SCHUMER ANNOUNCES SENATE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES HIS REQUEST FOR FUNDING FOR CAZENOVIA COLLEGE'S NEW YORK STATE CENTER FOR EQUINE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT - SCHOOL SET TO RECEIVE $200,000

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the Senate Labor, Health, and Human Services and Education (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee has approved a total of $200,000 for Cazenovia College in Madison County.  The funding will be used to establish the New York State Center for Equine Business Development. Schumer worked closely with members of the Appropriations Committee to include funding for the project in this year's spending bill

"New York already has a strong equinerelated industry, but expanding the New York State Center For Equine Business Development could place Central New York on par with America's other industry leaders in equine business, like Kentucky," said Schumer.  "Equinerelated businesses already brings $2.5 billion into New York every year, but this type of Center for excellence could bring millions more to Madison County and the surrounding areas, and provide jobs in places that have been hit hard by the recession.  We already have the basic economic infrastructure in place.  Now, we just need to expand it."

The New York State Center for Equine Business Development at Cazenovia College will be a catalyst for grant development and create a clearinghouse for collaborative statewide programming with a variety of partners and beneficiaries. With the establishment of the Center, there will be new opportunities to explore stateoftheart methods that help the equine industry manage its most costly and unpredictable expenses. The Center will draw attention to the business climate issues that affect operations throughout New York State's equine industry. The new Center will also benefit Cazenovia College as a whole by improving the school's reputation and making it well known in the business community for its cutting edge research in a thriving New York industry.

The new Center, which will be housed at the College's nationally recognized and easily accessible Equine Education Center, will strengthen and sustain this sector of the State's economy by tapping the knowledge of Cazenovia College's equine experts and a network of national and international advisors.  The Center, centrally located in the state along the "Equine Alley" corridor, will be a clearinghouse for equine businessrelated solutions, fostering job growth in existing enterprises and entrepreneurial growth in every region of the state as well.  As a "think tank" for growth of the equine industry in New York State, the Center will identify ways people can improve the functionality of their businesses while also highlighting ways that the State and local governments can improve the environment that promotes sustainable equine industry growth.  Modifications to the College's facilities will allow more public access for the purposes of conducting research, workshops, training, networking, and so forth. 

Cazenovia College is the ideal location for the Center because it is located near the geographic center of New York State.  The College sits on Route 20, an area tagged as "Equine Alley" because of the very high concentration of horse farms and equinerelated businesses that contribute to the regional economy and support a growing percentage of the region's workforce.

Over the last 12 years, New York's equinerelated industry has expanded by 90%.  Despite the industry's popularity nationwide, equine entrepreneurs and horse farm owners in Upstate New York often struggle to keep their businesses operating.  But with over $10 billion invested in equine related assets in New York and $169 million in wages it is clear that the industry is poised for expansion.  There are 35,200 jobs in New York related to the Equine industry.  Equinerelated businesses include jobs in breeding science, training, lesson facilities, tack shops, feed stores, carriage companies, ranches, rescue facilities, racing stables, equipment dealers, veterinarians, and ferries.

Cazenovia College is one of the nation's leading schools for equestrian studies graduating many young professionals with Bachelor's degrees in Management specializing in Equine Business.  The New York State Equine Business Development Center will tackle the challenges facing New York's horse farm owners and entrepreneurs and strengthen this sector of the state's economy.  The Center will be a clearinghouse for equinebusinessrelated solutions and act as a think tank to highlight how government can promote sustainable equine industry growth.  The Center will also be a leader in the region's coordinated approach to the equine industry's needs.  Cazenovia College will work with nearby universities, such as Cornell University and SUNY Morrisville, to meet the needs of equinerelated businesses in the Central New York.

Now that the bill has been approved by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, it will be sent to the full Senate Appropriations Committee. Following approval by the Full Committee and the Senate, the bill will move towards Conference with the House and then to the President for signature.