Representative Jim Viebrock's provision to allow horse slaughter for human consumption was pulled from the agriculture bill yesterday. Had the bill passed, horse slaughter would have been made possible in Missouri again. Viebrock stated he was not surprised the bill was pulled.
In March, HB1747 passed but was tabled in the Senate's Agricultural Food Product and Outdoor Resources Committee. The language was later slipped into SB795. Designed to circumvent the 2006 Congressional ban of federal tax dollars going toward inspection of horse meat slaughtering plants, lawmakers decided to remove the legislation because they were unclear if the USDA and Congress would honor the law. Viebrock wanted to create a state level fund for the slaughterhouses to pay for federal inspectors. USDA approval is required before meat can be labeled for human consumption.
Just recently a new study was done following 18 Thoroughbred race horses from the racetrack to slaughterhouses in Canada. Thoroughbreds were used because of their tattoos and were easy to track. Evidence of carcinogenic medications was traced to every horse; the drugs are prohibited in food producing animals in the US. The new regulations instituted by the EU calling for a record of all drugs used in horses began in January and will become effective in July. The use of some popular horse medications will ban a large population of horses from slaughter for the purpose of human consumption.
Supporters of horse slaughter state the horse market has been ruined since the last three US horse slaughterhouses have closed.They blame the federal government for more horses being abused.
The horse market was NOT ruined by the closing of the last three US slaughterhouses. The reason more horses are being abused is NOT because of the slaughterhouses closing OR because of the federal government. The horse market is in a slump and more horses are being abused because the economy SUCKS. When the economy sucks, no one has any money. So stop running around trying to work on quick fixes and go find the root of the problem.
Opponents of horse slaughter say the economy is more of a factor in the down horse market. They cite the numbers of horses still exported to Canada and Mexico for slaughter as proof, and have shown how supply and demand are the ultimate determinating factors for the number of horses to be slaughtered. Opponents had been using Facebook and Twitter to urge Missouri lawmakers to oppose the Senate bill.
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