Feds approve horse slaughterhouse in NM, say permits coming for Iowa, Missouri companies

[IDemo]

Source: Washington Post

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Federal officials cleared the way Friday for a return to domestic horse slaughter, granting a southeastern New Mexico company’s application to convert its cattle facility into a horse processing plant.

In approving Valley Meat Co. plans to produce horse meat, USDA officials also indicated they would grant similar permits to companies in Iowa and Missouri as early as next week.

With the action, the Roswell, N.M., company becomes the first operation in the nation licensed to process horses into meat since Congress effectively banned the practice seven years ago.

But the company’s attorney said on Friday that he remained skeptical about Valley Meat Co.’s chances of opening any time soon, as the USDA must send an inspector to oversee operations and two animal rights groups have threated lawsuits to block the opening.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/feds-approve-horse-slaughterhouse-in-nm-say-permits-coming-for-iowa-missouri-companies/2013/06/28/054350f0-e016-11e2-8cf3-35c1113cfcc5_story.html

[naaman fletcher]

1. I had a nice horse steak

In Switzerland two years ago.

[sulphurdunn]

2. I had a nice Swiss steak

in New Mexico a while back. It tasted like chicken. I am told the Swiss was slaughtered humanely.

[Ed Suspicious]

3. I hate to anthropomorphise but horse is a lot like dog or monkey in intelligence and awareness.

I'm not a huge fan of slaughtering higher level animals for consumption. We want dolphin safe tuna, I want horse safe hamburger.

[southernyankeebelle]

4. I ate horsemeat in Italy. My cousin made some type of dish with it. After we ate it

he then told me it was horse meat. It was delicious.

[Major Nikon]

5. ...

[kirby]

6. Missing the point...

I don't think those opposed to the slaughter of horses for food will be swayed by the 'but it is delicious' argument. They have some larger principles.

[southernyankeebelle]

7. Oh well. I'm just saying I have tasted it.

[Major Nikon]

14. I'm not exactly sure what those are

How does a horse trump a cow on the sliding scale of which animals get which rights?

And even if this case could somehow be made, what is the alternative to horses starving due to neglect?

[Dantheman65]

8. Horses starve to death

Horses are definitely no smarter than cattle. Have owned plenty. Swine are as smart as dogs.

The ban on horse slaughter has has caused the neglect AND STARVATION of thousands of horses. When it was permitted abandoned but healthy horses brought $300-$500 if you could get them to an auction. When it is forbidden it takes that much to pay a vet to euthanize it and have the rendering truck pick up the carcass.

Now when the race horse investor goes broke and abandons a barn full of horses or grandma goes to the nursing home there is no money to get rid of the horses. They are left to starve. After 7 years of misguided policies the local auctions have gone away and the commercial haulers are no longer available. The few horse rescue places are swamped with neglected horses, many that will never have a home. People who really know and live with horses will applaud this move.

[alp227]

9. So no more beating dead horses?

[Sunlei]

10. great first post full of every horse eater lie. Is that you slaughterhouse sue?

[Dantheman65]

12. undeserved reply to idiotic sunlei response.

The name is Dan. I believe all my facts are correct and based on actual lifetime experience. I have paid to have my own horses euthanized when necessary and would never send one to auction. I have seen perfectly healthy registered quarter horses being bought by the slaughter haulers because no one wanted them. What are we to do with the abandoned horses? Will you pay for their lifetime upkeep or humane disposal? Do you donate money every year to your local horse rescue? I have seen horses that were brought in nothing more than skin and bones. They don't all make it. There will always be some neglect but the ban has greatly increased the amount of suffering. Any fool who spends time in the horse world knows this. I'm feeding 6 horses now that are retired like me. All born right here on the farm. Some will probably outlive me. Have a nice day.

[Sunlei]

13. You're like 99 percent of horse owners, you would never.ever send your horse to slaughter.

And you humanely euth. your old horses on property they are comfortable with. Every horse deserves this same end of life respect. If a horse owner can't afford to take care of end of life decisions for their animals, they probably can't afford an animal in the first place.

you mentioned QH and the hoards of abandoned horses

Most of the horses bought by the 'meatman' are young and in good condition. A lot of the QH do come from breeders who think they have some right to breed 100 mares to find enough futurity producers, or a faster quarter miler or a better reining horse. Their QH registry has old issues that reward quantity breeders instead of quality.


It is a crime in the USA to abandon or dump an animal. It's also a crime to starve your animal to death. We have a problem in America with animal hoarders, way to many animals to care for properly. Same with horses way to many to care for, they can't afford feed or time..to lazy to even keep water filled. Or way to many that their land will support.


It's terrible to re-build a slaughter house for hoarders or help the over-producers get rid of their excess foals, (keep on breeding, when there is NO market for 100s of excess) or help the racing industry keep their huge tax write offs.

Plus in case you didn't know, your horses can be stolen one day and dumped for a fast 100 at a distant auction anytime. Because the auctions don't check any ownership records or require real Vet records. Unlike cattle traceability, 50K horses a year are stolen in the usa and never seen again.

so yes, I do have a lot of experience, 'many years of experiences' and tons of expenses in this area. Experience that didn't come from just hanging around the meatmans 'cheap horses' auction pens.

[appal_jack]

17. Welcome to DU, Dan!

Welcome to DU, Dan! Thanks for your reasoned response regarding this issue. Though some would hide their heads in the sand about neglected horses, I have seen circumstances similar to what you describe. I believe that a licensed slaughterhouse is preferable to slow starvation for horses, even given their intelligence and value as companion animals for some.

-app

[Scout]

18. "People who really know and live with horses will applaud this move."

no, many, many of them DON'T applaud it.

slaughter is not the answer, it is NOT humane.

we have laws against abuse and neglect now, that can be enforced against those who abuse, torture, abandon and neglect their animals.

when one buys a horse, one KNOWS it will die someday, and if one is an intelligent, reasonable person one will plan for what one will do when that day arrives.

BTW, do you have any studies, NOT paid for by slaughterhouse owners, that support your allegations?

[Sunlei]

11. NM "cattle facility' was closed down. a filthy shithole w/ huge piles of dead animals. FOIA w/pics

Take a look at these pictures and the correspondence. as they try to turn a shithole cattle slaughterhouse into a New Mexico blight of a horse slaughterhouse.

http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/uploads/Valley_Meat_FOIA.pdf


Not going to be as easy as 'good old days' slipping stolen, poached and full of banned medication horses over the borders to the shit-hole slaughter houses in Mexico.

You won't be able to mix that crap into the foreign countries cheap beef anymore either..because DNA tests are easy to do at the consumer level.

don't even mention the dog food..can not use for dog food as ivermection kills many breeds of dogs. zoos can't use it because of the introduction of hoofed animal diseases and the contaminations that are harmful to cats and canids.

[Waiting For Everyman]

15. This is sick.

This stuff will definitely be sneaked into our food supply. Nice drugged up horses, yum! If I wasn't already a vegeterian, I'd become one now.

[penultimate]

16. I know you're a vegetarian, but for meat eaters, what's the difference between

eating a horse and eating a cow? I mean other than it probably having a different taste and texture, but why is one so much grosser than the other?

[Scout]

19. for one thing, horses are not raised for human consumption....

their meat contains drugs not safe for humans. not "just" antibiotics, but things like bute, dewormers.

also, as it exists, horse slaughter is far less "humane" than cattle slaughter.