http://www.wral.com/business/story/10439193/

Quote :

"Horses could soon be slaughtered for meat in US By JUSTIN JUOZAPAVICIUS, Associated Press TULSA, Okla. — Horses could soon be butchered in the U.S. for human consumption after Congress quietly lifted a 5-year-old ban on funding horse meat inspections, and activists say slaughterhouses could be up and running in as little as a month. Slaughter opponents pushed a measure cutting off funding for horse meat inspections through Congress in 2006 after other efforts to pass outright bans on horse slaughter failed in previous years. Congress lifted the ban in a spending bill President Barack Obama signed into law Nov. 18 to keep the government afloat until mid-December. It did not, however, allocate any new money to pay for horse meat inspections, which opponents claim could cost taxpayers $3 million to $5 million a year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture would have to find the money in its existing budget, which is expected to see more cuts this year as Congress and the White House aim to trim federal spending. The USDA issued a statement Tuesday saying there are no slaughterhouses in the U.S. that butcher horses for human consumption now, but if one were to open, it would conduct inspections to make sure federal laws were being followed. USDA spokesman Neil Gaffney declined to answer questions beyond what was in the statement. The last U.S. slaughterhouse that butchered horses closed in 2007 in Illinois, and animal welfare activists warned of massive public outcry in any town where a slaughterhouse may open. "If plants open up in Oklahoma or Nebraska, you'll see controversy, litigation, legislative action and basically a very inhospitable environment to operate," predicted Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive of The Humane Society of the United States. "Local opposition will emerge and you'll have tremendous controversy over slaughtering Trigger and Mr. Ed." But pro-slaughter activists say the ban had unintended consequences, including an increase in neglect and the abandonment of horses, and that they are scrambling to get a plant going — possibly in Wyoming, North Dakota, Nebraska or Missouri. They estimate a slaughterhouse could open in 30 to 90 days with state approval and eventually as many as 200,000 horses a year could be slaughtered for human consumption. Most of the meat would be shipped to countries in Europe and Asia, including France and Japan. Dave Duquette, president of the nonprofit, pro-slaughter group United Horsemen, said no state or site has been picked yet but he's lined up plenty of investors who have expressed interest in financing a processing plant. While the last three slaughterhouses in the U.S. were owned by foreign companies, he said a new plant would be American-owned. "I have personally probably five to 10 investors that I could call right now if I had a plant ready to go," said Duquette, who lives in Hermiston, Ore. He added, "If one plant came open in two weeks, I'd have enough money to fund it. I've got people who will put up $100,000." Sue Wallis, a Wyoming state lawmaker who's the group's vice president, said ranchers used to be able to sell horses that were too old or unfit for work to slaughterhouses but now they have to ship them to butchers in Canada and Mexico, where they fetch less than half the price. The federal ban devastated "an entire sector of animal agriculture for purely sentimental and romantic notions," she said. Although there are reports of Americans dining on horse meat a recently as the 1940s, the practice is virtually non-existent in this country, where the animals are treated as beloved pets and iconic symbols of the West. Lawmakers in California and Illinois have banned the slaughter of horses for human consumption, and more than a dozen states tightly regulate the sale of horse meat. Federal lawmakers' lifting of the ban on funding for horse meat inspections came about in part because of the recession, which struck just as slaughtering stopped. A federal report issued in June found that local animal welfare organizations reported a spike in investigations for horse neglect and abandonment since 2007. In Colorado, for example, data showed that investigations for horse neglect and abuse increased more than 60 percent — from 975 in 2005 to almost 1,600 in 2009. The report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office also determined that about 138,000 horses were transported to Canada and Mexico for slaughter in 2010, nearly the same number that were killed in the U.S. before the ban took effect in 2007. The U.S. has an estimated 9 million horses. Cheri White Owl, founder of the nonprofit Horse Feathers Equine Rescue in Guthrie, Okla., said she's seen more horse neglect during the recession. Her group is caring for 33 horses now and can't accept more. "A lot of the situation is due to the economy," she said, "People deciding to pay their mortgage or keep their horse." But White Owl worries that if slaughterhouses open, owners will dump their unwanted animals there instead of looking for alternatives, such as animal sanctuaries. Animal rights groups also argue that slaughtering is a messy, cruel process, and some say it would be kinder for owners to have their horses put to sleep by a veterinarian. "Euthanasia has always been an option," Pacelle said. But "if you acquire a horse, you should be a responsible owner and provide lifetime care." The fight over horse slaughtering has pitted lawmakers of the same party against each other. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., said the poor economy has resulted in "sad cases" of horse abandonment and neglect and lifting the ban will give Americans a shot at regaining lost jobs and making sure sick horses aren't abandoned or mistreated. But U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., is lobbying colleagues to permanently ban horse slaughter because he believes the process is inhumane. "I am committed to doing everything in my power to prevent the resumption of horse slaughter and will force Congress to debate this important policy in an open, democratic manner at every opportunity," he said in a statement. RELATED TOPICS: White House, Government Accountability Office, Max Baucus, Recession, Assisted Suicide Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed."

