The following is posted on the Cattlenetwork website:
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KLA: Congress Hears From LMA On Equine Welfare

Members of Congress may be starting to understand the unintended consequences of banning horse processing in the U.S. , according to members of the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA). During a recent trip to Washington , D.C. , auction market owners and managers found lawmakers ready to listen to the argument that banning horse slaughter is creating substantial animal welfare problems. LMA President Jim Santomaso and other members told congressional leaders the industry is seeing increased horse abandonment and abuse since a series of legislative and judicial actions closed the only three remaining plants in the U.S.

“We told the lawmakers that horse owners want and need a legitimate, practical and humane way to dispose of their horses that have come to the end of their useful life,” said Santomaso.

Plants in Illinois and Texas previously served as an outlet for unwanted horses. These facilities were forced to comply with provisions of the federal Humane Slaughter Act.

LMA filed an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court in February, asking it to overturn an Illinois law making horse processing illegal. Several beef groups, including KLA, helped fund the preparation and filing of the brief.

For more information form LMA go to http://www.lmaweb.com/

For more information from KLA, go to www.kla.org

Source: http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=221010