Colorado Politics

Report: Outdoor industry loses a billion to Trump’s tariffs

Outdoor industries have lost more than $1.1 billion to President Trump’s tariffs on trade since last September, and more tariffs could jack that figure up to $1.5 billion a month, according to data released Tuesday during the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver.

“Tariffs on products vital to America’s outdoor recreation economy, which supports 7.6 million American jobs, are sapping the strength of one of our nation’s most important industries,” Patricia Rojas-Ungar, vice president of government affairs for the Boulder-based Outdoor Industry Association, said in a statement. “These are significant taxes on an industry that fuels economic growth and healthy communities across America.

“To date, these tariffs have caused so much unpredictability for outdoor companies that many have had to slow or cancel job-creating investments and have resulted in higher costs for businesses in every corner of the country. As bad as over $1 billion in new taxes has been, the worst is on the way in the form of a recent increase of the tariffs to 25% and threatened tariffs on over $60 billion more in outdoor goods.”

RELATED: Boulder-based Outdoor Industry Association warns Trump on trade war

The president is engaged with several countries on trade policy, using tariffs on imports for leverage. President Trump is poised to add a new round of duties of up to 25% on $300 billion in Chinese imports, on top of $250 billion in goods he already has placed tariffs on in the escalating trade war. Trump also is engaged with tariff brinksmanship with Mexico, another major supplier of goods, over immigration policy.

Tariffs have pinched a variety of outdoor equipment, including backpacks, hats, camp stoves, camp chairs and bicycles, the Outdoor Industry Association said.

The costs in the report are based on “List 3” tariffs of 10% that were imposed from last September through April. On May 10, the association notes, the tariffs rose to 25%.

The data was presented at the trade show Tuesday as part of a forum co-sponsored by the Outdoor Industry Association and Tariffs Hurt the Heartland, a national of coalition of more than 150 trade associations.

The coalition estimates that, overall, Coloradans have paid $102 million because of tariffs to industries affecting 720,800 Colorado jobs supported by trade.

“All of our trading partners need to adhere to global trade rules and respect intellectual property,” Peter Bragdon, executive vice president, chief administrative officer and general counsel, Columbia Sportswear Company, said in a statement, citing one of the president’s justification for the trade disputes.

“But slapping more tariffs on this industry simply makes for more uncertainty, which is the enemy of investment. The only thing we know for sure about a trade war is that American consumers pay the price.”

Attendees gather at the Mountain Hardwear exhibit on the upper level of the Outdoor Retailer Snow Show at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver in January.
(Photo by Christian Murdock, The Gazette)
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