Participants Wanted for 2022 Kentucky Equine Survey
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
The Kentucky Horse Council has partnered with the University of Kentucky to launch a state-wide survey, which will allow the organization to better serve and protect horses and the horse industry in the Commonwealth.
A comprehensive study of the Commonwealth's equine industry was completed in 2012; it was the first survey of its kind to be done since 1977. The 2022 study will once again be a collaborative effort between the Kentucky Horse Council, the University of Kentucky, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service. The survey, which will provide information critical to Kentucky's equine economy on a county-by-county basis, will:
- Provide data for disease surveillance
- Keep policy makers informed and engaged proactively
- Inform workforce development
- Identify emerging markets on which businesses can capitalize
"As the KHC is a non-breed, non-discipline specific organization focused on the protection and development of the Kentucky equine community, the information gleaned from this survey will be invaluable," said Sarah Coleman, KHC executive director. "We're excited to learn more about the horses residing in the Commonwealth and how we can better assist them and their owners."
"Data obtained from this study are important for the sustained strength and continued growth of Kentucky's equine industry," said Dr. Jill Stowe, a professor at the University of Kentucky and an equine industry economist. "Decision-makers such as entrepreneurs and business owners, equine health providers, and policy makers can utilize this data to make sound, well-informed decisions on important issues facing the industry."
Once complete, results will be available in county-level fact sheets as well as in a statewide report. All materials will be downloadable from the KHC website free of charge.
This survey has received financial support from the Kentucky Agriculture Development Fund, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and the Environment; UK Gluck Equine Research Center; the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association; the Kentucky Horse Council, and the Kentucky Farm Bureau. Additional support comes from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the Office of the Kentucky State Veterinarian, and Rep. Matt Koch. Anyone interested in supporting this project should contact Danielle Jostes, equine philanthropy director, at danielle.jostes@uky.edu or call (859) 218-1176.
Horse owners, of both large operations and small, wanting to participate are encouraged to start by visiting a list-building website that will create a database of addresses across the state the NASS will use to determine its sampling strategy and collect survey data during 2022. The information provided will not be shared with any other private, public, or government entities.
Submit information about your equine operation for the 2022 Kentucky Equine Survey