COVID-19 has forced businesses in the US, Canada and the whole world to make massive changes. HPBA is working hard to provide guidance and assistance. Since mid-March, the HPBA staff have hosted three webinars and sent out multiple emails to our members. Our goal is to help our members navigate this uncharted course and keep their businesses open and even thriving. The
webinars
have covered all of the government stimulus activities and what you need to know, and also provided tips on how to use available virtual tools to continue to sell your products and interact with customers during this time of social distancing.
You can view recordings of the webinars, see the presentation slides, and read all the emails on our COVID-19
webpage
. In addition, one of our Affinity Partners, Sunbelt, has produced a webinar for HPBA members that would explain how to value your business during the pandemic. That can also be viewed on our webpage.
Retailers: Looking for ideas on how to do business during COVID-19? Five retailers shared their stories of how they are keeping their business up and running.
Watch
our Making Lemonade Out of Covid-19 Lemons webinar and you will get some tips of things you can do yourself.
As you can tell, HPBA is open for business and hard at work, so please reach out to the staff with any questions.
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Being Prepared for the NSPS May 15
th
Effective Date
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The May 15, 2020 NSPS Step 2 deadline to sell your Step 1 inventory is nearly upon us and everyone needs to be ready.
There has been a flurry of activity over the past few weeks with the EPA belatedly considering sell-through in response to COVID-19. We had expected some update from EPA last week, but that never happened. With so little time before the May 15
th
deadline, HPBA urges all dealers to expect the sale of Step 1 appliances to be illegal after May 15
th
.
HPBA members are invited to join us on Wednesday, May 13
th
at 3:00 pm EDT for a webinar to discuss the lack of sell-through for Step 1 appliances, the
option to donate freestanding woodstoves
, what exactly comes into effect May 15
th
, and answer any questions you may have. Register for the webinar
here
.
Learn about the option to donate unsold Step 1 freestanding woodstoves to help needy communities and get charitable donation tax credits for your business.
Review the contents of HPBA’s
NSPS Toolkit for Retailers
and make sure you understand what is happening on Friday, May 15
th
, 2020.
What: “Being Prepared for the NSPS May 15
th
Effective Date”
When: Wednesday, May 13
th
, 2020
Time: 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm EDT (12:00 pm to 1:00 pm PDT)
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Stoves to Homes Donations Live, Option for Step 1 Stoves Prior to May 15
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As we quickly approach the Step 2 effective date (
May 15th
), some businesses still have some Step 1 stoves left in their inventory. MAHPBA Board Members came up with an idea to address this, and HPBA reached out to the EPA and received
official word
that a simple donation program could be set-up with qualifying non-profit organizations. These approved non-profit organizations will manage the ownership and distribution of the stoves to identified homeowners in need.
To participate in
Stoves to Home
, we ask that you complete a
donation form
before May 15th.
For more information about the pre-approved non-profit organizations, how to donate products, FAQs, and to submit a donation form, please visit the Stoves to Homes page on the
HPBA website
.
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Join our nationwide virtual cookout on May 23
rd
!
This year, we’re launching the first “Back to Barbecue Day” on Saturday, May 23
rd
. It will be a national call for home cooks to celebrate the official beginning of grilling season with the largest virtual barbecue cookout by cooking in their backyards.
Just because we can’t be together doesn’t mean we are apart. With Back to Barbecue Day, our love for grilling will unite us.
We have developed a tool kit for you to use as you choose to promote Back to Barbecue day to your customers. It features a press release template, blogs and several social media posts to share on your own channels. You can also visit HPBA social media pages on
Facebook
and
Instagram
to share our posts. Remember, always use the hashtag #WhyIGrill, #NationalBarbecueMonth and #BacktoBarbecue.
Attention Retailers!
If your store is open or you are offering curbside service, we hope these materials will be helpful in driving traffic. If your store remains closed, we hope it creates more awareness and loyalty with your audiences when you reopen.
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HPBA Coronavirus Updates and Emails
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At least once a week, HPBA sends out a coronavirus government affairs update email to 400+ people who have opted in to receive timely updates.
Last week’s email
included information about guidance on bringing back employees from unemployment and new IRS guidance on the PPP loan. Have you signed up?
