How the Archery Industry is Making Ground with Fair Trade 

As trade and tariff negotiations continue under the direction of the Trump administration, there have been several positive developments for the archery industry. These developments have mainly taken place in Congress and deal with the issues of the de minimis rule and the federal excise tax. However, it is important to note that there have also been positive developments by the Trump administration that mirror Congress’ efforts. 

Concerning the issue of the de minimis rule, progress has been made in both the House of Representatives and the White House. Both parties are working to put a policy in place to eliminate the de minimis rule. As a reminder, the de minimis rule allows goods valued under $800 to enter the U.S. duty, tariff, and tax-free by one person on one day. Congress is looking to include a provision that would end de minimis eligibility altogether by 2027 in the upcoming House budget reconciliation bill. 

Additionally, the administration signed Executive Order 14257, which will eliminate de minimis eligibility for all countries once the Secretary of Commerce notifies the president that adequate systems are in place to collect tariff revenue. This order followed Trump’s Executive Order 14256, which ended de minimis eligibility for Chinese-origin goods, recognizing the scale of abuse and its impact on American industries. If the issue is not resolved through either of these solutions, large online retailers and foreign sellers can continue to ship goods directly to American customers without paying import duties or complying with trade regulations. 

On the federal excise tax front, following its introduction into the House, the Sporting Goods Excise Tax Modernization Act has now been introduced in the Senate. The Senate bill, like the House bill, aims to ensure excise taxes are properly collected on imported archery equipment sold directly to American consumers through online marketplaces. The introduction of the bill into both houses of Congress furthers the call for a fair playing field in the archery industry. In addition to leveling the playing field, the passage of the bill would boost funding for the Wildlife Restoration Fund. 

As of May 12, the Trump Administration came to an agreement with China to each lower tariffs by 115%, while retaining an additional 10% tariff with other U.S. tariff measures staying in place. While this agreement does provide some relief, it’s important to note that this is just a 90-day pause on the previously applied Chinese and U.S. tariffs. The United States is still currently retaining duties that were imposed on China before April 2, 2025, which include both Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs. These duties include vital materials to the archery industry such as steel, aluminum and aluminum derivatives. 

Trade and tariff negotiations with China and other major trade partners continue to be a moving target with little congressional involvement. The ATA is moving forward by monitoring the situation daily and communicating with lawmakers and agency officials to receive updated information and provide feedback from the archery industry. While trade and tariffs remain mostly an executive branch issue, the ATA has seen great progress in its efforts with Congress. With the action being taken on the issues of the de minimis rule and the federal excise tax, the ATA is staying in constant contact with lawmakers to ensure the passage of the Sporting Goods Excise Tax Modernization Act. While the issues of the de minimis rule and the federal excise tax do not directly impact the current trade discrepancies, these issues do level the playing field with foreign manufacturers who currently do not participate in these duties and taxes. 

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