Cathy_H
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This was sent to me so I'm passing it along - I don't have time to check it out right now. Any thoughts/comments?
The House of Representative is scheduled to vote on the 2008
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration
Appropriations bill (H.R. 3161), which would fund the U.S. Department of
Agriculture for Fiscal Year 2008, early next week.
Section 738 of that bill would be devastating because it would cut-off
funding for USDA activities important to the horse industry. It would
eliminate funding necessary for USDA to operate quarantine facilities
and to pay personnel to approve and facilitate the import and export of
horses for exhibition, competition, sale or breeding. The bill would
not only cut off direct funding to USDA, but also eliminate USDA's
authority to impose user fees, which support the operation of the three
major USDA Animal Import Centers and the land border ports along the
Canadian and Mexican bordersWe are asking AHC member organizations to contact Members of Congress
from their state asking that this provision be removed.
NOTE: Although the language is an apparent attempt by proponents of
legislation to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption by
taking the USDA out of the process, as was done last year, the language
in Section 738 would have a far broader impact and would affect the
movement of all horses.
While an individual's or organization's position on limiting USDA's
authority to inspect horses for slaughter may be based on their position
on the federal bill banning slaughter, the industry should be opposed to
this overly-broad limit on USDA's authority and economic ability to
protect animal health through inspection, quarantine and oversight of
the movement of all horses.
The AHC is opposed to this language for animal health reasons and
because it would have an extremely adverse effect on important equine
activities and commerce. The AHC supports the effort to have it removed
when the House considers the USDA Appropriations bill.
We are asking AHC members and individuals to do the same. Contacts are
needed to all Members of the House. When contacting your
Representative, please fax or e-mail your letter to him or her.
Below is a draft letter that you can personalize.
Please fax or e-mail us copies of any letters you send to Congress.
The AHC fax number is 202-296-1970. E-mails can be sent to
[email protected].
Please call the AHC (202) 296-4031 if you have any questions.
Date
The Honorable ...
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative...:
I am writing to you because of Section 738 in the 2008 Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill
(H.R. 3161). That section would be devastating to the horse industry.
It should be removed when you consider the bill.
I live in .... and am involved in the horse industry ... [Describe your
involvement, for example, owner, breeder, racing, showing, veterinarian,
farrier, race track, etc. If you have economic information about the
size of the industry in your state, include it. You can look at the AHC
website - www.horsecouncil.org - for some states. If you are writing
for an organization, indicate how many members you have and what your
activities involve. If you have any events, shows, races, sales,
breeding or activities that could involve horses from other countries or
your horses leaving the U.S., please note them since they would be
affected by this provision.]
Section 738 of that bill would be devastating because it would cut-off
funding for USDA activities important to the horse industry. It would
eliminate funding necessary for USDA to operate quarantine facilities
and to pay personnel to approve and facilitate the import and export of
horses for exhibition, competition, sale or breeding. The bill would
not only cut off direct funding to USDA, but also eliminate USDA's
authority to impose user fees which support the operation of the three
major USDA Animal Import Centers and the land border ports along the
Canadian and Mexican borders.
The welfare of all horses and the horse industry is based to a large
degree on the many safety nets that the U.S. Department of Agriculture
has set up to protect the health and well-being of our domestic horse
population. This provision would dramatically impact the authority and
ability of the USDA to maintain those protections because it would deny
funds for the various inspections required under current federal law for
all horses. It would also have an extremely adverse effect on important
equine activities and commerce.
Please support any effort to have this onerous section deleted from the
USDA Appropriations bill.
Sincerely,
Kentucky Horse Council
4063 Iron Works Parkway
Building B, Suite 2
Lexington, KY 40511
[email protected]
www.kentuckyhorse.org
The House of Representative is scheduled to vote on the 2008
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration
Appropriations bill (H.R. 3161), which would fund the U.S. Department of
Agriculture for Fiscal Year 2008, early next week.
Section 738 of that bill would be devastating because it would cut-off
funding for USDA activities important to the horse industry. It would
eliminate funding necessary for USDA to operate quarantine facilities
and to pay personnel to approve and facilitate the import and export of
horses for exhibition, competition, sale or breeding. The bill would
not only cut off direct funding to USDA, but also eliminate USDA's
authority to impose user fees, which support the operation of the three
major USDA Animal Import Centers and the land border ports along the
Canadian and Mexican bordersWe are asking AHC member organizations to contact Members of Congress
from their state asking that this provision be removed.
NOTE: Although the language is an apparent attempt by proponents of
legislation to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption by
taking the USDA out of the process, as was done last year, the language
in Section 738 would have a far broader impact and would affect the
movement of all horses.
While an individual's or organization's position on limiting USDA's
authority to inspect horses for slaughter may be based on their position
on the federal bill banning slaughter, the industry should be opposed to
this overly-broad limit on USDA's authority and economic ability to
protect animal health through inspection, quarantine and oversight of
the movement of all horses.
The AHC is opposed to this language for animal health reasons and
because it would have an extremely adverse effect on important equine
activities and commerce. The AHC supports the effort to have it removed
when the House considers the USDA Appropriations bill.
We are asking AHC members and individuals to do the same. Contacts are
needed to all Members of the House. When contacting your
Representative, please fax or e-mail your letter to him or her.
Below is a draft letter that you can personalize.
Please fax or e-mail us copies of any letters you send to Congress.
The AHC fax number is 202-296-1970. E-mails can be sent to
[email protected].
Please call the AHC (202) 296-4031 if you have any questions.
Date
The Honorable ...
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative...:
I am writing to you because of Section 738 in the 2008 Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bill
(H.R. 3161). That section would be devastating to the horse industry.
It should be removed when you consider the bill.
I live in .... and am involved in the horse industry ... [Describe your
involvement, for example, owner, breeder, racing, showing, veterinarian,
farrier, race track, etc. If you have economic information about the
size of the industry in your state, include it. You can look at the AHC
website - www.horsecouncil.org - for some states. If you are writing
for an organization, indicate how many members you have and what your
activities involve. If you have any events, shows, races, sales,
breeding or activities that could involve horses from other countries or
your horses leaving the U.S., please note them since they would be
affected by this provision.]
Section 738 of that bill would be devastating because it would cut-off
funding for USDA activities important to the horse industry. It would
eliminate funding necessary for USDA to operate quarantine facilities
and to pay personnel to approve and facilitate the import and export of
horses for exhibition, competition, sale or breeding. The bill would
not only cut off direct funding to USDA, but also eliminate USDA's
authority to impose user fees which support the operation of the three
major USDA Animal Import Centers and the land border ports along the
Canadian and Mexican borders.
The welfare of all horses and the horse industry is based to a large
degree on the many safety nets that the U.S. Department of Agriculture
has set up to protect the health and well-being of our domestic horse
population. This provision would dramatically impact the authority and
ability of the USDA to maintain those protections because it would deny
funds for the various inspections required under current federal law for
all horses. It would also have an extremely adverse effect on important
equine activities and commerce.
Please support any effort to have this onerous section deleted from the
USDA Appropriations bill.
Sincerely,
Kentucky Horse Council
4063 Iron Works Parkway
Building B, Suite 2
Lexington, KY 40511
[email protected]
www.kentuckyhorse.org
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