It is dedicated to making the industry profitable by decreasing business overhead, reducing taxes and government regulation, and increasing participation in archery and bowhunting.

The ATA Trade Show is a member-driven, order-writing event to promote commerce within the archery and bowhunting industry.

The ATA was originally formed in Wisconsin in 1953 as the Archery Manufacturers and Dealers Association (AMADA),[2] containing within its initial membership such renowned archers as Fred Bear and Bob Lee.

Today, the industry's 22 essential "ATA Standards" are defined in the ATA Technical Guidelines,[3] a manual that represents about 50 years of accumulated engineering knowledge and expertise dating to Earl Hoyt, Dick Mauch (Bear Archery), and Chuck Saunders.

In 1997, with the debut of the AMO Archery Trade Show, funding formerly provided by companies' donations was replaced by the profits generated from this event.