09/23/2026
USDA Corrects Press Release that Had Incorrectly Included Horses
Ag Women Connect joined agriculture and equine industry voices in alerting USDA leadership to language that incorrectly blurred the distinction between horses which are livestock and companion animals
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ag Women Connect is thanking U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) leadership for correcting language in a recent USDA announcement that created confusion about the longstanding status of horses as livestock. The original USDA press release grouped horses with companion animals, language that quickly raised concerns throughout the agriculture and equine communities. Ag Women Connect was among the voices alerting USDA leadership to the problem and urging the Department to correct the record.
USDA subsequently revised the release.
The distinction matters. Horses are livestock. They did not suddenly become companion animals because of wording in a federal press release.
USDA's own Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service materials identify horses and other equines as livestock.
USDA's New World Screwworm Response Playbook similarly places equids within “Livestock, Production, and Farm-Raised Animals” and states that all equids, including horses, are considered farm-raised animals.
Words Matter, and So Does the Lexicon
Correcting the release was critical because this issue reaches far beyond semantics. Horses occupy an essential place in American agriculture. They are bred, raised, bought, sold, transported, trained, and used on farms and ranches, in competition, and throughout the working livestock industry.
Language that separates horses from livestock can have consequences for how policymakers, regulators, and the public understand their role.
Terminology also matters because organizations promoting animal-rights and animal-liberation philosophies frequently seek to change the lexicon surrounding animals and human-animal relationships. Terms such as “guardian” instead of “owner” and efforts to frame livestock primarily as companion animals can be used to advance broader arguments about animal ownership, husbandry and accepted agricultural practices.
When terminology changes, it can influence the framework through which future policy is debated.
That is why agriculture cannot afford to dismiss inaccurate federal language as “just words.” Once terminology appears in an official government document, it can be repeated, cited, and used to suggest that federal policy or longstanding classifications have changed when they have not. It can also be used to support arguments that the Department itself may never have intended to make.
Ag Women Connect appreciates USDA leadership for listening to concerns from agriculture and taking action to revise the announcement. This incident also demonstrates why farmers, ranchers, horse owners and agricultural organizations must remain engaged. Protecting agriculture does not begin only when legislation is introduced or regulations are proposed. It also means paying attention to the words government agencies use to describe our animals, our livelihoods and our industries.
Horses are livestock. That distinction matters, and Ag Women Connect will continue working to ensure agriculture's voice is heard when it matters most.
