To the editor:

Judy Heinrich’s letter to the Bulletin (published Dec. 6) raises a concern that our burgeoning equine industry could be simplistically lumped together as a subset of farming.  Arguably, our equine industry is the largest single industry in Polk County, and it affects just about every other business in the county, ranging from hardware stores and farm supply retailers to transportation equipment and even apparel retailers.

To consider our equine industry as a subset of farming or agriculture would be very shortsighted.

Sure, our “horse farms” occasionally sell horses, but their products are far more diverse, including riding lessons, boarding, use of specialized facilities and training horses (and people) for a wide variety of shows and events.

The equine industry does not produce agricultural commodities, at least not in the sense of the truck and livestock farms in this area.

And, the equine industry has very little or no resemblance to the typical agricultural farms.

Worse, combining the two raises the question of the Ag Economic Development Director having to oversee equine, and divert attention from the main agricultural economic goal, developing markets for Polk County farm products.

Our county is known widely for its horse activities, or even as the horse capital of North Carolina.

When I am asked where I live, and tell them Polk County, people are quick to recognize our county for its horse activities such as trails, shows,  steeplechase races and training.

I therefore believe that our equine industry should be recognized and treated as a major stand- alone economic development category.

– David Maxwell,

Columbus