Dear TOC Member:

TOC urges you to contact Congressional representatives from California regarding the passage of a very important and historic piece of legislation having a significant impact on the horse industry: The Farm Bill.

The Senate-passed version of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) includes several provisions beneficial to the horse industry. These include:

• Classifying “horses” within the definition of livestock and allowing horse breeders to be eligible for emergency federal loans following a natural disaster;
• Shortening the capital gains holding period for horses from 24 months to 12 months; and,
• Placing all racehorses in the three-year category for depreciation purposes.

Under current law, non-equine livestock producers already have the benefits of these provisions – but not the horse industry! Please join all segments of the horse industry that support the Senate Farm Bill – including TOC, National Thoroughbred Racing Association, and American Horse Council – to end the disparate treatment of horses, horse breeders and ranchers versus other livestock producers.

The bill has now moved to the House where representatives have not yet included these horse-related provisions in the House-version of the bill. Members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees will be meeting shortly to negotiate the differences between the two versions of the Farm Bill. Accordingly, TOC encourages you to contact the Representative in your district, and members of the House Agricultural Committee, to urge their support for these important provisions.

Below you will find two sample letters to fax to these Representatives. To identify your local Representative, visit the House website at www.house.gov and enter your zip code.

Please call Guy Lamothe at (800) 994-9909 if you have any questions. Thank you for your consideration.

Sample letter to House Ag Committee (.doc)                                          Sample letter to local representative (.doc)