|
Another horse slaughter plant approved; lawsuit filed
Story Date: 7/5/2013
| |
Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 7/3/13
The legal battles over horse slaughter in the United States continued on Tuesday as USDA was compelled by current law to approve a second horse slaughter plant, even as the Obama administration and Congress both work to keep them from opening and animal rights groups sued USDA to try to block the approvals.
"Since Congress has not yet acted to ban horse slaughter inspection, FSIS is legally required to issue a grant of inspection today to Responsible Transportation in Sigourney, Iowa for equine slaughter,” a USDA spokeswoman told Meatingplace by email. “Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), FSIS must issue a grant of inspection once an establishment has satisfied all federal requirements as this plant has done. FSIS anticipates one additional application for equine inspection could meet the mandated requirements in the coming days. The Administration has requested Congress to reinstate the ban on horse slaughter. Until Congress acts, the Department must continue to comply with current law."
Last Friday, FSIS issued Valley Meats Company in Roswell, N.M., a grant of inspection.
Meanwhile, the Humane Society of the United States, Front Range Equine Rescue, Marin Humane Society, Horses for Life Foundation, Return to Freedom and five private individuals are suing USDA under the National Environmental Protection Act, due to the agency’s failure to conduct the necessary environmental review before authorizing horse slaughterhouses to operate.
In a news release announcing the lawsuit, the groups pointed out that the federal government could spend millions of taxpayer dollars to start up inspections at horse slaughter plants, only to have Congress terminate the process in the coming months.
Horse slaughter for meat production in the United States is an emotionally-charged issue with people and organizations on both sides of the debate arguing their view constitutes a humane solution for the animals involved.
For more stories, go to http://www.meatingplace.com/.
|
|
|
|
