Nebraska Senator Tyson Larson has taken what he hopes is the next step towards the return of commercial horse slaughter in the U.S. He has introduced a bill in the NE legislature, LB 305, which would create a state meat inspection program that theoretically would comply with the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act.

If the federal US Dept. of Agriculture and the federal courts accept Sen. Larson’s bill, it would then become legal in Nebraska to slaughter horses commercially for human consumption.

 Currently, because inspections required by the Federal Meat Inspection Act have been de-funded for horses, commercial horse slaughter for human consumption is not legal in the U.S but if state inspectors can legally perform the required inspections, then horses will once again be sent to slaughter houses.

No word on the total cost to the state of assuming responsibility for meeting federal meat inspection requirements. But Larson has indicated in his bill that at least to start $100,000 should be appropriated for the inspections.

Also, it is now well-established that American horses are simply unsafe for human consumption. Horses in the U.S. are not raised for human food and are typically given any number of drugs, steroids, de-wormers, and ointments, some of which have no or a very long withdrawal period, meaning humans would be in danger of consuming horsemeat filled with carcinogens and other such dangerous substances. Neither state nor federal ante-mortem inspectors can confirm any horse is safe to consume. American horses are generally not tracked, and there is no way to know the drugs, steroids or medication given to them. Horses in the U.S. may have several owners, and those that end up at slaughter are usually purchased at auctions or otherwise by kill buyers. These kill buyers probably know nothing about the horses' veterinary or drug history.