Congress Passes USDA
Appropriations Bill - USDA Inspection of Horse Processing Allowed to Resume
A provision that had prohibited USDA funds being used for personnel
inspecting the slaughter process at horse processing facilities was not included
in the Fiscal Year 2012 Agriculture, Commerce/Justice/Science, and
Transportation/Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bills signed into
law by President Obama on Nov. 18. The appropriations bill passed the
House on a vote of 298-121, while the Senate voted 70-30 in favor of the bill.
The bill funds a variety of federal programs and agencies and is not solely a
bill addressing horse processing.
What does the passing of this
bill mean for horse processing?
It means that USDA can now
pay inspectors to inspect horses and meat that may be processed for human
consumption at U.S. plants.
This bill does not, however, appropriate
any new money to pay for these inspections. The USDA would have to find
the money in the funds appropriated in the FY' 12 bill.
Is there a federal law that has
been reversed?
No. There has been no law passed or changed
dealing with processing itself. There is no current prohibition on the
processing of horses in the U.S. The federal bills introduced in Congress to
prohibit this are still before Congress. The only change is that for the past
five years the USDA was not allowed to fund the inspection of horses at the
plants - even though no plants were open - and now they are should a plant begin
operating.
Will horse processing plants
open?
While a plant could open and start processing horses,
it should be understood that this appropriations bill is only good until
September 30, 2012. In addition, as mentioned above, there are two bills
currently in Congress proposing to ban horse processing in the U.S.: H.R.
2966 and S. 1176.
Due to state laws passed in Texas and
Illinois, the home of the last plants to process horses in the U.S. in 2007, the
processing of horses for human consumption in those states, even with USDA
inspections allowed, will not be possible. Horse processing also is banned
in California.
With improved funding, the Kentucky Quarter Horse Association Breeders
Incentive Fund is all the talk for the 2012 Breeding season. To learn
more about rules, regulations, and how to get you mare or stallion involved,
please visit www.kyqha.com, Breeders
Incentive Fund. If you are interested in breeding your mare, please
contact us at 270-527-6655.
Kentucky
Lake Equine Hospital