The debate continues in Nebraska on whether or not it is legal to ship horse meat out of state because of a controversial bill aimed at creating a State meat inspection program, ostensibly to pave the way for the return of horse slaughter for human consumption to U.S. soil.
JoAnne Young, in an article for the Lincoln Journal-Star writes:
While several states, including Nebraska, work on a legal route to reopening horse processing plants, the U.S. Department of Agriculture appears to be holding firm on not allowing processed horse meat to be exported for human consumption.
Sen. Larson of Nebraska is promoting bill to instate a State meat inspection program, ostensibly to pave the way to return horse slaughter for human consumption to U.S. soil.”There is no possibility under the current law for a state-inspected meat plant to ship any meat, interstate or internationally, for human consumption,” said USDA spokesman Neil Gaffney.
We agree with Mr. Gaffney on internationally, which is where the demand for horse meat is, not here in the U.S., as Cavel International learned before it finally shut its doors.
Continuing with Young’s article, she reports:
The sponsor of the Nebraska bill (LB305), Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill, and the Legislature’s Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Carlson of Holdrege aren’t buying it.
Larson said Monday he’d like to see the section of federal law or the 2008 Farm Bill that specifically bars state-inspected horse meat from leaving the state.
“From everything I’ve seen, I would have to disagree (with the USDA),” he said.
Larson said he’ll continue to explore the possibilities of the bill.
“I’m not overly worried at this time,” he said. “I feel we will be able to move forward.”
Martha Stoddard, in an article for the Omaha World-Herald reports:
The federal officials said that the restrictions that ban U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors from overseeing the killing and processing of horses also apply to all state inspection programs.
“Distribution of product derived from horses for human consumption in interstate or international commerce is effectively barred,” according to information from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
One key lawmaker said passage of LB 305 could set up a court challenge over whether the federal ban applies to states.
“We may test it out. We don’t think it’s clear,” said State Sen. Tom Carlson of Holdrege, the Agriculture Committee chairman, of the federal ban. “When that’s settled, we want to be ready to go.”
Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill, who introduced the bill, called horse slaughter a “states’ rights issue.”
The last three horse slaughter plants closed in 2007 due to state laws. However, it is the de-funding of the federal inspections of horse slaughtering facilities that are necessary to market horse meat for human consumption that continues to bar the way nationally.
- Learn more at the Int’l Fund for Horses’ paper, When Horse Slaughter Comes to Town, Part 3: Legal Implications.
- Learn more about legislation for and against horse slaughter at the Int’l Fund for Horses’ Horse Slaughter Legislative Timeline.
Tuesday's Horse 
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These guys really think it is going to make their State lots of money. All they have to do is read “When Horse Slaughter Comes to Town” and they’ll see that what a horror it is to have in whatever community they saddle these atrocities with. Even if they didn’t get past the first section in the paper on the environmental violations, sewer and waste water, they would (or should) be put off.
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Exactly Shirley !!!! Forgive me if I cannot understand the mentality of these people, great and extremely viable happy solutions all over the place for both the horses and us, and these people cant see past the end of there noses………. All they can see is an immediate lining of their selfish pockets………………….. Never giving thought to all the amazing talent the horses to offer , stupidity ………. thats all you can call it……………… God has instilled in us the greatest power to think and some us waste it on thinking only within the box, only and only when they decide to take their minds to healthy thinking can they see the true worth of all that surrounds them…………………..This is not to much to ask……………………We also have in our pocession the ability to be the most wonderful caretakers, DUH ! Lets see with this power we can viably take great care of horses who in turn can save all kinds of money, stress they are experts, in trust they have been showing us this for years, anyone who has it , more then likely have learned it from a horse……….. Pride who has it and shows it even in the face of obscurity, I could go on all nite with this but we get the idea here…..Price is >>> Let them be free and roam free small price to pay, who else would give to us unquestionably without reservation (cost is nothing per hour), how can they help us ????? There is nothing here living on earth that is not here for a purpose, he doesnt make mistakes !!!!! It is our Job to figure out in what ways can we have them help us…… to give to us???? And what must we do to give back to them???????
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SENATOR LARSON AND CARLSON NEED TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP THEM ENTERTAINED. THEY SHOULD BE TRYING TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE ECONOMY FOR OUR COUNTRY INSTEAD OF KILLING THE HORSES OR WORKING ON OTHER BILLS THAT BENEFIT THE PEOPLE. HORSE SLAUGHTER DOES NOT.
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Great comment Arlene. Horses are so willing to serve. All they ask is to be cared for and handled with respect.
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Instead of these Politicians trying to figure out how to murder and maim and disrespect horses , they should be trying to figure out how to better there communities, with horse programs for children, also for children with other problems, teenagers who are in desperate and dire straits instead of medicating a whole entire Nation with useless meds that create other horrific results, give to them the natural cure for many many problems a horse is a natural healer……………… He has been known for helping in this way for years……..They can put a smile on the face of a child that has never smiled or walked in his or her life, He has this as a natural talent … Just waiting for some intelligent person to tap into it and save millions of people……………… The Horse has many talents that are worthy of a big look see………………….. Drugs are not the answer Horses are !!!!!! He has no side bad effects …… only good ones!!!!!! Here he stands just waiting for us to let him help us………………..
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