Newsdate: Wed 02 October 2013 – 12:20 pm
Location: SAN DIEGO, California

For the first time in 17-years, with the government shutdown on Tuesday and with Congress at a stand still, many "non-essential government entities," including those depended on by horse owners, will be impacted.

Effects of Government shutdown on the horse industry

For the first time in 17-years, with the government shutdown on Tuesday and Congress at a stand still, many "non-essential government entities," including those depended on by horse owners, will be impacted.

The American Horse Council says border inspections of horses traveling in and out of the country is deemed essential and will have no lapse in service. In addition, import, export and quarantine facilities are paid services and will operate as usual.

In the case of equine reproduction, companies in the business with stallions on-site about to enter pre-export isolation for freezing of semen for export out of the country will be affected. One facility that was scheduled for inspection Wednesday by USDA-Aphis, says it won't happen until after the government reopens. The hold-up could be detrimental for American stallion owners wanting to export semen and mare owners planning to breed to those horses.

The USDA website now states "Due to the lapse in federal government funding, this website is not available. After funding has been restored, please allow some time for this website to become available again."

Testing at the National Veterinary Service Lab in Iowa will be suspended, according to AHC. Tests pending during the shut down will be finished, but any incoming tests will be stored and processed at a later date. In case of a disease outbreak, high priority tests will be done on a case-by-case basis.

USDA is also responsible for the enforcement of the Horse Protection Act (HPA), which was introduced to end the rampant abuse and soring of Tennessee walking horses. AHC states this program will be impacted. 

Employers may also feel the strain if hiring farm workers. The shutdown means the processing of applications for H-2A and H-2B programs could be delayed. Visas for foreign competitors wanting to compete at events in the U.S. may also be held up.

The length of the shutdown will determine the true impact for horse owners and the industry as a whole.

Here is a summary of eight ways the federal shutdown is affecting the horse industry:

1. No wild horse auctions by the Bureau of Land Management will take place.
2. Federal websites will not be working during the shutdown including national parks that care for wild horses and other equine.
3. Horses and other animals in the BLM care will be humanely cared for – minimal staff will be kept on to feed, water and do other essential duties.
4. In certain regions, horses and other animals kept by other Federal agencies – such as National Parks – will have some duties performed by local law agencies.
5. Equine Disease Control lab tests done on horses and other animals by the National Veterinary Service Lab in Ames, Iowa will not be processed.
6. Borders will be open. The import/export and quarantine facilities will be open. This includes the transport of horses to and from the United States.
7. Temporary foreign worker programs will be suspended. The horse industry uses temporary foreign workers extensively due to the low wages they are paid.
8. Foreign visas will be either unprocessed or slow to process. This will effect competitors in horse events seeking to enter the United States from foreign countries.