October 17, 2019
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a new initiative to expand the use of biofuels like E15 across the country. The proposal follows the administration’s decision earlier this year to lift the summertime ban on E15 sales. The newest initiative seeks to pump more than 15 billion gallons …
October 8, 2019
The Chairman’s Award (originally, the President’s Award) is an honor bestowed by the chairman of IFAI to an individual that has had an extraordinary and meaningful impact on the association. It is rarely given, and awarded at the sole discretion of the IFAI chairman. At IFAI’s annual meeting at IFAI Expo 2019, IFAI chairman Steve …
October 2, 2019
Each year, the Leadership Development Committee of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) follows a detailed process outlined in association bylaws for electing new board members. As recently announced at IFAI’s annual meeting at IFAI Expo in Orlando, the following individuals have been chosen to serve on the IFAI board of directors: Ron Houle, president …
October 1, 2019
Bill Yeargin, the president and CEO of Correct Craft, was elected to serve as chair of the Department of the Interior’s “Made in America” Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee (ORAC) – a board comprised of recreation industry representatives that counsels Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on policies to expand access to and improve infrastructure on public lands …
September 26, 2019
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) New Powerboat Registration Report has been updated with data through July. Preliminary data shows new powerboat registrations were down 0.4 percent through July on a rolling 12-month year-over-year basis (R12M YOY) and down 2.4 percent on a rolling 3-month year-over-year basis. “Much of the minor softness we’re seeing is …
September 24, 2019
Newly released economic data on the national and state levels show outdoor recreation is a powerful driver of national and local economies, and it is growing faster than the U.S. economy as a whole. This is the second consecutive year that the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, …
September 19, 2019
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced this week that Brad Garmon will serve as the new director of Michigan’s Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry–an office established earlier this year to build public awareness about the economic, social, and public health benefits of outdoor recreation and provide a unified voice for the diverse businesses and organizations that …
September 17, 2019
Nominations for The Manufacturing Institute’s 2020 STEP Ahead Awards close on Friday, Oct. 4. The STEP Ahead Awards honor women who have demonstrated excellence and leadership in science, technology, engineering and production (STEP) careers. On April 30, 2020, in Washington, D.C., the Institute will recognize 100 women and 30 Emerging Leaders, a category to honor …
September 12, 2019
There were 633 boating fatalities nationwide in 2018, a 3.8 percent decrease from 2017, according to the recently released U.S. Coast Guard 2018 Recreational Boating Statistics Report. From 2017 to 2018, overall recreational boating injuries also decreased 4.5 percent (2,629 to 2,511), and the total number of accidents decreased 3.4 percent (4,291 to 4,145). Alcohol …
September 5, 2019
The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) New Powerboat Registration Report has been updated with data through June. Preliminary data from the report show new powerboat registrations were up 1.1 percent through June on a rolling 12-month year-over-year basis and down 1.3 percent on a rolling 3-month year-over-year basis. “While we’re down 2 percent YTD YOY …