New Address and Phone!

The Georgia Horse Council has moved!

New Phone Numbers

706-232-1591 (Office)
706-232-1592 (Fax)
We will no longer have a 800 number.

New Address

302 Clements Road NE
Rome, GA 30161

USDA Announces CEM National Testing

Copied below are links to two USDA documents that were recently issued to inform stakeholders about a contagious equine metritis (CEM) national testing project.  The first document is a stakeholder announcement and the second is a question and answer document.

Please distribute these materials to anyone you think may find them useful. Feel free to include the links, or the linked content itself, in newsletters or other communication you send to your members, clients, colleagues, or constituents.

USDA To Test Additional Stallions to Detect Contagious Equine Metritis http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/sa_cemtst.pdf

Questions and Answers:  Testing of Additional Stallions for Contagious Equine Metritis http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/faq_cem2010.pdf

Free Seminar for Horse Professionals! - What Every Equine Business Person Needs to Know About the Law

This seminar is free to all horse professionals and can be attended via telephone or the internet.  It is being hosted by EquestrianProfessional.com, a website that provides business and career support to horse professionals. The speaker will be renowned equine law expert. Julie I. Fershtman.

Click here to view a press release about the event.  You can also learn more about the event and/or sign up to attend by going to http://www.EquestrianProfessional.com/public/544.cfm

Please feel free to extend this invitation to any other horse professionals you feel would benefit from the seminar.

AHC Holds Forum on Welfare of the Horse The American Horse Council's National Issues Forum was held June 16 in conjunction with its 2009 annual Meeting. The forum's focus was on the Welfare of the Horse and included panels on racing, showing, competition, sport, and horses used in work and entertainment. Representatives from national organizations involved in all these activities provided an update on their welfare activities. READ MORE (Full Summary of Forum) The American Horse Council's "Welfare of the Horse" Forum is Now Available on H-Span On Tuesday June 16, 2009 the American Horse Council held "The Welfare of the Horse" forum in Washington, DC.  The Forum, sponsored by Luitpold, was held as part of the AHC's National Issues Forum and featured speakers from segments of the horse community as varied as competition, sport, work and entertainment. Speakers and panelists discussed the many welfare and safety initiatives that various segments of the horse industry have in place or are instituting. READ MORE Brewer, Lenz, and Tanner Appointed to the AHC Board of Trustees The American Horse Council is pleased to announce that Mr. Bill Brewer, Dr. Tom Lenz, and Mr. Mike Tanner were appointed to the AHC Board of Trustees at the 2009 annual meeting. READ MORE Russell Williams Elected AHC Chairman Russell C. Williams, USTA Vice-Chairman and Director for District 7 (Pennsylvania) was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American Horse Council (AHC) at their annual meeting in Washington, DC on June 16.   The Horse Council is the federal information and lobbying representative of the horse industry in Washington.  READ MORE Bush H-2A Agricultural Worker Rules Are Suspended by Obama The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has suspended the changes to the H-2A program made by the Bush Administration last December 18, 2008. This suspension took effect June 28, 2009. Many horse breeding farms employ foreign workers for temporary periods through this program.In the final months of the Bush administration the DOL adopted a final rule outlining new procedures for the administration of the H-2A temporary agricultural alien worker program. Those regulations took effect January 17, 2009. READ MORE Obama Makes Immigration Reform a Priority On June 25, President Obama signaled his intent to prioritize immigration reform by holding a meeting with key members of Congress. Members from the House and Senate and both parties with varying positions on immigration reform attended the meeting at the White House. "We have finished what I consider to be a very productive meeting on one of the most critical issues that I think this nation faces and that is an immigration system that is broken and needs fixing," said President Obama.  READ MORE Withholding Repeal Would Benefit Racing Wagering on horse racing has decreased over the last few years.  While there are likely a number of reasons for this, one is clearly the current withholding tax that is imposed on certain winning wagers made on races.  But if Congressmen Charles Boustany (R-LA) and John Yarmuth (D-KY) have their way, this will end.  Both Representatives introduced the Pari-mutuel Conformity and Equality Act of 2009 (H.R. 2140), which would repeal the federal withholding tax on pari-mutuel gambling winnings. READ MORE Internet Gambling Legislation Introduced The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was passed in 2006.  The law does not prohibit Internet wagering, but bars banks and credit card companies from processing payments to facilitate such wagering.  The law permits "any activity that is allowed under the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978," thus protecting racing's interstate wagering activities by maintaining the status-quo.   READ MORE Horse Industry Meets with Congress in AHC Congressional Ride-In David Foley, AAEP, Congressman Kurt Schrader (OR), Dr. Harry Werner, AAEP, Dr. Scott Palmer, AAEP, and Dr. Nat White, AAEP The 2009 American Horse Council National Issues Forum highlighting the welfare of the horse was held in Washington, DC June 14 to 17. The Forum also provided an opportunity for leaders from AHC member organizations and every facet of the horse industry to meet with members of Congress and their staffs to discuss issues important to the industry. "The AHC represents the horse industry before Congress and the federal agencies. The Ride-In is great because it allows us to bring the horse industry to Washington for a few days," said AHC President Jay Hickey. READ MORE Rolapp Award Goes to Congressman Ben Chandler AHC President, Jay Hickey with 2009 Rolapp Award winner,  Congressman Ben Chandler (KY) The American Horse Council's 2009 Rolapp Award was presented to Congressman Ben Chandler of Kentucky for his outstanding support of the horse industry.  The award was presented to Congressman Chandler on June 16 at a Congressional Reception in the Capitol during the American Horse Council's National Issues Forum in Washington, DC. READ MORE 2009 Van Ness Award Presented to Sally Blount of Iowa AHC President Jay Hickey with 2009 Van Ness Award winner Sally Blount The American Horse Council's 2009 Van Ness award, named for the late Marjorie Van Ness, and sponsored by New Jersey Horse Council was presented to Ms. Sally Blount of Iowa at the AHC's National Issues Forum on Tuesday June 16, 2009 in Washington, D.C. READ MORE Tourism Promotion Bill Introduced in Senate Equine tourism is a growing and diverse segment of the horse industry.  It encompasses many parts of the industry including recreation, showing and racing.  Marketing the U.S as an equine tourism destination abroad will be important to its future growth and will benefit the entire horse industry.  Legislation that could aid those efforts has now been introduced in the Senate.  READ MORE Senate Passes National Day Of The American Cowboy Resolution The American Horse Council is pleased the U.S. Senate passed a resolution honoring the American cowboy.  The resolution, introduced by U.S. Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming, designates Saturday, July 25, 2008 as "National Day of the Cowboy." The bill pays tribute to the enduring legacy of the cowboy in America and the contributions cowboys continue to make to our nation today. "I am happy the United States Senate is honoring such an enduring cultural icon of the American West that is irrevocably linked with the history of the horse in this country.  It is important to remember the cowboy and the horse remain an important part of America still.  This resolution recognizes both the history and the continuing contribution of the American cowboy" said AHC President Jay Hickey. SAVE MONEY WITH AHC'S ADVANTAGE PLAN A membership with the AHC, State Horse Council or an AHC organization entitles you to special savings on products used for your equine farm, business, or personal use.                        Visit the AHC website for more information on how you can get discounts with John Deere, UPS, Sherwin-Williams, Toshiba Direct, Office Depot, Equine Travel Advantage and Moxie Equestrian. You can buy products directly from these companies at greatly reduced prices. For more information visit http://www.horsecouncil.org/advantage_plan.php

