Considerations Regarding The Processing of Horses for Human Consumption  

Does the horse industry have a responsibility to care for its horses?  

Yes.  The American horse industry and individual horse owners, breeders and trainers are very mindful of their responsibilities to care for their horses.  There are organizations in the United States that provide adoption, retirement, rescue and rehabilitation services for horses.  These organizations offer options and programs to help individuals provide for horses that are no longer viable for their intended use, are old or infirm, unmanageable, or simply unwanted because their owners are no longer able to care for them financially.  Nonetheless, a small percentage of horses (1%) are ultimately unwanted and sent to plants regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture where they are processed for food, like other livestock.  

Would banning the processing of horses for food be a significant step toward improving equine welfare?  

A federal ban on processing horses for food, without careful consideration, will not solve the underlying problem of unwanted horses.  Such a ban actually has a high probability of increasing the potential for abuse for those horses that are no longer wanted for whatever reason.  If a horse cannot be sold at auction because it may go to a processing facility, there is a high probability that it will become a candidate for neglect and suffer a much worse fate than humane euthanasia at a USDA-regulated processing facility.  

How many horses are involved annually?  Is this a new phenomena?  

Horses have been processed for food, for foreign markets, in the U.S. for decades.  This is not a new phenomena.  According to figures from the USDA, in the last ten years the number of horses processed in the U.S. or exported to Canada for processing has fallen from 263,000 in 1992 to 62,000 in 2001.  To put this number in perspective, according to a study conducted by Barents Group for the American Horse Council Foundation, there are 6.9 million horses in the U.S.   The number sent to abattoirs in 2001 represents .9%.  

Nonetheless, several events have caused the subject of processing horses for food to be debated recently.  In 1998, a ballot initiative was passed in California that banned the transportation of horses intended for human consumption.  More recently, the Foot and Mouth and Mad Cow epidemics in Europe , horsemeat was more in demand in those countries, causing the price of horsemeat to rise and the number of horses able to be consequently purchased at auctions for this purpose to rise.  This has caused increased media attention.   In addition, the bill introduced last session by Congressman Tom Reynolds (R-NY) and Congresswoman Morella (R-MD) in the House of Representatives, which would ban all transportation in the U.S. of horses and horse meat intended for human consumption, has spurred additional discussion.  

Is the transport of horses for processing and the process itself presently federally-regulated?  

Yes.  In 1996 the horse industry led the effort to enact federal legislation, The Commercial Transportation of Equines to Slaughter Act, that gave the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to regulate the transport of horses for processing by persons regularly engaged in the activity in the U.S.   The purpose of this law was to establish standards to ensure the humane movement of horses to such plants via commercial transportation.  Along with the horse industry, this legislation was actively supported by national humane organizations.   

Over two years ago, the Secretary of Agriculture proposed regulations to fully regulate this transportation activity.  These regulations cover, among other things, the food, water, and rest that must be provided, the actions required of a shipper in loading and transporting the horses, the fitness of the horses to travel and the nature of the trucks to be used.  The industry supported these regulations and met with the USDA several times seeking their adoption.  These regulations have been adopted and are being enforced.  

As with all livestock, the actual processing of horses has been fully regulated by the USDA for many years under the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.  This requires USDA veterinarians and inspectors to review the plants and their methods to ensure they are following the requisite procedures.  Horses must be handled in the same manner as other livestock by processing facilities and violations of the law subject plants to civil and criminal penalties.  

Isn’t the transportation of horses to processing facilities a major welfare issue itself?  

Many advocates of placing a ban on the processing of horses for human consumption feel that the transport of horses to processing plants is a major detriment to the welfare of horses. However, studies have shown otherwise.  A study conducted by Temple Grandin, Ph.D., and published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association in 1999 stated, “Results of this study indicate that owner abuse or neglect is the primary cause of severe welfare problems in horses arriving at slaughter plants.”  

As described before, Congress passed the Commercial Transportation of Equine to Slaughter Act in 1996.  The Secretary of Agriculture finalized the regulations to address welfare concerns surrounding the transport of equines to processing facilities.  Once these regulations are adopted, they will be enforced by USDA veterinarians who will meet and inspect each shipment of horses upon arrival at the facility.  The horse industry supports these rules and the protections they will afford horses and their strict enforcement by USDA.  

Why do horse associations oppose a federal ban on processing horses for human consumption?  

Most do not believe that a legal ban on this activity will solve the problem of unwanted horses.  Such a ban is likely to increase the potential for abuse because thousands of horses will still be unwanted.    

