2006 Beef Business Bulletin Stories Archive
Horse Processing Bill Passes House
The battle to stop a proposed ban on horse processing in the United States moves to the U.S. Senate following the Sept. 7 passage of the bill in the House of Representatives. This bill was opposed by over 190 national and state organizations, including NCBA, the American Quarter Horse Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
The legislation could set a dangerous precedent for banning other meats for reasons other than science, safety or public health. In addition, removing processing as a management option actually poses a greater risk to horse welfare.
As the Senate already has received this bill, cattlemen are urged to contact their senators immediately and voice their opposition to this legislation. Visit http://capwiz.com/beefusa for information on how to take action on this issue.
“If this legislation passes, as many as 90,000 horses per year will need care, food and shelter,” said Texas cattleman and NCBA member Paxton Ramsey, who recently testified before Congress on the issue. “H.R. 503 fails to address the problems of costs for care, the unintended mistreatment of these animals in non-regulated rescue facilities, and the environmental concerns of disposing of carcasses.”
USDA Secretary Mike Johanns told House Ag Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.): “USDA is opposed to H.R. 503 and all the amendments. We believe that there is a significant probability that the enactment of this bill could result in a reduction in the humane treatment of horses.”
Urge the Senate:
• Please vote to preserve the rights of America’s ranchers and horse owners and protect the well-being of America’s horses, and VOTE NO on H.R. 503.
• H.R. 503 fails to provide for the care, food and shelter of thousands of unwanted and abandoned horses.
• This is an extremely emotional issue because horses are looked at as pets more than livestock. However, the American horse industry is a livestock industry, and horse processing is a well-regulated and extremely useful management option to keep horses from suffering, starving, and being mistreated by owners who can’t care for them.
• Horse processing is regulated by the USDA and mandated by the Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 and under the regulation of the Humane Slaughter Act. It is a necessary management option for America’s horse owners. H.R. 503 is an undue limitation of the property rights of horse owners to manage their animals under well-established federal regulation and is an infringement on their basic rights as livestock owners and managers.
• Supporting this bill is a vote against animal agriculture and a vote for legislating the animal agriculture industry based on emotion, not sound science or public health.