09-26-2007, 09:10 PM
Leaders from the hunting and fishing community will hold a briefing detailing the immense economic impact sportsmen and women have on the economy in terms of expenditures, jobs, and state and federal tax revenue and how this spending compares to other industries and sectors of society. This data will detail how America's 34 million hunters and anglers drive the economy from big business to rural towns, during economic booms and recessions. While hunting and fishing are generally thought of as just outdoor traditions, they comprise an outdoor nation - both in terms of economic impact and in turning out the vote on Election Day.
· Spending by sportsmen generates $76 billion annually
· Sportsmen generate 25 billion a year in federal, state and local taxes
· Hunters and Anglers support 1.6 million jobs
· Hunters and anglers are the original green movement, - spending more than $1 billion on licenses, stamps, tags and permits annually- all of which goes to fund conservation programs run by state fish and wildlife agencies.
· It is estimated that there are forty million sportsmen of voting age in the US - nearly a third of the entire vote. Nearly 8 in 10 hunters always vote in presidential elections.
These latest figures continue to demonstrate that by any measure, hunters and anglers are among the most prominent and influential of all groups. Lawmakers and regulators make decisions every day that affect sportsmen. After the last two presidential elections, it has become clear that hunters and anglers are an active voting constituency. Hunters and anglers pay attention, and take those decisions into account when they vote.
Following the briefing on the economic impact report, VERSUS and CSF will announce the launch of Candidates on Demand, a video-on-demand television platform that poses America's outdoor issues to the 2008 presidential candidates. Candidates on Demand will give the sportsmen's community a platform to have their concerns addressed by the presidential candidates. The network's website, VERSUS.com, will stream the briefing on September 27.
SPEAKERS: Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Dale Hall; Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus Co-Chairs Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) and Paul Ryan (R-WI); Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Matt Hogan; President and CEO of the American Sport Fishing Association Mike Nussman; President and CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Rob Keck, President of the National Shooting Sports Foundation Doug Painter, President of VERSUS, Gavin Harvey. Moderated by Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation President Jeff Crane.
Media Contact:
Melinda Gable, 202-543-6850 ext. 15
· Spending by sportsmen generates $76 billion annually
· Sportsmen generate 25 billion a year in federal, state and local taxes
· Hunters and Anglers support 1.6 million jobs
· Hunters and anglers are the original green movement, - spending more than $1 billion on licenses, stamps, tags and permits annually- all of which goes to fund conservation programs run by state fish and wildlife agencies.
· It is estimated that there are forty million sportsmen of voting age in the US - nearly a third of the entire vote. Nearly 8 in 10 hunters always vote in presidential elections.
These latest figures continue to demonstrate that by any measure, hunters and anglers are among the most prominent and influential of all groups. Lawmakers and regulators make decisions every day that affect sportsmen. After the last two presidential elections, it has become clear that hunters and anglers are an active voting constituency. Hunters and anglers pay attention, and take those decisions into account when they vote.
Following the briefing on the economic impact report, VERSUS and CSF will announce the launch of Candidates on Demand, a video-on-demand television platform that poses America's outdoor issues to the 2008 presidential candidates. Candidates on Demand will give the sportsmen's community a platform to have their concerns addressed by the presidential candidates. The network's website, VERSUS.com, will stream the briefing on September 27.
SPEAKERS: Director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Dale Hall; Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus Co-Chairs Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) and Paul Ryan (R-WI); Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Matt Hogan; President and CEO of the American Sport Fishing Association Mike Nussman; President and CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Rob Keck, President of the National Shooting Sports Foundation Doug Painter, President of VERSUS, Gavin Harvey. Moderated by Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation President Jeff Crane.
Media Contact:
Melinda Gable, 202-543-6850 ext. 15