A Final End to De Minimis  

Since Trump took office earlier this year, the administration has been fiercely pursuing new and equitable deals with trade partners throughout the globe. While tariffs have been a heavy focus for the administration and media, there has also been another trade focus that, unlike other trade issues, has been resolved within the administration’s first year. 

The de minimis rule has been in the administration’s crosshairs since the beginning, as this rule allows goods valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty-, tariff- and tax-free by one person on one day. For many small businesses and retailers within the U.S., this creates an unfair advantage for online marketplaces and sellers. This is a major grievance for archery shops and manufacturers, who are in direct competition with online marketplaces selling items like arrows and other archery accessories duty-free under the current rule. 

Earlier in the year, President Trump issued an executive order that abolished the de minimis rule for all Chinese goods immediately, with all other trade partners to eventually be included once the commerce secretary notifies the president that systems are in place to process the shipments under the new policy. On July 4, Congress codified the president’s executive order by including language in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to eliminate the de minimis rule in 2026, providing a timeline for the administration to institute this new trade policy. On July 30, 2025, President Trump issued a final executive order on the issue, officially ending de minimis starting Aug. 29, 2025, signaling the administration is prepared to implement the new trade policy this year. 

This is a significant win for the archery industry, as there is now a level playing field between U.S. manufacturers and retailers and online marketplaces. With the elimination of de minimis, these online retailers will now create additional funding for conservation with this new tax revenue. 

With this issue now resolved, the Archery Trade Association is continuing to monitor the administration’s tariffs and trade deals as they relate to the industry. We are also continuing to pursue a resolution to the federal excise tax “slippage” issue through passage of S. 1649/H.R. 1494 that is heavily impacting the archery industry.  

For more information, contact Dan Forster, ATA’s vice president and chief conservation officer, at danforster@archerytrade.org.