The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), in collaboration with Hornady Manufacturing, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), has released a new video titled “Funding Conservation for Future Generations.” It captures a recent “Partner with a Payer” event hosted in Grand Island, Neb., showcasing the vital role firearm and ammunition manufacturers play in helping to fund wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation nationwide.
“Opening our doors to agency partners helps them understand the full cycle—from manufacturing, to federal excise tax, to on-the-ground conservation,” said Jason Hornady, vice president of Hornady Manufacturing. “We’re proud to contribute to conservation through Pittman-Robertson.”
The event coincided with the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships and brought together state fish and wildlife agencies, conservation leaders and industry partners. Attendees toured Hornady’s manufacturing facility to see firsthand how federal excise taxes paid under the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (commonly known as the Pittman-Robertson Act) support on-the-ground conservation efforts. The taxes—collected on firearms, ammunition and archery equipment—have generated more than $17.7 billion since 1937 (over $28 billion when adjusted for inflation) to fund habitat restoration, public shooting ranges, hunter education and wildlife research in all 50 states.
The 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships provided a backdrop that showcases youth from across the country competing in shooting sports—a tradition made possible through the very funding discussed at the event. This alignment underscores how federal excise taxes don’t just support wildlife and habitat, but also nurture the next generation of responsible hunters, shooters and conservationists.
“That funding is very important,” said National 4-H Shooting Sports Program Coordinator Scott Stuhr. “Those are the dollars that get to come back to the states to help develop ranges and to help develop these youth programs where we have these great opportunities to take those examples and all those funding mechanisms and help these youth get started.”
The “Partner with a Payer” initiative strengthens the American System of Conservation Funding by fostering collaboration among manufacturers, state and federal agencies and conservation. The Grand Island event provided an opportunity for dialogue, learning and collaboration in support of protecting our nation’s wildlife and expanding opportunities for recreational shooting and hunting for generations to come.
This initiative is supported by the NSSF and produced in collaboration with Shine United LLC/Kingdom Filmworks.
