Copyright WHR 2007

By Christy Howard Parsons

Editor’s Note: The REPORT had held this story at the request of the Walking Horse Trainers Association and Niels Holch, however, it has been released publicly in different forums and we have now released the story at the REPORT.

AgWorks Solutions, a consulting firm who specializes in agricultural issues, has been retained by the Walking Horse Trainers Association and its president Wink Groover. An individual trainer Joey Manos initially contacted Bill Hawks and Valerie Ragan, founders of AgWorks Solutions, to ask to retain their services in the current USDA issues within the Walking Horse industry.

Bill Hawks, CEO of AgWorks Solutions, served President George W. Bush as the USDA Under Secretary of Marketing and Regulatory Programs, after serving as a Mississippi state senator and three decades of experience as a farmer and businessman. As USDA Under Secretary, Hawks was responsible for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which is charged with enforcing the Horse Protection Act.

Dr. Valerie Ragan, DVM, also served 17 years with the USDA, initially as a Veterinary Medical Officer (VMO) before she initiated AgWorks Solutions which she now serves as President.

The AgWorks firm works under the principle that “working together works.” Their philosophy, especially in difficult or controversial areas, it to work closely with and listen to everyone involved in an issue. They have an excellent reputation for negotiating successful resolutions to regulatory problems in many different agricultural areas both nationally and internationally.