM Madison mill
(1 Main Street, Madison, ME 04950)

DAY 2 -- Tuesday, January 29th, 2013

2:00 p.m. -- Tour of Old Town Fuel and Fiber mill
(24 Portland Street, Old Town, ME 04468)

DAY 3 -- Wednesday, January 30th, 2013

9:00 a.m. -- Tour of Lincoln Paper and Tissue mill
(50 Katahdin Avenue, Lincoln, ME 04457)

2:00 p.m. -- Tour of Woodland Pulp, LLC mill
(144 Main Street, Baileyville, ME 04694)

DAY 4 -- Thursday, January 31st, 2013
8:00 a.m. -- Tour of Twin Rivers Paper Madawaska mill
(82 Bridge Avenue, Madawaska, ME 04756)

DAY 5 -- Friday, February 1st, 2013
9:00 a.m. -- Tour of Verso Bucksport mill
(2 River Road, Bucksport, ME 04416)