Outdoor Retailer Education Session: Ask OIA Anything On Trade

OIA’s international trade program is dedicated to promoting a stable and predictable trade environment for outdoor businesses of all sizes, from domestic manufacturers to those that utilize global value chains to bring product to market. Members of OIA’s Trade Advisory Council (OIATAC) meet regularly to provide advice and guidance on new initiatives to help the bottom line of outdoor companies and to collaborate and exchange new ideas and best practices as they navigate tariffs, supply-chain disruptions, shipping costs and other challenges to their businesses. Watch our presentation from Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2022 to learn from OIA’s outside trade counsels from Sorini Samet & Associates and members of OIATAC on the latest federal trade updates, challenges to outdoor supply chains and how OIA members are responding.

Moderator: Richard W. Harper, Jr., Director of Government Affairs, Outdoor Industry Association 

Panelists: 

Ron Sorini, Principal, Sorini, Samet & Associates, LLC

Ben Christensen, Vice President of Operations, Simms Fishing Products 

Sara Bowersox, Senior Manager of Global Trade Compliance, Keen Footwear

 

Takeaways from the session include:

  • There is broad, bi-partisan support for getting even tougher on China with regard to trade. Punitive tariffs are likely to remain in place for some time.
  • While Congress and the administration focused on domestic priorities in 2021, there’s a chance we’ll see movement on some outstanding trade items early in 2022, like renewing the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and a package of miscellaneous tariff bills.
  • Outdoor companies are dealing with unprecedented challenges in bringing products to market, from high freight costs to congestion at US ports. Work on addressing these issues has gone up considerably. Some have found success in broadening partners in freight and logistics, adding more options.
  • Looking at the year ahead, outdoor companies are looking for any opportunity to help with their bottom line, from leveraging any duty savings, streamlining supply chains to developing multiple vendor relationships.

Outdoor Retailer Industry Lunch: Engage Into Action With The Outdoorist Oath

The recently announced “Outdoorist Oath” is a new way for ALL people to engage in supporting a thriving planet and thriving people. Watch our panel from Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2022 to learn more about this action plan to advocate for the planet, inclusion, and adventure. This session provides an in-depth look at why The Oath is necessary and what the founders, Teresa Baker, Jose Gonzàléz and Pattie Gonia with support from their executive director, Gabaccia Moreno, are aiming to achieve through the Oath. Learn more about how you can engage with the Oath now and in the future.

Moderator: Jacob Fisher, Program Coordinator, Outdoor Foundation

Panelists:
Teresa Baker, In Solidarity Project Founder, Chief Trouble Maker and Oath Co-Founder
Jose Gonzalez, Founder at Latino Outdoors, Educator, Creative, Facilitator and Oath Co-Founder
Pattie Gonia, Professional Homosexual, Intersectional Environmentalist, Drag Queen and Oath Co-Founder
Gabaccia Moreno, Conservationist, Nuestra Tierra Conservation Project, and Oath Executive Director

Outdoor Retailer Industry Lunch: State of the Outdoor Market

Get a clear view of current activity in the outdoor market and what the future has in store for outdoor market players. Watch our presentation from Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2022 to learn about participation in outdoor activities, sales trends in outdoor, supply chain disruptions and the impacts of Covid-19 on participation and consumer perspectives. Hear what the data is telling us about supply and demand, and how the pandemic has affected all aspects of the outdoor market and participation habits. Learn about increased diversity across the participation base, the new consumer journey into the outdoor market and what opportunities the U.S. Census 2020 projections revealed. This timely and informative conversation will delve into trends spanning business, participation, consumer behavior and more, and how they all impact the outdoor market.

Presenter: Kelly Davis, Research Director, Outdoor Industry Association

Audio Outdoorist: Maine Senator Angus King and L.L.Bean Executive Chairman Shawn Gorman

In today’s episode, OIA government affairs director Rich Harper speaks with King and OIA Government Affairs Committee Chair and L.L.Bean Executive Chairman Shawn Gorman about why they support federal investments in national, state and local parks as means for driving sustainable economic growth, and they discuss how government and outdoor businesses can work together to pass equitable climate-smart legislation like the Outdoors For All Act to ensure our planet, its people and the outdoor industry continue to thrive.