The Impact of Archery Conservation – New ATA Educational Video
Megan Plete Postol 11.29.22
The Archery Trade Association (ATA) along with industry partners, have recently released a new educational video entitled “The Currency of Conservation: Archery’s Impact.” The three minute video is meant to be used as an educational tool and is available for industry members to use and share. The goal in producing this video is to help people understand how federal excise taxes (FET) are collected, distributed and used for archery conservation projects.
This is how FET works: archery manufacturers pay federal excise taxes under the Wildlife Restoration Act – more commonly called the Pittman-Robertson Act – and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service then distributes those funds to state agencies to use on projects that benefit wildlife, wild places, and the outdoor community. ATA’s Vice President and Chief Conservation Officer Dan Forster hopes that the video gives viewers insight to how the FET process and will be a useful resource for educators and the industry.
“This video provides an incredible educational tool for hunters and conservationists as it captures the essence of collaboration, criticality, and history of the partnerships forged between excise tax-paying manufacturers like Easton and the wildlife and habitat work done by state fish and wildlife agencies through the Wildlife and Sportfish Restoration Program,” he said. “This quality production shares the story of conservation funding in the United States and why we are so blessed to have abundant wildlife, quality habitat, hunting, and robust access paid for through this incredible conservation funding model.”
Many moving forces came together to make this video happen. “The Currency of Conservation: Archery’s Impact” video was completed through a 2021 multistate archery conservation grant awarded to the National Shooting Sports Foundation. ATA staff served as facilitators between Easton Technical Products, Hoyt, and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources through the Partner with a Payer program, which works to increase the understanding between manufacturers who pay excise taxes and state agencies who use them.
“We had a lot of fun hosting representatives from federal and state fish and wildlife agencies and the ATA at our Utah manufacturing facility,” said Aaron Lucky, president of Easton Technical Products. “It was a great opportunity to showcase Easton while learning more about the impact that archery’s federal excise tax dollars have on conservation. Archers should take pride knowing the vital role they play in the preservation of critical habitats and wildlife resources.”
The entire purpose of producing the video was to educate, and that is done by sharing information. Members of the ATA, along with state wildlife agencies, nongovernmental organizations, consumer organizations and others may use the video in their marketing, communications, and educational efforts.
The Archery Trade Association is the organization for manufacturers, retailers, distributors, sales representatives and others working in the archery and bowhunting industry. The organization also owns and operates the ATA Trade Show, the archery and bowhunting industry’s largest and longest-running trade show worldwide.
