Climate Change & Environmental Sustainability

AHC Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Vision Statement

The American Horse Council is a bipartisan advocacy organization based in Washington DC, whose mission is to protect and strengthen the US equine industry.

Impacts associated with climate change are felt by industry participants and the horses we love across the country. These effects may include increasingly unpredictable weather events resulting in feed shortages, emergency evacuation and long-term displacement, expanding disease vector range, and even loss of life as a result of a natural disaster.

Climate change further endangers the health and capacity of lands we enjoy with horses, including the potential to drastically affect the recreational experience because of extreme temperatures, wildfires and associated smoke, severe storms, flooding, unmanageable snowpack, etc.

Exploring and utilizing environmentally sustainable practices is one approach to supporting land health and potentially mitigating localized impacts of climate change faced by the horse community. The AHC urges all industry stakeholders and equine enthusiasts to consider environmentally sustainable practices within their operations.

The AHC supports science based industry solutions that:
Advance practices for equine specific manure management.
Prevent discharge of harmful materials which contaminate the environment.

Reduce harmful emissions from operations.
Reduce waste, including single use plastics and other non-recyclable materials.

In addition, the AHC supports industry stakeholders in:

• Staying informed and compliant with local and federal environmental regulations.
• Building positive relations with neighbors, communities, and surrounding equine operations.
• Combating misinformation and promoting strategies supported by research.

AHC will continue to work with regulatory agencies to understand how the equine industry can be an advocate for policies and practices that are both forward thinking in environmental stewardship while being attainable by stakeholders.