[jenm]

http://www.examiner.com/article/cana...fuse-us-horses

It appears that Canadian slaughterhouses will no longer accept US horses for slaughter for humane consumption.

Truck drivers carrying horses to the border today were called and told to turn back. Livestock auctions notified customers of the change.

Chaos in confirming information has ensued.

"Near as I can find out right now, USDA don’t know anything about it." said an auction house employee in Fallon, NV "It looks like EU (European Union) has stopped taking US horses so the Canadian plants just stopped taking shipments."

The auction house notified consignment clients to hang onto their animals and wait a week until the implications are understood. It appears that the "passport system," requiring statements that horses have not received drugs has been put into play. He was informed that Mexican slaughterhouses were going to follow Canada's lead.

In June the EU released requirements for meat coming into the 27 countries. Under the new regulations, all horses and burros destined for slaughter and export to Europe must have a passport that shows they are free from substances such as phenalbutazone (bute), and clenbuterol. Such substances are carcinogens. Evidence shows that these substances never completely leave an animals body.

The USDA bans the use of these drugs in all controlled livestock production in the US. As horses are not a controlled agricultural product in the US these substances are regularly used on performance and companion animals.

It is unknown if the ban will be lifted as a "passport system" is created or if it will become permanent. The validity of a signed declaration attesting to a "drug-free" animal can be seriously questioned. As these drugs appear to stay in an animals body for it's lifetime, the recognition that horses in America are not an agricultural product may become inevitable.

You can read the European Commission report:Imports of Animals and food of animal origin from non-EU countries here:

http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/chemic...nts_non_eu.pdf


Rumors abound on this, but no doubt our esteemed COTHer, Fairfax will have all the inside information...


Mods: I now see this topic is also under other threads, with less conspicuous titles. Feel free to merge if necessary!

[goneriding24]

As someone said on a FB page, gunshots and big holes in the ground might become the norm pretty soon.

Rereading this, it sounds like I'm aghasted at gunshots and big holes in the ground. For the record, I'm not.

[betonbill]

As someone said on a FB page, gunshots and big holes in the ground might become the norm pretty soon.

Fine with me.

[jenm]

Fine with me.

Me too.

[Frizzle]

As someone said on a FB page, gunshots and big holes in the ground might become the norm pretty soon.

If done by someone who knows how to do it properly, a gunshot would be a far better option than the slaughterhouse.

Personally, I'm glad that the Europeans are no longer accepting our (probably often very tainted) horse meat. The people who eat horses (although I personally find that appalling) will be safer, and people here will have to accept responsibility for their horses' lives/deaths. If you can't can't afford chemical euthanasia, find someone who can put the horse down with a gun or do it yourself--bullets are pretty inexpensive.

[betonbill]

I've always been a big fan of rendering plants, myself.

[jenm]

If done by someone who knows how to do it properly, a gunshot would be a far better option than the slaughterhouse.

Personally, I'm glad that the Europeans are no longer accepting our (probably often very tainted) horse meat. The people who eat horses (although I personally find that appalling) will be safer, and people here will have to accept responsibility for their horses' lives/deaths. If you can't can't afford chemical euthanasia, find someone who can put the horse down with a gun or do it yourself--bullets are pretty inexpensive.

Europeans should be mad as hell at the EU distributors who advertised horse meat as coming from American wild horses raised in lush green pastures.

Yes, this news will bring the pro U.S. slaughter plant folks out in droves, but opening plants in the U.S. doesn't address the problem of drug use in horses.

[Daydream Believer]

I predicted this would happen some time ago. No surprise. The EU can buy what horsemeat they want and leave the rest.

It is true that just opening a plant here will not address the problem.

[Bluey]

I predicted this would happen some time ago. No surprise. The EU can buy what horsemeat they want and leave the rest.

It is true that just opening a plant here will not address the problem.

Right now, it seems that this rumor was started by an animal rights extremist group to give their contention that horse meat is tainted publicity, since they were not getting any traction with that angle.

Don't forget, those animal rights extremists are not really after what europeans choose to eat or not, but after eliminating eventually, one at the time, all uses of animals.

Their followers keep saying they hope those horse meat eaters die.
Nice sentiments, to wish someone die because you don't like their choice of food.

Those animal rights extremist groups, by muddling the issues of abuses to eliminate all uses, are conning some of you into following them blindly, giving them more and more power and, once you realize where this is going, it will be too late.
You too will lose your rights to your animals.

Some will say, naw, that won't happen to me.
My question, why go there, why support those that have shown you who they are by their acts, who have clearly shown what they are after?
Why take those chances, on the gamble that they then will spare what you do with your animals?
Right, doesn't make much sense, as much sense as being a woman and supporting the Taliban.

Be careful who you support, because there is more to all these topics than you may know.

[up-at-5]

May have already been posted somewhere else,
http://rtfitchauthor.com/2012/10/12/...-of-us-horses/

[betonbill]

There have already been reports in Europe that testing has revealed enough contaminated carcasses (bute among other things) for the EU to make public statements about it. Perhaps the EU has decided this is too great a risk for them.

