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Sorry for the whole article as a quote, but they do not hold srticles on line long.
I thought this was WONDERFUL news for us here in Idaho.
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/01/20/news/business/129037.txt
So remember folks:
I thought this was WONDERFUL news for us here in Idaho.
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2008/01/20/news/business/129037.txt
Gunning for gun makers
Idaho tries to attract firearm manufacturers
By Joshua Palmer
Times-News writer
Idaho has taken its first step in an aggressive campaign to attract gun manufacturers and other outdoor recreation industries.
Known as the Recreational Technology Campaign, Idaho Department of Commerce is partnering with the state's regional economic development groups to market Idaho as the best state for gun manufacturers to do business.
State officials say the campaign is targeting gun manufacturers in states that are growing increasingly hostile toward firearms and ammunition manufacturers - at least 12 states have either passed, or are discussing legislation that would make it more difficult for gun manufacturers to operate.
Idaho is now marketing itself as a home for gun manufacturers in light of the state's unique laws that protect gun ownership and manufacturing.
For example:
• Idaho is the only state with a state constitution that protects gun makers from special taxation or registration.
• Idaho code limits lawsuits against firearms and ammunition manufacturers, and says state agencies cannot bring a suit against gun manufacturers "relating to the design, manufacture, marketing or sale of firearms or ammunition to the public."
"Idaho is kind of an obvious fit for the shooting industry, and I don't really know why we didn't do this earlier," said Bibiana Nertney, communications director for Idaho Commerce.
Regional economic officials say Idaho's firearms laws have generally been accepted as the norm despite the wave of gun control legislation in other states.
But Idaho's newfound interest in gun manufacturers goes beyond a convenient set of laws: The firearms and ammunition manufacturing industry is worth a collective $2 billion per year.
So when the state completed an industry survey on companies that would benefit from the state's culture, one industrial sector stood out as an ideal candidate for Idaho - the sportsman industry.
"This really goes beyond just the firearms industry," Nertney said. "We are also looking at other recreational technologies such as companies that make bow hunting and fishing equipment."
So in an effort to get the word out, state and regional officials began creating a campaign in 2007 that would market the state's "firearm friendly" laws and its prevalence of outdoor recreational opportunities.
In November, the Idaho Department of Commerce sent hundreds of information packets to firearms manufacturers throughout the United States, proclaiming that Idaho is a state with "better protection for firearms and ammunition manufacturers."
And in less than two weeks, department officials - together with the directors of at least four regional economic development organizations in Idaho - will attend one of the largest firearms shows in the nation.
"This is really only the first step in a long process,"said Jan Rogers, director of the Southern Idaho Economic Development Organization. "What we are trying to do is meet with these companies to see what they are looking for and hopefully get their attention."
And that's exactly what the state has managed to do.
Nertney said that after the state sent out its newly printed literature on Idaho's gun laws, eight companies responded with an interest in learning more about expanding or relocating to the Gem State.
"We thought that was extremely fast to have that type of response in such a short amount of time, so we we're pretty excited about this," Nertney said.
State and regional officials have been racing within the past month to contact smaller firearms manufacturers already based in Idaho.
The intentions are two-fold: To learn more about how the industry operates, and use that information to attract other manufacturers.
"We learned that there is a lot more to this than the manufacturers themselves," Rogers said. "There are also a lot of smaller businesses that make things like holsters and gun sights, which would do well in our smaller communities."
The firearms and ammunition manufacturing industry is made up of about 200 small arms manufacturers, but that does not include the hundreds of smaller companies that supply the shooting industry with accessories.
Idaho is already home to one of the largest commercial ammunition makers in the nation, as well as smaller makers of firearms and shooting accessories. Some are widely known, while others - particularly those with government contracts - closely guard their anonymity.
The companies that are already based in Idaho will become a critical part of the campaign as Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter kicks off his Top-to-Top program during the Recreational Technology Campaign.
The program will use executives of firearms and ammunition manufacturing businesses in Idaho to network with business owners in other states.
Joshua Palmer may be reached at (208) 735-3231 or at [email protected]
So remember folks:
I like it.
. Naw, actually I think it is fantastic, and with the proper motivation, I would move to Sandpoint in a heartbeat. No living for a mid level shrink with a shooting habit there. :banghead:
