USDA Rolls Back 2024 Regulatory Changes as It’s Staff is Reduced by over 5000

The USDA issued a longer pause on the regulatory changes scheduled to take effect February 2, 2024. For the 2025 Show Season there will be NO REGULATORY changes, and no reporting requirements of horse shows or additional inspections. Dr. Aaron Rhyner who attributed riding a horse to the cause of soring has also been reassigned to another position within USDA.

Equine Sports Council has been a stakeholder on the American Horse Council Competitions Committee with many other sanctioning and governing bodies participating. A joint letter was recently sent to the USDA Secretary requesting changes to the 2024 USDA Regulatory process. That formal letter is below.

Over the past month the Trump Administration in its efforts to reduce the government’s size has issued a reduction in force to many of the regulatory bodies. USDA was directed by DOGE to reduce its staff by over 5000 employees.