Lobbyists formed “American Mustang Foundation” 9 months ago – was this group invited to Utah’s secret horse “Slaughter Summit?”

Utah State University Wildland Resources Professor Terry Messmer

by Debbie Coffey, V.P. & Dir. of Wild Horse Affairs, Wild Horse Freedom Federation

The National Horse and Burro Rangeland Management Coalition, chaired by The Wildlife Society (TWS), concluded their secretive, closed-to-the-public “Slaughter Summit” co-hosted by the Utah State University and the state of Utah. The organizer of this Summit, Utah State University Wildland Resources Professor Terry Messmer, is heavily associated with The Wildlife Society, an organization that is pushing for the slaughter of wild horses and burros.

In a news article in The Salt Lake Tribune titled “Utah State University hosts wild horse summit, but excludes key advocates and the public,” it states:

“While closed meetings are sometimes considered anathema to scientific debate, Messmer defended the secrecy as a necessary precaution in the face of threats against some of the participants, including filmmaker Ben Masters. Other speakers regarded as anti-horse partisans are Beaver County Commissioner Tammy Pearson and attorney Frank Falen, whose Cheyenne, Wyo., law firm has repeatedly sued the BLM over horse management and other issues on behalf of ranchers.

‘We’ve got over 50 organizations represented, including three leading horse advocate groups that are part of the registration,’ Messmer said. He named the American Mustang Association, the American Mustang Foundation and the Wild Mustang Foundation.”