The USDA Hates Horses

Every day stories surface of bureaucratic overreach. The EPA is a regular target and deservedly so, but rarely does the media cover the USDA. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was formed to protect and promote agriculture. Seems clear right? That's why it's called the Department of Agriculture, after all.  In fact the USDA’s mission statement is “We provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on sound public policy, the best available science, and efficient management.” So why then, is the USDA on a crusade to destroy farmers, horse breeders, dog breeders, hamster breeders, circuses, zoos, animal exhibitors, and magicians? Why then is the USDA hell bent on destroying anyone who owns an animal? 

While this anti-animal attitude at USDA isn't new, it has accelerated in recent years under the current secretary, Tom Vilsack, who takes his marching orders from the extremists. Other anti-animal extremists have infiltrated the USDA such as Sarah Conant, the Branch Chief of Enforcement at APHIS, a division of USDA. But that isn't all. Down to low level inspectors, the anti-animal attitude is pervasive.  Take for example the Tennessee Walking Horse. The USDA has singled out and targeted the entire Tennessee Walking Horse industry for destruction.  Government inspectors regularly harass children at shows until they are in tears. Inspectors, many of whom know nothing about horses are fabricating allegations of horse abuse to destroy the horse’s owners.  Why?  Because they hate the horses and their owners and are using federal government power to crush and destroy them. 

At the 2012, Tennessee Walking Horse national show called the Celebration, notorious USDA horse hater Earnest Johnson disqualified numerous horses that had just passed inspections by other inspectors.  When a horse is "disqualified" by a USDA inspector, that horse is declared to have been "abused" by its owner or trainer.   Animal abuse in other words.  A vicious dirty charge on level with accusing someone of being a pervert.   Only evil people abuse horses, right?  

"[A] local horse passed USDA inspection twice on Thursday and was found to be free of scars.  On Friday, the same horse was disqualified under the scar rule, even though it is medically impossible to develop a scar on both feet within 24 hours."  Dr. Stephen Mullins, president of SHOW. 

How did this horse fail inspection and as such be declared to have been abused?   The following email was sent by Dr. Rachel Cezar to Earnest Johnson in 2010.

"I hear several of us say when we are around each other that we hate horses, we know nothing about horses, or we are doing this for the money.  No one may say this to someone in the industry but even if we say it around our peers, it still may get back to the industry."
USDA Horse Protection Coordinator Dr. Rachel Cezar.  

Please explain to me why this woman still has her job!  The American taxpayer is paying this woman's salary.  They should demand that she and all the other USDA horse haters be fired immediately.  

In just two years, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitor's Association has lost 2,300 breeders and exhibitors due to the USDA.   For those that are left, they are taking action to protect themselves from the bureaucrats at the USDA including undercover filming of abusive and threatening inspectors.   In May of 2014, a video surfaced showing a USDA inspector attempting to pretend he had discovered a 'scar' in order to eject a horse from a horse show and charge its owner with abuse.  Amazingly enough, when caught in the act, the USDA was bold enough to tell the media that "sweat, dust and dirt" can cause a violation of the so-called scar rule for horses.  That violation will be reported to the public as cruel horse abuse. The public will believe that these owners are actually beating and cruelly abusing their horses, instead of the real truth.  The horse was simply sweaty.  Since when has sweat become abusive treatment of a horse?  

The infiltration of animal rights extremists, the resulting federal overreach of the USDA and their victims in the Tennessee Walking Horse industry are just one part of my upcoming book, Animal Rights = No Animals Left, due to be released later this year.