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September 19, 2025
New “Partner with a Payer” Video Spotlights Conservation Impact at Hornady and 4-H Shooting Sports Nationals
NSSF, Hornady Manufacturing, AFWA and USFWS highlight how industry-agency collaboration supports America’s wildlife and fuels the future of outdoor traditions.
GRAND ISLAND, NE — NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, in collaboration with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Hornady Manufacturing, has released a new video titled “Funding Conservation for Future Generations.” The piece captures a recent “Partner with a Payer®” event hosted in Grand Island, Nebraska — a powerful showcase of the vital role firearm and ammunition manufacturers play in helping to fund wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation nationwide.
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. These 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.
Jason Hornady, Vice President of Hornady Manufacturing, emphasized the importance of transparency and education around how this funding system works. “Opening our doors to agency partners helps them understand the full cycle — from manufacturing, to federal excise tax, to on-the-ground conservation,” said Hornady. “We’re proud to contribute to conservation through Pittman-Robertson.”
The 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships provided a meaningful backdrop, showcasing 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 Scott Stuhr, National 4-H Shooting Sports Program Coordinator. He continued, “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 continues to strengthen the American System of Conservation Funding by fostering collaboration among manufacturers, state and federal agencies and conservation The Grand Island event provided an invaluable opportunity for dialogue, learning and collaboration — all 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.
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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.
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NSSF Media contact:
Bill Brassard
203-426-1320 ext. 212
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