For the 100th time, this has to do with drug contamination, NOT with RARAs or anything else.

[sketcher]

Regardless of what the animal rights activists are spinning, it has always amazed me that the Europeans keep buying their horse meat from the US.

[RiverBendPol]

If this truly has just happened, what is happening RIGHT NOW to the horses who were stopped at the border? Are they standing in their transport vehicles? The horror boggles the mind.

[luvmytbs]

Dave Duquette is not happy

http://horsebackmagazine.com/hb/archives/18560

“As many of you are already aware, there has been a major disruption today in the international trade of U.S. horses going to Canada and Mexico

This is the result of an unexpected and unannounced European Union action. Little official and accurate information is available on a Friday evening, nonetheless, United Horsemen, a 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is devoted to the well being of horses and horse people, and its executive team is working through our international networks, as well as governmental and industry contacts, to get to the bottom of this situation.

We will provide continual updates and information as it comes available, and work with all of you to make sure that our network has accurate and reliable information.

Bear in mind that reestablishing humane horse processing in America is a viable solution needed more than ever with the news of this situation.

As always, United Horsemen continues its work to restore much needed balance in the horse markets and horse industry, while profoundly improving the state of horse welfare.


We call upon all of you, as members of United Horsemen, for your much needed support in our efforts on your behalf and on behalf of the U.S. horse industry.

Warm regards,
Dave Duquette
President
United Horsemen”

[betonbill]

Then there must be some truth to this whole thing.

Again, how will slaughter in the U.S. have anything to do with the inability to trace drug histories in horses?

The only surefire way to do this is raise them specifically for the purpose.

[Fairfax]

Dave is quoting EXACTLY from RARA sites. I was told it was the EID now in effect and that LOOSE running horses must have a 180 day ownership for the importer (whoever buys the horses must have proof of ownership for six months). AGAIN. NONE of this has been confirmed by CFIA, NAFTA and I am waiting to see if Bouvry Foods H.O. will respond to me as they are the largest purchaser.

The vet I know is not back to work until Monday and the Boarder Crossing Agents do NOT know anything about this.

I just spoke with the agent for H.H. Smith Brokerage and they have heard NOTHING about this. As a matter of fact they are just processing the import for 9 truck loads for Monday.

Bottom line is the Vets will have the correct information Monday IF THERE IS ANY INFORMATION

[DeeThbd]

If this truly has just happened, what is happening RIGHT NOW to the horses who were stopped at the border? Are they standing in their transport vehicles? The horror boggles the mind.

I live minutes from the US / Canadian border, and I don't think they will just be able / allowed to sit there. In the case of a driver (regardless if they are carrying produce, furniture, whatever) - if their load is inadmissible, they are turned back and must return to their point of origin.
DRF even has an article, but it's pretty much the same info as other articles.

[Fairfax]

I live five mintes from the Sweetgrass Montana/ Coutts Alberta border crossing. I board horses for those stranded trying to enter the U.S. and the vet is not on duty.

I just got off the phone from an Alberta equine meat buyer who is currently in Wyoming and he has not heard ANYTHING about this.

All of this traces back to a single truck, turned back and the story he told.

United Horsemans is quoting from a RARA site and they told me it is due to EID however that was put in place in July...

Called two other brokerage houses and they have NOT heard anything

Why is it everyone is jumping down and cheering with the RARA's...and this is truly how Salem Witch Hunt started.

[Fairfax]

Dave Duquette is not happy

http://horsebackmagazine.com/hb/archives/18560

“As many of you are already aware, there has been a major disruption today in the international trade of U.S. horses going to Canada and Mexico

This is the result of an unexpected and unannounced European Union action. Little official and accurate information is available on a Friday evening, nonetheless, United Horsemen, a 501c3 nonprofit whose mission is devoted to the well being of horses and horse people, and its executive team is working through our international networks, as well as governmental and industry contacts, to get to the bottom of this situation.

We will provide continual updates and information as it comes available, and work with all of you to make sure that our network has accurate and reliable information.

Bear in mind that reestablishing humane horse processing in America is a viable solution needed more than ever with the news of this situation.

As always, United Horsemen continues its work to restore much needed balance in the horse markets and horse industry, while profoundly improving the state of horse welfare.


We call upon all of you, as members of United Horsemen, for your much needed support in our efforts on your behalf and on behalf of the U.S. horse industry.

Warm regards,
Dave Duquette
President
United Horsemen”

I challenged him for proof OTHER than one trucker who spread the story about his rejection by the BORDER VETS and the reason..to two auction marts. How is it something huge has NO information about it. EU sites are quiet, HSUS has nothing posted and I know they would be the very FIRST to crow on their website...meat buyers don't know anything about it...

[carolprudm]

Regardless of what the animal rights activists are spinning, it has always amazed me that the Europeans keep buying their horse meat from the US.

Exactly. One reason (among many) was the fear a few years ago of Mad Cow.