Penn to study equine economic impact

University Park, Pa.-By spring of 2003, Penn State University's College of Agricultural Sciences plans to have a firm grasp of the economics of the equine industry.

The school is initiating an economic impact study of the equine industrythis fall and officials say they are relying on a high return rate fromthe entire horse community for accurate results.

"We will be asking every equine association with membership in thestate and individual horse owners to provide their addresses so they arerepresented in the study," says Ann Swinker, extension horse specialistand director of the survey. "It is key that the list we develop berepresentative of the entire industry."

Pennsylvania is not the first to pursue such a campaign - West Virginiaembarked on its own equine economic survey earlier this year (See September2002 issue, 1E).

For more information, contact Swinker via e-mail at aswinker@psu.eduor call (814) 865-7810.