NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, highlights a partnership with Taurus Holdings, Inc., in support of the “Partner with a Payer®” initiative by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS).
In the video, titled “Building Our Partnerships,” the world-class manufacturing facilities at Taurus are showcased, which have been vital to assisting the state of Georgia and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in their economic development of creating and maintaining resources for the public to utilize for outdoor activities.
Companies including firearm and ammunition manufacturers and importers contribute to the USFWS initiative by paying excise taxes into the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (known as the Pittman-Robertson Act). More than $16.1 billion (over $25 billion when adjusted for inflation) have been contributed and distributed to individual states to allocate funds toward wildlife conservation, hunter-education programs and target shooting programs.
“This is a win-win situation for everyone involved, but especially outdoorsmen and women who are passionate about these activities and creating additional opportunities that future generations can utilize too,” said Tom Decker, Brand Manager, USFWS. “It enables manufacturers to also be active participants in managing wildlife areas and improving resources and facilities such as target shooting ranges. In return, the available facilities encourage the local community and industry partners alike to increase their regular participation and recruit others to use them as well.”
Employees from Taurus, Georgia DNR, NSSF and USFWS came together to nourish relationships and gain insight on each partner’s industry challenges. Through these shared experiences, the partners find ways to work together, support one another to overcome challenges, and understand each other’s opportunities for the betterment of wildlife resource management and public hunting opportunities. Understanding how each partner contributes to the American system of conservation funding is essential to the overall success of the initiative.
Taurus Holdings, Inc., whose 205,000-square-foot manufacturing facility is located in Bainbridge, Georgia, produces high-quality firearms with the support of employees who are passionate about the industry. A portion of each of its sales contributes to the excise tax, thus making public target shooting facilities and natural habitat more accessible to outdoorsmen and -women.
“Having more public resources, like this shooting range, made available around the country is very important to our business,” said Bret Vorhees, President and CEO of Taurus Holdings, Inc. “It makes these activities more accessible for current owners and new shooters to hone their skills, learn and practice proper firearm safety, and ultimately help expand the shooting sports and hunting alike. Without our contribution of excise taxes and the state fish and wildlife agencies’ dedication to managing these funding opportunities, initiatives like these wouldn’t be possible.”
These latest videos and others in the series were produced by Shine United LLC / Kingdom Filmworks for NSSF through a Multistate Conservation Grant administered by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
About NSSF: NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.
