Tag: 112th

Horse Slaughter Legislative Timeline 2012

State and Federal Legislation
112th U.S. Congress (2011—2012)

DATE VENUE ACTIVITY RESULT
January 23, 2012 US SUPREME COURT Decision handed down on government oversight regarding horse slaughter. States may enact laws banning the slaughter of horses but cannot govern how animals are processed and handled at federally-regulated slaughterhouses. If the processing of horse meat for human consumption is to be resumed in any State where it is still legal under State law, FMIA (Federal Meat Inspection Act) regulations (and not any regulations that the States may attempt to promulgate) will govern how horses are handled and processed in those States. See article by Alison Rowe, specialist in Equine Law.
March 3, 2012 Oregon Following the enactment the new fiscal year’s Department of Agriculture Appropriations bill – that included the successful removal of historic language banning horse meat inspections necessary for its export for human consumption – the United Horsemen’s group makes plans to open horse slaughter facility in Hermiston, Oregon. Community of Hermiston takes aggressive stand against the proposition.
May 24, 2012 New Jersey State Assembly A-2023 passes the NJ State Assembly by a vote of 72-3. The Bill was originally sponsored by Assemblyman Ronald Dancer (R-12). The Bill which prohibits the in-state slaughter of horses, transportation of horses to slaughter and the sale of horse meat for human consumption in New Jersey, moves forward.
June 15, 2012 US Congress — Appropriations Committee The Moran Amendment to the 2013 Agricultural Appropriations Bill — introduced by Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va) earlier this month to block funding to the USDA for horse slaughter facility inspections — survives the passing of the full Appropriations Committee intact. Moves to the US House and Senate for a vote.
June 19, 2012 US House, US Senate The Moran Amendment to the 2013 Agricultural Appropriations Bill passes the US House and Senate. The Amendment blocks federal funding for USDA inspections necessary to slaughter horses and export their meat. Moran’s amendment reinstates the five-year ban on horse slaughter on US soil from 2006-2011. Sent to the President for signing into law.
June 25, 2012 New Jersey State Legislature Senate bill S 1976, sponsored by Senator Raymond J. Lesniak (D-20), was substituted by A2023, the identical bill that already passed State Assembly (See May 24, 2012). The Bill passed the NJ State Senate 35-4. The Bill which prohibits the in-state slaughter of horses, transportation of horses to slaughter and the sale of horse meat for human consumption in the State of New Jersey, moves on to its final stop at Gov. Christie’s desk for signing into law.
July 10, 2012 Texas State Legislature – The Texas State Senate Committee on Agricultural and Rural Affairs met to hear testimony on the economic impact of the closure of Texas horse slaughter plants. Some believe that a repeal of Chapter 149 could be on the table next legislative session. Unless Chapter 149 is repealed or revised, horse slaughter remains illegal in Texas — though it can ostensibly be carried out in other US jurisdictions barring the passage of any federal law that directly or indirectly prohibits it.
August 2012 New Mexico, Missouri, Oregon, Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming Since last year, new horse slaughterhouses have been proposed in New Mexico, Missouri and Oregon, and laws that would permit them to be built more easily have been proposed in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming. Potential return of horse slaughter on US soil
September 21, 2012 New Jersey Governor’s Office Governor Chris Christie signs anti horse slaughter bill A-2023 into law. The bill passed the State Assembly and Senate in May and June respectively. Success. The in-state slaughter of horses, transportation of horses to slaughter and the sale of horse meat for human consumption in the State of New Jersey.
December 2012 USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) Nature Valley Meats in New Mexico sues USDA over a lack of action on a request for inspections that would clear the way for the company to resume domestic horse slaughterhouse operations.

Rick de los Santos, owner of Valley Meat Co. in Roswell, NM also files a defamation lawsuit against the Humane Society of the United States, Front Range Equine Rescue, and Animal Protection of New Mexico.

 Pending.
December 2012 US Senate American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 (S. 1176) Ends with 26 Co-Sponsors. Originally introduced 6/9/2011. Referred to Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. No other activity. Dies in Committee.
December 2012 US House American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 (HR 2966) Ends 165 Co-Sponsors. Originally introduced 9/19/2011. Referred to Agriculture Committee. Referred to Energy and Commerce Committee, who subsequently referred it to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry 10/4/2011. No other activity. Dies in Committee.

Contributors: Jane Allin, Vivian Farrell

©The Horse Fund 2019 Logo in Orange.

Horse Slaughter Legislative Timeline 2011

State and Federal Legislation
112th U.S. Congress (2011—2012)