Many organizations recognize the rights of all horse owners to manage their horses and other livestock, as long as the horses are treated humanely, with dignity, respect, and compassion.  The industry recognizes that this is a societal and cultural issue, and will be viewed differently by some horse owners.  Some feel that people should not consume horsemeat under any circumstances.  Some Americans find this practice unacceptable, just as we frown upon many customs and foods that other cultures deem acceptable.  But others have different opinions.  Regardless, decisions about equine welfare and this issue in particular cannot be made in a vacuum.  They must be based on existing realities, scientific facts and solid animal husbandry.  Allowing emotional issues, cultural perspectives, or uninformed public opinion to jeopardize overall equine welfare would be a tragedy for horses in this country.  The industry is concerned that without the existence of this legal market, some animals would be less than humanely managed until the end of their natural life.  

Might there be other, broader potential ramifications if this federal law is enacted?  

Actually, a federal ban could be detrimental to both equine welfare and the horse industry in a broader context.  A white paper prepared by the American Association of Equine Practitioners and the American Horse Council (“Legal Status of Horses as Livestock”) has outlined the potential effects of redefining horses out of their federal and state classifications as livestock in the areas of welfare, research, liability laws and tax considerations.   

If not considered livestock, horses would not be protected by the regulatory framework that currently underpins equine welfare in the United States and the network of federal, state and local authorities that enforces these laws and regulations.  Welfare protection would fall to local animal control authorities that are already significantly overburdened.  Furthermore, horses would no longer benefit from the federal and state monies spent on research for equine disease prevention and assistance to state and local research and regulatory programs.  Such research is dependent upon the continued classification of horses as livestock animals.  

The horse industry suffered a devastating loss in Central Kentucky in 2001 caused by Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome.  Thankfully Members of Congress took legislative actions to provide emergency relief for horse owners and breeders for these losses and to make horses eligible for emergency loans under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act in case of similar future disasters, just like other livestock producers are eligible.  Any action that would distinguish horses from other livestock may jeopardize this much-needed relief now and in the future.  

How does the international market relate to the welfare of horses?  

The international market provides a price floor within the equine industry that ensures every horse has a baseline economic value at every stage of its lifecycle.  This is important because it prevents serious welfare problems such as overpopulation and it deters neglect, which could become a significant problem if horses were no longer of any value.  

If the number of horses at risk is not so large when compared to other livestock species, why not euthanize and bury them on site?  

This is a viable humane alternative for unwanted horses.  But for some the cost of paying a veterinarian to euthanize a horse and a shipper to transport the horse’s carcass to a rendering plant may be too high, particularly if several horses are involved.  In addition, the disposal of a horse’s carcass is an environmental concern.  In many areas, state or local laws make it illegal to bury a horse on private property or dispose of the carcass in a landfill.  Some horse owners with limited economic resources may find the expense of euthanasia and disposal prohibitive, increasing the likelihood of neglect for the unwanted animals.  Euthanasia, at a federally inspected and regulated processing facility, is more humane than a slow, prolonged death from starvation and neglect.  These facilities must comply with strict federal and state codes designed for the treatment of these horses.  

Can the welfare of horses be protected if they are going to the international market for human consumption?  

Yes.  In fact, as described above, the industry has supported clearly-defined regulations, enforced by the United States Department of Agriculture, to protect the animals being processed or transported to processing facilities.  

What role do horse auctions play in the process?  

In the horse industry, and in other parts of the agricultural world, auctions have been used for centuries as the primary means of facilitating transactions.  Auctions are a standard method of the agriculture industry (and other industries) to facilitate transactions of commodities by bringing buyers and sellers together to negotiate a fair price based on supply and demand.  

Within the horse industry, auctions facilitate the buying and selling of horses for virtually every purpose, most of which are more lucrative for sellers than the international meat market.  An auction provides a forum where the value and use of horses are determined by the market, based on the opinions of the equine experts in attendance.  High-quality animals are sold for racing, show ring competitions, ranch work or recreational riding.  Lesser-quality animals, including unsound animals, are purchased by the processing facilities for processing into the international markets for food.  Without this market, these animals would be most at risk for neglect, abuse, and other welfare problems.  

So what is the best solution?  

As with all issues, it is important to keep a proper perspective.  There are laws and regulations in effect to address welfare concerns regarding horses destined for human consumption.  USDA has adopted and must enforce these rules; Congress must appropriate funds for their enforcement; and the industry itself must continue to establish, support and fund alternatives.  

We must recognize that leading equine veterinary and regulatory organizations such as the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the USDA have experts that make professional recommendations and enforce regulations, ensuring that horses destined for human consumption are treated humanely and with dignity.  

A federally-imposed ban is not in the best interest of the horse’s welfare.