What could be the nation's only horse slaughterhouse cleared a major hurdle Tuesday in Roswell. Federal agriculture inspectors gave it their OK, and with that step now cleared the owners expect to be in business soon. Protestors stayed away from the Valley Meat Company as U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors paid their visit. But they're still upset about what the plant could mean for Roswell. Company owner Rick de los Santos says it's been tough and expensive to maintain his plant as it sat unused for the last year and a half. A successful USDA inspection took Valley Meat a step closer to opening as the only horse slaughterhouse in the nation. "No recommendations," de los Santos told KRQE news 13. "Usually they come in and recommend this or that. No recommendation. Everything was good." The owners are now awaiting final approval from the USDA. The de los Santos family says they've had problems with people stealing no-trespassing signs in the past. Now they will have round-the-clock security. The de los Santos family says the plan is to export the horses to European countries, Mexico and others for consumption. The owner didn't have an exact timeframe of when they may start but hopes to start hiring right away...
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1 comment:
for the anti horse slaughter people consider this. It takes a minimum of three dollars each day to feed and care for a horse, don't matter if it is grazing or in a corral, BLM or domestic. One thousand pound horse can yield 800 pounds of edible meat, enough to feed a hungry child for 800 days, more or less.
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