11/30/2011 11:43:58 AM

ITS GOOD MOOD FOOD

11/30/2011 11:45:47 AM

i am quite indifferent to this issue

11/30/2011 11:46:20 AM

SOYLENT GREEN IS HORSES

11/30/2011 11:49:31 AM

Heh heh heh, lie still

11/30/2011 11:52:29 AM

Good luck getting a horse to eat dog food.

11/30/2011 11:53:52 AM

11/30/2011 11:56:50 AM

11/30/2011 11:59:57 AM

A horse walks into a slaughterhouse.

The butcher sees him and exclaims "Hey! Why the long face?"

11/30/2011 12:00:01 PM

the end of an error

11/30/2011 12:04:04 PM

Ernie won

11/30/2011 12:27:33 PM

good. this stupid ban should have never happened in the first place.

11/30/2011 12:30:17 PM

11/30/2011 1:21:39 PM

tl;dr

but from the first statement, I gather some PETA types got their wishes rescinded. gg gov't!

11/30/2011 2:36:50 PM

This law wont really effect horse being consumed in the US. Its more for the slaughter and export of horses across the globe, namely Europe.

Shutting down the horse slaughter horses was a terrible idea that the govt is now realizing.

11/30/2011 2:39:14 PM

http://theoatmeal.com/story/eat_horses

11/30/2011 2:39:27 PM

Quote :

"Lawmakers in California and Illinois have banned the slaughter of horses for human consumption"

Yay CA

11/30/2011 2:40:46 PM

^you would cheer at that. typical stupid cali person

11/30/2011 2:46:48 PM

Oh man I hope this passes. Raw horse meat is tres tasty. I'm bummed you can't get it in the US legally.

11/30/2011 2:49:30 PM

11/30/2011 2:52:20 PM

i'd eat some horse steaks, at least just to try it.

11/30/2011 2:57:35 PM

Quote :

"It's a large, muscular animal ripe for being turned into an enchanting HorseLoaf sandwich or McHorse with cheese. "

lol

11/30/2011 3:28:10 PM

For those turned off by it, don't knock it til you try it. It really isn't that much different from eating some other large, four-legged animal

11/30/2011 3:29:37 PM

yeah i'd rather eat horse then veal.

the problem is most horses aren't raised for meat, but sold and turned into meat. Which means it is difficult to track whether or not the medicine given to the horse during its life leaves the meat suitable for human consumption.

11/30/2011 3:33:07 PM

HORSE.........it's what for dinner!

11/30/2011 3:38:11 PM

11/30/2011 3:38:54 PM

Concession Man: Get your piping hot horse burgers, horse fries, horse cakes and shakes. We got tongue, straight from the horse's mouth.
Leela: Hmmmmm.
Hermes Conrad: It all sounds good.
Concession Man: All our horses are 100% horse-fed for that double-horse "juiced-in" goodness.
Leela: I'll have the cholesterol-free omelet with horse-beaters.
Concession Man: And you, sir? How can I horse you?
Hermes Conrad: I'll have a horse Coke.
Concession Man: Horse Pepsi okay?
Hermes Conrad: Neeeiiiggghh.

11/30/2011 3:49:00 PM

youve all been eating it at chinese places for years-

11/30/2011 3:55:47 PM

i'd eat horse meat and not think twice

i eat cows and i can't even ride them!

11/30/2011 4:09:54 PM

Quote :

"yeah i'd rather eat horse then veal. "

wat

11/30/2011 4:13:14 PM

veal tastes like shit to me... like shitty pork


i eat deer too and i'd love to have a pet deer...

i dis-associate cuddles from dinner time.

11/30/2011 4:14:49 PM

^^From a moral point of view I'd rather eat horse than veal.

From a taste point, VEAL ALL THE WAY BABY!

i have no qualms with eating a horse, i would probably enjoy it.

11/30/2011 4:16:23 PM

"You killed Buttercup!!"

[Edited on November 30, 2011 at 4:25 PM. Reason : k]

11/30/2011 4:25:33 PM

You can ride your dinner before eating it! How fucking sustainable is that!

Up yours, hippies!

11/30/2011 4:27:22 PM

currently they truck a lot of horses to quebec to be slaughtered. more humane to avoid the long trip if possible.


I like ground horse better than ground beef at this point. ground beef is just nasty.

11/30/2011 4:33:38 PM

11/30/2011 4:42:08 PM

HAHAHA

11/30/2011 4:42:59 PM

horse tastes great when prepared correctly. I'll be glad to eat more horses if I get the chance in the US

11/30/2011 4:50:33 PM

^^^ haha wtf

11/30/2011 7:58:59 PM

I've been playing too much Skyrim

11/30/2011 7:59:52 PM

I want horse meat. I thought it was available if the horse died or something (not slaughtered.)

I would totally grill that junk.

11/30/2011 11:25:13 PM

I love the meat of the horse beasts.

11/30/2011 11:32:47 PM

OH GOD!! Quick someone warn DJ Lauren she could be in eminent danger!!!

11/30/2011 11:33:27 PM

HAVE IT YOUR NEIGH, HAVE IT YOUR NEIGH AT BURGER KING!

12/1/2011 12:32:44 AM

nom nom nom

12/1/2011 10:32:46 AM

yeah, i don't eat raw meat.

12/1/2011 10:50:35 AM

12/1/2011 11:08:26 AM