Valley Meats slaughter plant in NM plans to butcher horses

Horse on the Way to Slaughter. Humane Farm Association photograph.

FRONT RANGE EQUINE RESCUE DISCOVERS NEW MEXICO HORSE SLAUGHTER PLANT

LARKSPUR, CO (April 10, 2012) — Through its own investigation, Front Range Equine Rescue (FRER) has discovered that Valley Meats Co., 3845 Cedarvale Rd, Roswell, NM, has applied for inspection of horses to be “custom slaughtered” and “processed” for human consumption. According to the facts uncovered, the facility has been involved in extended discussions with the Denver office of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The FSIS inspects animals and meat in American slaughterhouses under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Horse slaughter for food is a national disgrace, given the iconic nature of American horses and the especially brutal methods used to kill them. FRER has mounted an extensive legal battle to keep American horses from being slaughtered for food, in or out of the country, in light of last November’s Congressional appropriation of funding for horse meat inspections. In the last three weeks, along with the Humane Society of the United States, FRER has filed two Petitions for Rulemaking [hyperlinks], asking the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the FSIS to enact rules and regulations which would prevent American horses from being slaughtered. The Petitions have gotten significant attention, and FRER intends to continue to amplify its legal strategy for as long as it takes to eliminate the possibility of horse slaughter in America.

If it is allowed to open, the Roswell plant would be the first U.S.horse slaughterhouse opened since horse slaughter in the U.S.ended five years ago. A recent poll shows at least 80% of Americans oppose horse slaughter. Valley Meats and any other horse slaughterhouses must be stopped, and the USDA and FDA must see the danger and illegality of producing horse meat from American horses. FRER calls on all concerned citizens and groups, in and out of New Mexico, to support its efforts by contacting state, local and federal officials and voicing your strong objection to the resumption of this horrific practice in America.

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Source: Press Release

CONTACT INFORMATION

Rick Santos,
President
Valley Meat Company
‎3845 Cedarvale Rd
Roswell, NM 88203-9020

Mayor Del Jurney
425 N. Richardson
P.O. Box 1838
Roswell, NM 88202-1838

Roswell Convention Center and
Roswell Visitors Bureau
912 N Main
Roswell, NM 88201

Roswell Chamber of Commerce
131 W 2nd Street
Roswell, NM 88201

Roswell/Chaves County Economic
Development Corporation
P.O. Box 849
Roswell, NM 88202

INFORMATIONAL DOCUMENT

— When Horse Slaughter Comes To Town-March 28, 2012 (pdf, 25 pp)