I strongly encourage you to attend the Department of Revenue hearing this Thursday in Yakima which will impact the future of the horse industry in Washington State. The Yakima hearing will be similar to the one last month, but I doubt there will be the same outcry from the horse industry over in Eastern Washington because they are not as polarized as we have been in the Western Washington/ Puget Sound area. Likewise, many cattle ranchers dont understand the horse industry and how it will affect all horse owners in Washington State.
In fact, I just got off the phone from the Yakima County Assessors office and they will be there. And guess what? They do NOT think horse farms that board horses or give lessons/training should be allowed in the "farm and agricultural" classification of the Open Space Act. They are concerned that horses aren't "used" on "real farms" anymore and since the anti-horse slaughter legislation, we don't export horse meat anymore. While I don't like the thought of horses going to slaughter, I never realized the unintended negative consequences it is having on the horse industry today.
What can we do?
Go to the meeting this Thursday in Yakima (I know it is a long drive but losing places to board/train/race our horses is worth it).
Encourage friends in Eastern Washington to attend and SPEAK UP at the meeting. Now is our chance. If you go and don't talk, how can you convince the assessor's offices that horse boarding should be allowed?
Write your legislator and tell them of your concern. They are our last hope if the DOR kicks horse farms out.
Continue to write the DOR about how the boarding and training of horses contribute to a product, that is a more valuable horse than before which can be sold. Show how if you dont have horse farms to board or train the horse, you dont have a product.
Write DOR before Dec 17th. The 31st of December is the DORs deadline to issue their emergency rule.
The DOR has scheduled a meeting in Yakima for Thursday, December 4, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Upper Terrace Conference Room of the Red Lion Hotel at 607 E. Yakima Ave, Yakima, Washington 98901.
Thank you for your continued support to preserve the equestrian industry in Washington State.
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