I have exciting news - the Minnesota Stable Owners Association - www.mnsoa.org - has been formed as a Minnesota nonprofit and 501(c)(6) business league. This organization will strengthen Minnesota equine businesses by enabling local chapters, organizing and gathering information about concerns of local horsemen and stable owners, for a strength-in-numbers approach to improving public policy and business conditions for horsemen in Minnesota.
The group was born out of the property tax mis-classification mess in Washington County, but it was quickly realized that problems are widespread and some kind of grassroots organization is needed statewide. The Minnesota Horse Council's President, Mark Ward, is an active founder of the Stable Owners Association and has offered the strategic partnership of the Council in legislative and policy efforts. The Council's mission to represent and support the statewide horse industry, in turn, will benefit from the increased exposure by tapping the enthusiastic initiative of local horse communities throughout Minnesota.
I am just putting the finishing touches on the Bylaws, which were approved at last night's meeting. Another meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday, January 13 at 6p at Withrow Ballroom in Grant, when local legislators will also be in attendance to hear about property tax and Green Acres concerns of equine property owners.
Please help spread the word and encourage people to join both the MSOA and MN Horse Council to support this strategic partnership to help the horse industry through policy change! And, if you or your equine community members are interested, consider forming a Local Chapter of MSOA. When the time comes to support or oppose legislation next session starting in February, it will be critically important to have strong equine communities voice their opinions in real time to their locally elected representatives. The MSOA will rapidly gain power and credibility if we show how quickly and strongly we tell our legislators about the importance of horses in agriculture.
Allison F. Eklund, JD, MA
