Families enjoy swimming activities at the North Pointe Aquatic Center, located at 335 Holloway Road in Ballwin, MO. Active outdoor recreation supports 6.5 million jobs, generating $88 billion in federal and state tax revenue and stimulating 8% of all consumer spending.
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Active Outdoor Recreation Contributes $730 Billion to the U.S. Economy
ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire), August 13, 2006 - Active outdoor recreation contributes a total of $730 billion annually, supporting 6.5 million jobs (1 in 20 U.S. jobs), generating $88 billion in federal and state tax revenue and stimulating 8% of all consumer spending.
The information was released in a recent report by Outdoor Industry Foundation, Southwick Associates, and Harris Interactive that details the enormous impact of outdoor recreation on the nation's economy.
This outdoor recreation economy is fueled by the more than three- quarters of Americans who participate in bicycling, camping, fishing, hunting, paddling, hiking, snow sports, and wildlife viewing activities.
"I've worked in several industries in my career and I can say it's a special opportunity to work in one that supports helping people fulfill their dreams, enjoy personal challenge and lead healthier lives through active outdoor pursuits. It's important for our industry to have such in-depth research that demonstrates the direct and the extended contributions that outdoor business makes to our national economy," commented Sally Jewell, CEO of REI. "Clearly, public lands are vital to the future of our industry, and to the health and well-being of the American people."
"Active outdoor recreation has grown into a major engine for our economy, producing millions of jobs and generating billions in tax dollars," said Frank Hugelmeyer, President of the Outdoor Industry Association. He continued, "Policymakers need to recognize this enormous economic contribution and encourage its continued growth when making decisions about the use of public space and parks and recreation."
Rob Southwick, the main author of the study, said, "Every dollar spent on goods and services related to outdoor activities ripples through the economy, stimulating additional spending by workers and suppliers." Southwick noted that direct expenditures on outdoor recreation are larger than spending on legal services, motion pictures and video industries and automobile and light truck manufacturing. Outdoor recreation is particularly important to rural America, where it "jumpstarts rural economic development, providing the lifeblood for communities that depend on recreation tourism for jobs," Southwick said.
Biotechnology is Key to Nation and Missouri's Future Says Senator Bond
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), August 13, 2006 - U.S. Senator Kit Bond stressed the importance of biotechnology to the nation and Missouri's future during the recent Missouri Biotechnology Association and the Biotechnology Industry Organization Forum in St. Louis.
"I am not a scientist or a business owner. But I am a policymaker, and I have a huge interest in biotechnology from the standpoint of solving health care problems, hunger problems, and creating good jobs for the citizens of this state," said Bond.
Joined by U.S. Senator Jim Talent, leading scientists, and business owners at today's forum, Bond praised Missouri for being home to many of the pioneers of exploration in biotechnology.
First convinced by Missouri's corn growers and soybean producers of the promise of biotechnology, Bond said that biotechnology was not only the key to improving farm incomes and the rural economy, but in revolutionizing the world in the same way the steam engine revolutionized industry, and the computer revolutionized the sharing of information.
Biotechnology has possibilities for improving human health, the environment, and enhancing agricultural production around the world, Bond emphasized. Already, hundreds of millions of people worldwide have been helped by biotechnology drugs and vaccines.
Many more drugs and vaccines are being tested -- biotechnology companies have more than 300 drug products and vaccines addressing some 200 diseases in clinical trials. Also, biotechnology is now bringing hope to farmers in the developing world by providing crops that are more tolerant of drought and more resistant to insects and weeds.
Bond stressed that biotechnology, perhaps more than any other industry, can create economic growth in Missouri. Proof of this growth potential is already evident, said Bond. The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, the Life Sciences Center at the University of Missouri, Missouri Botanical Garden, and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City all conduct top-notch research while creating high-paying jobs for Missourians.
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