lcwallis
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2002
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 10
I need to ask a big favor from those of you that breed, sell, train.... horses.
I'll try to make this as short as I can....
As many of you know we were struck by disaster back in 2011. I filled out loads of applications and other paperwork to apply for assistance in building our farm back. The Small Business Administration (SBA) rejected our applications because in their opinion we were agriculture. The SBA told us to go to the USDA... More paperwork and yet another rejection from USDA because our animals are not consumable. I fought the good fight for three months calling different people, writing our state representatives and pleading our case. We just wanted a loan not a free handout!.. I ran out of ambition and quit the fight.
Now I'm starting it again! I found out the USDA in 2012 added "equine operations that breed, raise and sell certain types of horses are now eligible for loan assistance under FSA’s emergency loan program." I am working on finding out what the "certain types of horses" are.
Here is where I need help...
I would like to gather information on how much farms like ours contribute to the economy. I'm not asking for how much revenue. I just need average total expenses per year, everything you pay out for the farm such as vet, feed, hay, show expense, gas, hotels, food, equipment....
What I plan on doing with the information people provide is put it in a spreadsheet where it will be anonymous. Once I total the number of farms and the total expenses, I will compose emails to different agencies to try to get something changed.
If it's only me showing what we add to the economy, it's nothing, but together we could be the mouse that roared
I don't know if I will get anywhere but I'm certainly trying. It's too late for our farm but I would like to be able to provide resources to farms of future disasters.
I was desperate and contacted Farm Aid, knowing they are more for the large food producing farms but I received an encouraging email. They want to use my website Lessons Learned as a link on their advocate page! They thought it was good information to share. They also gave me contact information for one of their attorneys that might be able to help and what is best... for free!!
If you would like to provide your information that would be great, if not, I understand..
Thank you,
Lynda Wallis
[email protected]
www.moondancehorsefarm.com
I'll try to make this as short as I can....
As many of you know we were struck by disaster back in 2011. I filled out loads of applications and other paperwork to apply for assistance in building our farm back. The Small Business Administration (SBA) rejected our applications because in their opinion we were agriculture. The SBA told us to go to the USDA... More paperwork and yet another rejection from USDA because our animals are not consumable. I fought the good fight for three months calling different people, writing our state representatives and pleading our case. We just wanted a loan not a free handout!.. I ran out of ambition and quit the fight.
Now I'm starting it again! I found out the USDA in 2012 added "equine operations that breed, raise and sell certain types of horses are now eligible for loan assistance under FSA’s emergency loan program." I am working on finding out what the "certain types of horses" are.
Here is where I need help...
I would like to gather information on how much farms like ours contribute to the economy. I'm not asking for how much revenue. I just need average total expenses per year, everything you pay out for the farm such as vet, feed, hay, show expense, gas, hotels, food, equipment....
What I plan on doing with the information people provide is put it in a spreadsheet where it will be anonymous. Once I total the number of farms and the total expenses, I will compose emails to different agencies to try to get something changed.
If it's only me showing what we add to the economy, it's nothing, but together we could be the mouse that roared

I don't know if I will get anywhere but I'm certainly trying. It's too late for our farm but I would like to be able to provide resources to farms of future disasters.
I was desperate and contacted Farm Aid, knowing they are more for the large food producing farms but I received an encouraging email. They want to use my website Lessons Learned as a link on their advocate page! They thought it was good information to share. They also gave me contact information for one of their attorneys that might be able to help and what is best... for free!!
If you would like to provide your information that would be great, if not, I understand..
Thank you,
Lynda Wallis
[email protected]
www.moondancehorsefarm.com