In the May issue of the HIAA (Horse Industry Alberta Alliance) eNews, we announced that the Pasture Recovery Initiative (PRI) launched by the provincial and federal governments was available to horse producers. The press release for the initiative did include equine breeding stock, but horses have been excluded from this program other than PMU (none in Alberta) or horses raised specifically for meat. Other species included in the program are beef cattle, bison, elk, deer, llamas, sheep, goats, and alpacas.
Alberta is horse country, home to some of the most respected purebred and commercial breeding operations in the world. Virtually all of them depend on grazing lands to make their efforts economical. The drought has had a significant impact on these operations and the same $60 per breeding animal allowed for PMU and meat horses would offer some much needed relief to the many producers of horses for sport and recreation.
The Horse Industry Association of Alberta has written to the Alberta Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Jack Hayden, to object to the exclusion of the vast majority of equine breeding stock from this vital recovery program. We encourage breeders and breed organizations in the province to do the same, with copies of letters sent to your MLAs.
Write to:
Honourable Jack Hayden
Legislature Office
#423 Legislature Building
10800 97 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T5K 2B6
Saskatchewan producers have also been excluded from this program, other than meat and PMU, and we encourage you to write to your Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture and local MLAs.
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