Education and Advocacy
Minnesota Stable Owners Association(MNSOA) will provide grassroots information and policy concerns to the Minnesota Horse Council for representation of equine business interests at the Capitol and in other government relations.
MNSOA will also allow Regular Members to form local chapters of the association for more effective advocacy with counties and other local government on issues specific to each community, and to provide reports to the association on issues of local concern.
Promotion of Equine Businesses-Get Involved!
Minnesota Stable Owners Association will strive to improve communication and familiarity among equine and other agricultural businesses statewide as well as in local communities, and to improve business conditions by facilitating greater awareness of business opportunities amid rapidly changing market and government regulatory conditions. Examples of what MSOA and its members can do:
- Partner with publications (such as Stillwater Living) to advertise events such
as a “Parade of Barns” to showcase equine facilities and programs in a given
community. - Grow the horse industry by generating more customers who may be new to
the horse world—ie, parents of horse‐crazy children—by organizing local
events of public interest. - Increase business loyalty and purchasing power by strengthening
relationships between equine and other integral businesses (veterinary
services, truck and trailer sales, professional services, etc.) - Communicate interests and specific concerns of stable owners to government
agencies over areas of dispute or misunderstanding (ie, MNDOT’s
enforcement of Federal vs. State requirements for farm transportation
permits and exemptions, or “grazeable acres” definition dispute in Grant.)
Equine business interests score with passage of legislation protecting agricultural classification for horse boarding property
When the dust finally settled after the legislative session ended, equine property and business owners scored a legislative victory with passage of the Minnesota Horse Council's bill protecting agricultural classification for horse boarding property.
Our bill was added to the omnibus tax bill, HF 3729, and was signed into law on May 27, 2010. Minn. Stat. 273.13 Subd. 23(i) containing the list of agricultural products qualifying property of 10 acres or more for agricultural classification is amended to read:
(3) the commercial boarding of horses, which may include related horse training and riding instruction, if the boarding is done on property that is also used for raising pasture to graze horses or raising or cultivating other agricultural products as defined in clause
These changes are effective for the assessment year 2010 for taxes payable in 2011.
Many thanks are in order to recognize the teamwork required to change a law. The Minnesota Horse Council sponsored this effort with insight from Dan Ramberg, owner of Woodloch Stables in Hugo and author of the original legislation granting agricultural classification to horse boarding stables 15 years ago. Sen. Ray Vandeveer and Rep. Bob Dettmer carried our bills in the Senate and House. The Minnesota Stable Owners Association, which formed early this year in part because of the property tax classification problem, rallied members to call their legislators and speak up on behalf of equine business interests. And the Department of Revenue, which had been criticized for failing to ensure statewide uniformity, coordinated a thorough statewide study that facilitated a constructive and ultimately successful dialogue about the proper place of equestrian property within the framework of Minnesota's agricultural property tax policy. Thanks to everyone for helping make this happen.
Stay tuned for more information about the impact of this new legislation on Green Acres eligibility for equestrian property as well as newly passed legislation amending the State agricultural code to include a definition of horses as livestock. And don't forget to thank the Minnesota Horse Council for recognizing and addressing the need for legislative change. We have demonstrated that equine business conditions can be improved and real change can happen when we work together toward a common goal and dedicate the time and attention required to follow through.
How to Join
Send a membership application and appropriate membership fee to:
Minnesota Stable Owners Association
P.O. Box 24
Stillwater, MN 55082
Minnesota Stable Owners Association encourages concurrent membership with the Minnesota Horse Council.
MNSOA relies on MHC’s lobbying efforts on behalf of the equine industry, and MHC
relies on information provided by MSOA about local equine business concerns.
Please send your membership fee and application to:
Minnesota Horse Council
P.O. Box 223
Plato, MN 55370
Visit www.mnhorsecouncil.org for more information.