Missouri Senate nixes language from bill to allow horse-meat processing

Jefferson City, Mo.

-- Missouri Senators stripped language from a bill that would have permitted horse-meat processing in the state.

The bill, S.B. 795, had been referred to a committee to reconcile it with the House's version of the bill, H.B. 1747. Both bills include a wide range of agriculture-related law on transportation of large animals and irrigation, but now no language on regulation of and permission for processing of horse meat.

The debate about horse slaughter and the exportation of horse meat for human consumption erupted in 2007 resulting in the closure of horse processing facilities in the United States. Since these closures, state and national lawmakers have been debating how to ease the growing numbers of unwanted and neglected horses in a recessionary economy.

In fact, veterinary organizations argue that closure of these facilities made the neglect of unwanted horses worse and contributed to the further exportation of unwanted horses to Mexico.