Rep. Nancy Mace Amendment Creates Veteran Opportunities Managing Wild Horse Populations On U.S. Forest Service Lands

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Apr. 24, 2026) - Congresswoman Nancy Mace (R-SC) filed an amendment to the Farm Bill including key provisions of her Veterans for Mustangs Act, directing the Secretary of Agriculture to implement humane, reversible, non-surgical fertility controls to manage wild horse and burro populations on Forest Service lands, and prioritizing military veterans to carry out the work.

"For too long, Washington's answer to wild horses has been a helicopter and a holding pen, on the taxpayer's dime," said Congresswoman Mace. "This amendment brings common sense and accountability back. It protects our mustangs, stops the waste, and puts veterans to work with real purpose out on the range. This is a win for taxpayers, a win for animals, and a win for those who've served."

Cameron Ring, Founder of Veterans for Mustangs, provided the following statement in support of the amendment:

"We are proud to partner with Representative Mace to work to secure opportunities for purpose-driven healing for veterans in the 2026 Farm Bill. Recruiting veterans to humanely manage wild horse populations on our public lands will provide veterans with meaningful work opportunities as well as the chance to harness the healing ability of our wild lands and wild horses. As a veteran, I urge leaders in the House and Senate to support this important initiative," said Ring.

Helicopter roundups injure animals, cause unnecessary stress, and sometimes kill them. Rep. Mace's amendment is a common sense solution: science-based, on-range fertility control using proven immunocontraceptive vaccines, administered by trained and compensated veterans.

Rep. Mace's amendment amends the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act to:

• Require the Secretary of Agriculture to implement humane, reversible, non-surgical, medically safe on-range immunocontraceptive vaccine fertility controls to manage wild horse and burro populations on Forest Service lands
• Prioritize the recruitment of military veterans to train and become certified in the application of fertility controls, including the certified PZP applicator certification offered by the Science and Conservation Center's Certification Program
• Require the Secretary of Agriculture to provide appropriate compensation to veterans participating in the certification program
• Authorize the Forest Service to contract directly with certified veteran applicators to carry out management activities under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act

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