Action Alert: AHC Seeks to Document Equestrian Access Issues on Public Land

The American Horse Council has launched a new effort to collect information on access issues equestrians are experiencing on federal lands. The center piece of this effort is an AHC online form riders can use to report their personal experiences regarding trails and federal lands that have been closed to them or other access issues.  This online form is located here https://www.horsecouncil.org/survey.php.

For more information see our AHC or Trail page.

Equine Tag

Tags are now available for purchase. Funds from the sale of this tag will go to fund the Equine Commodity Commission whose mission is to promote the horse industry in Georgia.

Hay Shortage

You might find the following links useful in locating hay.

Internet Hay Exchange  http://www.hayexchange.com/index.php
The Hay Barn  http://www.haybarn.com/main/index.asp
Bid4Hay.com http://www.bid4hay.com/index.php
Georgia Cattlemen's Association Hay Directory http://www.gabeef.org/gca/haydirectory.html

Hay Available

We have a hybrid bermuda at our Hazlehurst GA location...1100lb round rolls are $50 ... square bales are $5.25 with a price break of $4.75 for 500 bale orders....Paul 912-375-2896 or 478-953-3860

Here is a partial list of hay we have available:
Timothy
Timothy/ Orchard Grass mix
Alfalfa
Timothy/ Alfalfa mix
Squares and rounds
Square loads delivered in a 53' box trailer, aprx 600 bales per load.
Rounds delivered on a 43' flat bed, 34 bales per load.

Prices will vary depending on delivery distance (unfortunately.) The timothy /orchard mix arriving here in Savannah tomorrow will be $7 per bale, bales weigh aprx 50#. (There will be 674 bales on this load.)

My contact information: phone: 912-330-8856 email: swequine@yahoo.com

To place an order, I will just need a zip code for delivery, type of hay, and quantity needed. I can give the price after that info is obtained.

Our goal with this is NOT to make a quick buck off the horse owners here- it is to provide quality hay for these horses, and PREVENT as many as we can from going hungry. Our prices will remain as low as we can possibly make them to get this hay here, in hopes to encourage folks to buy a bit here and a bit there, to store for this winter/ spring 2008. The recent events that had hay prices up over $10 per bale made us sick- and we decided to try and do SOMETHING to help out as much as we could. I hate to say it, but by this winter if not a bit sooner, horse owners are looking at being right back in the same boat as this spring- with incredible hay prices, and ANY hay about as scarce as hens teeth.

IF anyone has any questions, please feel free to give me a call or drop an email. I will be MORE than happy to do what I can to help out on this end!

Shannon Harrell
Savannah GA

Georgia Horse Council, Inc.

302 Clements Road NE
Rome, Georgia 30161
phone: 706-232-1591
fax: 706-232-1592

This site maintained by:
Ken Bell
Loganville, Georgia
678-360-6895
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