MANDATE AND STUCTURE

To the more than 40 breed organizations operating in Canada, Equine Canada’s Breeds & Industry Division provides a structure for its affiliate members and industry partners and a national forum from which to seek and exchange information between Equine Canada, Canadian stakeholders, the Government of Canada including Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as well as foreign entities. With more than 60,000 Canadian breed organization members’ interests at stake, the Breeds & Industry Division works to promote and assist a vibrant equine industry in Canada and to affect policy in the areas of equine health, export/import, taxation and industry developments. Breed organizations and industry partners share resources and expertise with unity of purpose to increase the long-term profitability of Canada’s equine sector.

MANDATE

The Breeds & Industry Division, through the Breeds & Industry Council, will have the responsibility to manage and coordinate all programs, services and activities relating to the business and breeding of horses, within the policy framework established by the Board of Directors.

STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION

The Breeds & Industry Division will include, but not be limited to, representatives from the following industry sectors:

• Breed associations and Breed registries
• Breed specific competition groups (including racing sector associations)
• Breeder marketing groups
• NAERIC / PMU groups
• Veterinarian associations
• Farrier and service associations
• Agricultural societies, humane societies, research groups
• Corporate partners

Government agencies may be invited to take part in meetings of the Division, but will not carry a vote.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

The Council of the Breeds & Industry Division will have the following responsibilities:

• To take a proactive role within the industry in the development of national standards for breed registries, identification and breeder incentive programs.
• Liaison with federal government departments on horse industry issues;
• Liaison with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada;
• Promoting, marketing and the development of export markets for Canadian-bred horses;
• To take a leadership role in the development of herd improvement programs for the Canadian herd
• Developing a national identification system for horses;
• Recommending standards for animal welfare; and
• Conducting herd health and horse improvement research;
• Promoting skills development, standards and certification for horse industry employees;
• To prepare an annual budget for submission to the EC Board of Directors which will, at a minimum, cover the Division's budgeted share of governance cost, and will provide for the financial sustainability of the Division
• Establishing committees to assist the Division in carrying out its work.
• Elect from among its members, two Directors to serve on the EC Board of Directors (One of the elected Directors to the Board of Directors must be a representative from a "breed/breeder" organization)
• Elect a representative to the Provincial Council
• Elect a representative to the EC Nominations Committee
• Elect a member to the EC Finance Committee
• Elect a member to the Ethics and Risk Management Committee
• Elect a member to the Equine Welfare Committee