Category: State Agencies

first appeared in the May 2018 Equiery A common question among horse owners in Maryland is whether or not they must be licensed. Often this question is directed towards state stable licenses, which fall under the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Maryland has been licensing stables since 1968, and in 1998 the authority to license and inspect stables was given to the newly established Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB). However, in recent months, there have also been many questions surrounding county stable licenses. At this time, only Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Baltimore Counties require stable licenses, though the definition of a “stable” varies slightly from county to county. Although these definitions might vary, the one common theme among all three counties as well as the state is the welfare of the horses. It is to help ensure the safety and care of the horses that the state and these counties require licenses. The Purpose All 23 counties in Maryland offer some sort of animal control or humane society, however, not all these are equipped to deal specifically with equine welfare, which is where the Maryland Horse Industry Board steps in to fill the void. According to the Code of Maryland Regulations for the Department of Agriculture, Title 15, Subtitle 16, Chapter 01, (COMAR 15.16.01.01) the purpose of state stable licensing is to “insure the humane treatment of horses and the...

On February 14, the Maryland Horse Industry Board announced the recipients of nearly $30,000 worth of grant funds. Funding for these grants is provided by the Maryland Feed Fund, which collects $6 on every ton of horse feed sold in Maryland. Since the fund was established in 2002, MHIB, which runs within the Maryland Department of Agriculture, has awarded over $400,000 in grants to over 300 projects. “Horses are a critical component of Maryland’s agricultural industry. The Maryland Horse Industry Board and the Feed Fund help stimulate growth and opportunity in Maryland’s equestrian community without using any government funding,” said Board Chairman Jim Steele. “This self-funded commodity marketing entity is a model of how industry groups can help themselves without relying on taxpayer dollars.” This year, 27 applications were submitted with $29,983.50 was awarded to 20 organizations and individual from around the state. Projects are evaluated based on their value to the industry, degree of industry promotion, size and scope of activity, financial need, potential for matching funds, benefits and overall quality of the written presentation. Grants are capped at $3,000 in order to award funds to as many groups as possible. 2017 Maryland Horse Industry Board Grant Recipients are as follows: $3,000 – Day’s End Farm Horse Rescue (Howard County/Statewide) – Enhance and promote animal welfare officer training $3,000 – Mid Atlantic Equitation Festival (Prince George’s County/Statewide) –...

First published in the December 2017 Equiery In November, Governor Larry Hogan announced that the Board of Public Works approved the purchase of 16 easements protecting 2,618 acres of prime Maryland farmland in 11 counties for $9,223,273 in state funding. This approval brings the total farmland protected in perpetuity or approved by Board of Public Works by the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation (MALPF) to 316,101 acres. The Board is comprised of the Governor, Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp, and Comptroller Peter Franchot. “Maryland has one of the strongest agricultural land preservation records in the nation. Each easement purchase proves our commitment to keep farming a viable and profitable industry in our state,” said Governor Hogan. “Working together, we can ensure a sustainable environment for future generations, preserve open space, and maintain the agricultural heritage of our state.” Created by the General Assembly in 1977, MALPF purchases agricultural preservation easements that forever restrict development on prime farmland and woodland, and has permanently preserved land in each of Maryland’s 23 counties, representing a public investment of more than $645 million. With county and other state preservation programs, more than 800,000 acres of farmland and resource land are protected by easements in Maryland. This is the greatest ratio of farmland preserved to total landmass of any state. And here is a fun fact…the legislator who penned the bill that became MALPF was...

The Maryland Horse Industry Board is now accepting grant applications for research, educational and promotional projects that support horses or the equestrian community, or develop new opportunities for the Maryland horse industry. Application deadline is October 2. Among the organizations eligible for grants are non-profit organizations, clubs and associations, businesses, licensed farms and stables, government entities, schools and educational institutions. Projects of interest to the Board include (but are not limited to) those that develop new opportunities for the Maryland horse industry. Projects will be evaluated for their value to the industry, degree of industry promotion, size and scope of activity, financial need, potential for matching funds, benefits and quality of the written presentation. Grant requests should not exceed $3,000. The average grant amount is approximately $1,000. In 2017, 28 projects received $30,000 in grant allocations. Funding for these grants and for the Maryland Horse Industry Board is provided by the Maryland Feed Fund, which collects $6 on every ton of horse feed sold in Maryland. Since the fund was established in 2002, MHIB has awarded over $400,000 in grant monies to over 300 projects throughout Maryland. “Horses are a critical component to Maryland’s agricultural industry. The Maryland Horse Industry Board and The Feed Fund do a terrific job in helping to stimulate growth and opportunity in Maryland’s equestrian community—without using any government funding,” said Horse Industry Board Chairman Jim...