Florida Tracking Kentucky Hay

On Wednesday, May 16, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture was assured by the Florida State Veterinarian that there was no ban on the entry of Kentucky-grown hay into the state of Florida. Today, May 18, Allen Johnson, Administrative Branch Manager of the Hay and Grain Branch of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, said nothing has changed in hay imports for Kentucky hay into Florida. "The Florida Ag Stations are tracking where the hay is going" within Florida, said Johnson.

There is concern that some of the early cuttings of hay from Kentucky fields might contain whatever is causing the problems in horses, whether it be mycotoxins or something else. Samples of hay can reveal the presence of mycotoxins, and sampling before feeding the hay to horses -- or feeding different hay -- has been recommended.