New Mexico horse slaughterhouse receives approval to begin operations

In the ongoing battle over horse slaughter in the United States, the horsemeat industry has moved one step closer to victory. Valley Meat Co., an operation out of New Mexico, has received U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approval to begin slaughtering horses for meat.

Earlier this year, Valley Meat Co. sued the USDA for delaying the approval process of the slaughterhouse, even though horse slaughter has technically been legal in the U.S. since the 2012 fiscal year after five years of being effectively banned. While there is no viable domestic market for horsemeat, Valley Meat Co. and other aspiring horse slaughterers intend to sell the meat overseas in countries where it is routinely consumed. Prior to the 2006 ban on horse slaughter, this business model was used by foreign-owned companies operating horse processing plants on U.S. soil.

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In order to process horsemeat, an operation must have federal inspections performed by the USDA. For its part, the USDA has been pushing for an outright ban of horse slaughter, a move that the Obama administration has said it supports.

“Since Congress has not yet acted to ban horse slaughter inspection, (the agriculture department) is legally required to issue a grant of inspection today to Valley Meats in Roswell, N.M., for equine slaughter,” said USDA spokeswoman Courtney Rowe. “The Administration has requested Congress to reinstate the ban on horse slaughter. Until Congress acts, the Department must continue to comply with current law.”

Even with approval, Valley Meat Co. and other operations that may be approved in the near future will not be able to begin with their business of slaughtering equines until the USDA sends inspectors to the facility. As of right now, the USDA has not offered a timeline for when they plan to do so. Furthermore, with widespread congressional and public opposition to horse slaughter, a ban could be included in this year’s agriculture appropriations bill, shutting down any plants that gain approval to process horses.

Further Reading
How Humane is Horse Slaughter?
Horse Slaughter Timeline

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View Comments

Scott says:
June 30, 2013 at 12:28 am
I find it difficult to distinquish cultivated and USDA approved consumption of horses. This is not a novelty to the civilized world. Rabbits, goats, buffalo, deer, bear, ostrich and many more have their "nights out." Why not horse meat?
Tammy says:
June 30, 2013 at 1:24 am
Horses have been man's friend for thousands of years. They are not cows or pigs. How anyone could sacrifice the lives of these beautiful creatures for financial gain is beyond me. The man in charge of the operation is Hispanic.
Ana says:
June 30, 2013 at 2:42 am
The horse industry has created this problem by breeding and continuing to breed more horses than our economy can support. Before you judge this slaughter plant one way or another, it would be prudent to do some research on the unwanted horse dilemma. Many horses are being shipped to Mexico and Canada for slaughter daily, where we have no regulatory control over how they are treated prior to and during slaughter. Given that these horses will meet the same fate either way, perhaps it's better to do it here, where we can ensure humane treatment and death.
Mary Ann says:
June 30, 2013 at 8:44 am
I agree with you Ana. Horses are going to get slaughtered to be eaten in another country no matter what, we cant help it. But I think that they need to have a humane death. They dont need to be shipped all the way to Canada to be slaughtered. I dont like it and I dont aprove of horse slaughter/horses being eaten. But it is what it is.
kygal says:
June 30, 2013 at 11:14 am
agree with Mary Ann and Ana. It should be done in America instead of Canada or Mexico where it can be overseen.
Isabella Hope says:
June 30, 2013 at 11:45 am
This is horrible. I think first off horse people and owners and breeders need to take the initiative to stop this by saying to themselves: Breed my mare to make another horse who may come out to be "useless" (There is NO such thing as a "useless horse") and then sent to slaughter because no one wants it? Or go save a horse off the kill truck who could be a horse like Snowman or countless others who have been saved from slaughter and given a second lease on life and given their saviors sooooo much in return. Think before you blink. Because the horses that you love so dearly may be gone tomorrow and fed to someone you don't know in another country far away from home.
Kenzie says:
June 30, 2013 at 2:33 pm
Why would you do this to beautiful creatures that just need love,trust, courage,and a chance to fit in with other horses.
racehorses says:
June 30, 2013 at 4:14 pm
I agree with Ann. I hate it when horses are killed for eating, but, horse steaks are popular in the netherlands after all. And i know because on pet finder there's 102 pages of horses for adoption in the southwest Missouri alone!
Galadriel says:
June 30, 2013 at 11:48 pm
Hm.
Terri says:
July 1, 2013 at 12:32 am
This abominal industry needs to be stopped in its tracks. Ok, so the usda is obligated to approve these hell holes...where are the bills to stop them? Locked up in some stupid committee and left to die by a few corrupt senatorssupport this lousy industry. It is criminal activity and supports the same...tells us something about those that we elect into office. Stop this crime before it gets started! Silence the ignorant individuals who puppet the slaughter industries lies. Good, what had this country become?