Keeping in stride with the longstanding commitment for the improvement and protection of the nation’s equine health, the American Horse Council is educating Congress on the importance of increased funding for agriculture research, specifically for horses and other animal research.

In recent years, global trade agreements, such as NAFTA and GATT, have singled out the animal health status of nations as the determining factor for facilitating trade of animals or animal products internationally. Regulatory controls of animals and animal products are based on animal health science in order to determine the potential risk of importing animal disease with trade.

All aspects of the U.S. horse industry include the international movement of horses, whether for breeding, racing, showing, or exhibition. International equine events, such as the Breeders’ Cup Championship, which alone generates $30 to $60 million a year to the U.S. economy, are an important part of the economic contribution made by the horse industry.

Consequently, occurrences of diseases can have a significant economic impact on the movement of animals, including horses. For example, the 1995 Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) outbreak dramatically affected the interstate and international movement of equine. States and foreign nations feared losing important international markets. The equine industry and other animal industries, such as the dairy and beef markets, were seriously affected by the restrictions, particularly within the affected states