This Congressman Isn't Horsing Around

While a lot of other countries in the world have no problem with killing horses for their meat (including most European countries), many Americans find the idea repulsive. And, of course, when Americans find something repulsive they exercise their god-given right to force their preferences on others. A story in this week's CQ Weekly details the strange regulatory obstacles facing both sides of this debate. (subscription required).

For years, members of Congress have sought to shut down the horse meat business in the United States. Their most recent champion is Rep. Edward Whitfield , a Republican from Kentucky, who thought his side had finally struck a fatal blow to the trade by adding language to the fiscal 2006 appropriations law for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) barring the use of federal funding to pay for inspections of horses headed to slaughter. Without the inspections, the theory went, the slaughterhouses would have to close shop.

But the companies, Texas-based Dallas Crown Inc. and Beltex Corp., and Illinois' Cavel International -- all of which are owned by Belgian investors -- have dealt their own blow to that theory. They have petitioned the USDA to allow them to pay for inspections themselves, in line with the practice that governs other animals that are not covered by the Federal Meat Inspection Act, such as rabbit and bison.

The USDA is reviewing "the slaughterers' fee-for-service proposal", but the agency's general counsel has already told Congress that the newly enacted law "does not prevent horse slaughter at all." This has upset Congressman Whitfield and set up a showdown in Congress this year among opposing special interest groups. On the pro-ban side is actress Bo Derek, the National Horse Protection Coalition, the Humane Society, and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. On the pro-freedom side are slaughtering firms and the Horse Welfare Coalition, which represents veterinarians, cattlemen and associations for owners of quarter horses and paints.

Jim Bradshaw, lobbyist for Dallas Crown and Beltex, says Whitfield is trying to kill an industry out of sentimentality. "It's easy to make a case against killing our friend Trigger so some Frenchman can eat what he wants," he says. "But many other countries find it equally offensive for us to eat pork or beef or escargot."

[The spokesperson for Congressman Goodlatte, who opposes the ban] concurs, noting that hundreds of U.S. citizens work in the slaughterhouses. “To wipe that out just because some people think you shouldn’t eat [horse meat] is a little hard to grasp,” she says.

But, such live-and-let-live sentiments don't mean much to Congressman Whitfield who is determined to make his personal preferences the law of the land.

"Horses in America were never raised for human consumption," he says. "We are going to continue to press on this."