Sent: Monday, April 14, 2003 9:47 AM
Subject: Update - stolen horse reports, Beltex brand inspector
I just got off the phone with Ronnie Ober, Beltex
brand inspector since 9/1/97, inception of the brand inspection program.
My email message to Todd McCartney said the Beltex brand inspector was Mark
Roberts (because the Beltex receptionist told me that), but Mark Roberts is
actually the Beltex Livestock Manager.
- Ronnie Ober says that since 9/1/97 he has
recovered 35-40 BLM (Bureau of Land Management) horses at Beltex.
- Through the Texas & Southwestern Cattle
Raisers Association program (where they furnish stolen horse information) he
has recovered "only a handful - maybe 5-10 horses."
But he said, "Larry's got all that information. He could tell
you." Larry is Larry Gray with the TSCRA who supervises the two
brand inspectors.
- Ronnie Ober is paid 55 cents for each horse he
inspects. The TSCRA collects $5.00 per horse from Beltex, and Ronnie
Ober thinks $2.00 of that goes to an education program. The rest is
pocketed by the TSCRA.
$201,680.00 = 40,336 horses slaughtered in
2002 x $5.00
80,672.00 = 40,336 x
$2.00 for education
22,184.80 = 40,336 x
$.55 for brand inspectors
$ 98,823.20 = 40,336 x 2.45 retained
by Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
If my math is correct, the Texas &
Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association netted $98,823.20 off the $40 million
a year French/Belgian horse slaughter industry in 2002, $94,937.50 in
2001, and $87,293.50.
NO WONDER THEY WANT TO KEEP THE SLAUGHTER
HOUSES OPEN!!!
Regards,
Mary S. Nash
104 S. Houston St.
Kaufman, Tx 75142
972-962-7706
NashHulme@msn.com