DATE VENUE ACTIVITY RESULT
January 2011 Legislative Assembly of N. Dakota Jan 10: HB 1244, a bill allowing horses to be slaughtered for food with other animals and amending rules governing preparation of equine carcasses, introduced by Rep. M. Nelson. Referred to Ag Cmte.
Jan 27: Passed Ag Cmte (12-0-2), placed on Calendar
Jan 31: Passed House (90 Ayes, 0 Nays)		 N. Dakota pro horse slaughter bill introduced, passes House and sent to Senate for action.
January 2011 Nebraska Unicameral Legislature Jan 12: LB 305, a bill to establish state meat inspection program for horses (and other animals), introduced by Tyson Larson
Jan 14: Referred to Ag Cmte
Jan 24: Notice of Hearing for Feb 8th		 Nebraska pro horse slaughter Bill introduced. Set for Hearing Feb. 8th.
January 2011 187th General Court of Massachusetts Jan. 18: Bill S00655 banning the slaughter, procurement and transport of horses for human consumption introduced by State Sen. Stephen Brewer.
Jan. 24: Referred to Joint Committee on the Judiciary; House concurs.		 Massachusetts anti horse slaughter Bill introduced.
January 2011 New York State General Assembly Jan. 25: A03504, a bill banning horse slaughter and transport for slaughter for human consumption introduced by Assemblywoman Deborah Glick. Referred to Ag Cmte. New York State anti horse slaughter Bill re-introduced. A. Glick introduced this in 2004 and 2009. In each instance the bills were stalled and killed in Cmte by its Chairman MaGee, a “meat industry” politician.
February 2011 Legislative Assembly of N. Dakota Feb 1: Senate receives HB 1244 (see Jan 10, 27 and 31 entries for details).
Feb 21: 1st reading; referred to Ag Cmte. Cmte Hearing set for March 3rd.		 N. Dakota pro horse slaughter Bill progresses to Senate; Ag Cmte Hrng set Mar. 3rd.
February 2011 Nebraska Unicameral Legislatue Feb 8: LB 305, Statement of Intent entered, “This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to develop and implement a state meat and poultry inspection agency to inspect meat and meat products for human consumption in compliance with federal regulations by January 1, 2013.”
Feb 23: LB 305 Placed on General File.		 Nebraska pro horse slaughter Bill progresses.
May 2011 U.S. House of Representatives May 30: The 2012 Agriculture Budget Bill is debated in the House Appropriations Committee, from which the measure defunding USDA inspections necessary to market horse meat was ripped out, paving the way for the return of horse slaughter to U.S. soil. See below.
May 2011 U.S. House of Representatives May 30: Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) offers an amendment to continue denying funding for the USDA inspections required to market horse meat. The 2012 Agriculture Budget Bill is voted on in the House Appropriations Committee, passing by a margin of 24-21, with the Moran Amendment intact. The bill is sent to the full House for consideration.
June 2011 U.S. Senate Jun 9, 2011: A bill entitled the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 — S. 1176 — is introduced (pdf) in the United States Senate, Thursday, June 9, 2011, by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) with 14 originating co-sponsors.

S. 1176 amends the Horse Protection Act, making it illegal to transport horses for the purposes of slaughter, among other provisions.

 S. 1176 is referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
September 2011 U.S. Senate Sep. 9, 2011: The Senate Appropriations Committee approve a version of the U.S. Agriculture Appropriations Bill that no longer contains the ban on funding for horse meat inspections.

Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri and two colleagues with close ties to the beef industry, namely Rep. Jack Kingston of Georgia and Sen. Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, in a secretive back door manouver altered the 2012 omnibus spending bill so it no longer banned funding for horse meat inspections.

 If signed into law, this opens the possibility for return of horse slaughter to U.S. soil.
September 2011 US House of Representatives Sept 19: HR 2966 — The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011 — introduced by Rep. Dan Burton [R-IN-5]. Assigned to the Energy & Commerce and Agriculture Committees. Last Action: 10/04/2011 Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry. Died in Committee. It had 165 Co-Sponsors.
November 2011 U.S. Congress Nov. 17, 2011: The Agriculture Appropriations Bill for 2012 [October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012] was passed by Congress and signed into law without the wording that prohibited horse meat inspections since 2006. This potentially flings the door wide open for the return of horse slaughter to U.S. soil. horse slaughter. [1] [2]

 

— Go to 2012 Legislative Timeline  »

FOOTNOTES

[1] Horse Slaughter Prevention Bills and Issues (pdf), by Tadlock Cowan, Congressional Research Service; June 28, 2013.

USDA stated that, although the limitation on FSIS inspection had been lifted, there were still significant regulatory obstacles to resurrecting horse slaughter in the United States. For example, any processing facility has to obtain a federal grant of inspection, conduct a hazard analysis, and develop a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan prior to the processing of any horses for human consumption. A facility in New Mexico—Valley Meats, Inc.—was granted a permit by USDA on June 28, 2013, to begin horse slaughter. USDA has stated that it would grant similar operating permits to plants in Iowa and Missouri in early July 2013. The New Mexico plant had sued USDA in February 2013, accusing it of intentionally delaying the approval process. Both the House (H.R. 2410) and Senate (S. 1244) 2014 Agriculture appropriations bills would again prohibit FSIS from inspecting horses under the Federal Meat Inspection Act. The Administration and USDA have also requested that the ban on horse slaughter continue. As discussed above, the provision had been included in Agriculture appropriations bills since 2008.

[2] Setting the Record Straight on Congress’ Lifting of the Ban on Horse Slaughter. Posted on the USDA blog by Phil Derfler, Deputy Administrator for Food Safety and Inspection Service, December 9, 2011.

There has been a lot of talk in the past week about Congress’ lifting of the ban prohibiting federal funding for the inspection of horses, which prevented the slaughter of horses for human consumption for the past five years.  The issue is understandably a sensitive and emotional one for everyone who loves these majestic animals, but it is important that the discussion be tempered with the facts.

While Congress has technically lifted the ban, horse processing will not resume anytime in the near term.  Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act, horses are an amenable species, which means that horse meat cannot be shipped or sold for human consumption without inspection.

To date, there have been no requests that the Department initiate the authorization process for any horse processing operation in the United States.  In the two states where horse processing took place prior to the Congressional ban, Illinois and Texas,  there are laws in place prohibiting the slaughter of horses.  Even if these laws were changed, any processing facility will still need to satisfy a significant number of requirements, such as obtaining  a federal grant of inspection, conducting a hazard analysis, and developing a Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan prior to the processing of any animals.

—————
Contributors: Jane Allin, Vivian Farrell