Monday, May 11, 2015

U.S. politicians aim to ban horse exports

Not satisfied with bans on slaughtering horses, two federal politicians want the United States to ban exports.

That would cut off supplies for Canadian and Mexican plants that bought about 150,000 horses last year, according to Republican Vern Buchanan of Florida.

He and Frank Guinta of New Hampshire and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois have introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would ban horse exports for slaughter.

The U.S. not only bans horse slaughter, but also horsemeat consumption.

The proposed legislation would make it illegal under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to sell or transport horses or parts of horses in interstate or foreign commerce for purposes of human consumption.

The ban on horsemeat consumption comes up every year for congressional review, giving politicians a platform for speaking out against horse slaughter.


But in some places, such as Indian reserves in New Mexico, the ban is opposed by horse farmers who complain their pastures can’t handle all the horses that can’t be culled.