Industry Info
American Horse Council’s
2015 National Issues Forum
Forum to Feature “Protecting and Promoting the Horse”
The American Horse Council has announced that its theme
for this year’s National Issues Forum, sponsored by Luitpold
Animal Health, is “Protecting and Promoting the Horse.” The
issues that the horse industry has faced over the last decade
have changed, but there are several consistent challenges.
These include federal regulatory challenges, attracting newcomers to horses and equine activities, maintaining equine
activities that we enjoy, and welfare initiatives to protect our
horses. But as with any challenges, they also create opportunities. The Forum will focus on how the industry is dealing with
them.
Of great importance to the horse industry is its relationship
to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Most horse owners
don’t understand how and where and why the Department of
Agriculture intersects with the horse community,” said AHC
President Jay Hickey. “Federal authority – and protection and
assistance - extends over the horse industry not only on the
breeding farms, but also on horses when they race, show and
are used for recreation.”
The AHC’s National Issues Forum will focus on answering
such questions with high-ranking representatives from USDA
responsible for the programs that affect the horse industry
present to explain how they view the industry, what they do,
how federal programs are changing, and what the Department’s new five-year plan has in store for the horse industry.
Programs like the American Horse Council’s Time to Ride
and its 2015 $100,000 Horse Challenge and others are under-
way. Updates will be provided that can teach attendees how
they might institute similar programs to attract people to the
horse industry in its various forms.
The Unwanted Horse Coalition is celebrating its tenth anniversary and plans a special update on its current activities and
initiatives over the last decade to protect horses. More importantly, this will provide an opportunity to review how the horse
community has instituted new programs for horses during that
period.
This year’s National Issues Forum will be held on Tuesday,
June 16, in Washington, DC during the AHC’s annual convention, which will run from June 14 to 17 at the Hyatt Regency
Hotel on Capitol Hill.
The AHC’s convention will also include the AHC’s Congressional Reception, the Congressional Ride-In, meetings of
all AHC committees and the Unwanted Horse Coalition. As
always, the AHC’s annual meeting brings together the horse
industry’s leaders, stakeholders, service providers and individuals to discuss common issues of importance.
The AHC’s Congressional Reception will be Tuesday night,
June 17, on Capitol Hill. This is an opportunity for the horse
community to visit informally with Members of Congress to
renew old friendships, make new ones, and discuss industry
concerns.
The annual Congressional Ride-In will take place all day
Wednesday, June 19. The Ride-In allows members of the horse
community to meet with their elected representatives and
federal officials to discuss important issues affecting them. All
members of the horse community are encouraged to participate, even if they don’t attend the AHC convention.
The Ride-In puts a face on the $102 billion horse industry
and the millions of Americans who are part of it. Congress
deals with various issues that impact the horse industry, including taxes, gaming, immigration, welfare issues, access to
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