Sign up here
. As always, coronavirus-related information can be found on
our website
.
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USMCA Enactment Set for July 1st
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On April 24, 2020 the Office of the
United States Trade Representative announced
that the U.S., Canada, and Mexico took the final steps to fully ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The USMCA, which replaces the 25-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), will come into full effect on July 1, 2020. There are important changes in the rules of origin for some sectors that don’t impact our industries. Regarding intellectual property and digital trade, however, USMCA extends the terms of copyright to 70 years (up from 50) beyond the life of the author. The USMCA includes a sunset clause under which the terms of the agreement will expire (or “sunset”) after 16 years. The deal is also subject to a review every six years, at which point the participating countries can decide to extend the USMCA. Read the U.S. Trade Representative’s
fact sheet on how the new deal helps small and medium-sized businesses
.
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New Products Now Excluded from Chinese Tariffs
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Over the past two months, the U.S. Trade Representative has made several announcements regarding exclusions from tariffs for some products from China. New exclusions
announced on March 26, 2020
include
outdoor gas fire pits enclosed in stone
(specifically, “Outdoor tables of artificial stone, each measuring no more than 93 cm by 93 cm by 63 cm, with a built-in gas-burning fire pit.”). This exclusion follows an earlier announcement on
November 29, 2019
for
metal
outdoor gas fire pits
(defined as “Outdoor tables of steel and aluminum, each measuring no more than 93 cm by 93 cm by 63 cm, incorporating a built-in gas-burning fire pit.”). Another set of product exclusions was
announced on February 20, 2020
, which included
fireplace mantels or surrounds made of wood
and
portable outdoor cookers
, each consisting of a burner and stand made from steel and cast iron, two or more pots with fitted strainer baskets, a rack suitable for supporting and lifting out large food items and an adjustable pressure regulator/hose combination for connecting the burner to a portable container of LP.
The exclusions are retroactive to September 24, 2018 and run through August 7, 2020, meaning that companies can receive a refund for any tariffs paid thus far. HPBA will continue to monitor the evolving tariffs landscape. Please contact
Rachel Feinstein
if you have any questions.
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HPBExpo 2021
Exhibition: March 4-6
Education: March 3-5
Music City Center, Nashville, TN
We hope to see you all in Nashville for HPBExpo2021. Be sure to mark your calendars for March 3-6, 2021.
The 2021 HPBExpo Committee is scheduled to meet virtually on May 27, 2020. Members will have the opportunity to review final 2020 HPBExpo reports and discuss preliminary plans for the 2021 HPBExpo.
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Exhibit booth sales have begun; if you didn’t have the opportunity to book space at this year’s show for next year, visit our
Apply to Exhibit
page
for contracts. Check out the
floor plan
and see who has already signed up as a
2021 Exhibitor
. Contact
Anita Derouin
with questions or to discuss booth
Early bird hotel reservations are now available
here
.
Mark your calendar as registration will open September 10
th
, 2020.
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HPBExpo 2020 Photo Gallery
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Use the HPBA Research Library to Help Plan Your Business
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In these confusing times, everyone is looking for information – whether there’s an idea of when the changes forced by COVID-19 will end, are there loans for my business, what does this mean for the economy, and many more questions. Due to COVID-19 and its impact, having a well-informed plan and making a data-driven decision is even more important. While HPBA may not be able to tell you when this will all be over, the Association has curated a reference library full of economic and business data to help you plan your next steps. This includes reports from other associations and groups like the Conference Board and the National Retail Federation, as well as economic indicator data like housing starts from the US Census and Consumer Sentiment from the University of Michigan. This information provides a glimpse into how the economy is behaving and designed to help you plan the best way forward for your business. To access it, please log into the
HPBA website
with your credentials.
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Reminder!
HPBA has a new banking relationship with Bank of America, and our SunTrust accounts are now closed. For wiring information, please contact
Robert Washington
.
NEW PAYMENT ADDRESS:
Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
P.O. Box 412397
Boston, MA 02241-2397
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Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
1901 North Moore Street, Suite 600
Arlington, VA 22209
Phone: (703) 522-0086
Fax: (703) 522-0177
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