The American Horse Council 2006 National Issues Forum will feature an all-day meeting of the Equine Species Working Group as well as a discussion on equine genomics, funding for which could be included in the next farm bill authored by Congress.

The National Issues Forum will be held April 2-5 in Washington, D.C. Various AHC committees and the State Horse Council Advisory Committee will meet April 3, with a general session set for April 4. Congressional visits are scheduled for April 5.

The Equine Species Working Group, which is providing input to the National Animal Identification System, will meet April 2. The group is charged with crafting the horse industry’s position on microchips, use of which eventually will be mandatory for horses.

Part of the general session will be devoted to genomics, which is the study of complex molecular chains that constitute an organism’s unique genetic heritage. Gene mapping, or DNA mapping, has broad ramifications for horses in regard to breeding, care, and health research