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.
