Task Force Organized For County’s Small Horse Farmers

[THE GAZETTE] With so much attention being paid to the recent closure of Rosecroft Raceway in Fort Washington, Fort Washington resident David Turner asked Prince George’s County’s equine industry task force to also keep the needs of small horse farmers in mind when the group brings recommendations to county lawmakers next month.

From improving county horse trails to preserving enclaves of rural land inside the Beltway — such as the Broad Creek Historic District, where Turner lives — Turner said owners of small horse farms also need help to stay in business.

The County Council created the Equine Industry Task Force in April to consider how the county could better support its equine industry, which was worth more than $63 million as of the lone statewide equine census conducted in 2002. The Maryland Department of Agriculture is conducting a second equine census this year and plans to release the new numbers by January.

The task force’s recommendations so far include improving the marketing of horse farms to help keep owners such as Turner profitable, expanding the definition of “agriculture” in the county code to include the equine industry and attracting more events and horse-related activities to the Prince George’s Equestrian Center in Upper Marlboro.

For more on the Equine Industry Task Force, read this article in The Gazette.



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