(no subject)

WASHINGTON - 6/30/05 - A study released today reveals the horse
industry contributes $39 billion in direct economic impact to the
U.S. economy and supports 1.4 million full-time jobs.
That's according to an American Horse Council Foundation study
released today, which adds indirect and induced spending related to
the nation's 9.2-million horse population to total $102 billion in
economic impact.

The study, titled The Economic Impact of the Horse Industry in the
United States, is the "most comprehensive research document ever
complied on the American horse industry," American Horse Council
(AHC) officials say.

"This study paints a portrait of an industry that operates in every
corner of the country and contributes mightily to the American
economy and culture," AHC President Jay Hickey says in a prepared
statement. "Never before has the impact of our industry been so
dramatically demonstrated."

Deloitte Consulting, LLC conducted the study polling 400,000 horse
owners and other industry participants last year.

articles/letter

Proposed bill could affect local plant
Cavel International Inc. in DeKalb would likely suffer if bill is
ratified by Senate

Animal lovers who have fought for some time to ban the slaughtering of
horses for human consumption may soon win.

In early June, Rep. John Sweeney (R-New York) and his colleagues were
successful in passing an amendment to the House Agriculture
Appropriations bill that would eliminate horse meat inspections by the
United States Department of Agriculture.

( Read more... )

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Abusing wild horses
Originally published on Thursday, July 07


Here’s a new, potentially profitable sideline for just about anyone — selling old horses.

Here’s how it works: The government sells you some wild horses, and you immediately sell them at a profit to a slaughterhouse who turns them into flank steaks for Europe.

That appears to be precisely the effect of what the federal government has been allowing since last fall when it changed rules for buying, and holding, wild horses who are on the government’s open ranges.

( Read more... )

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This letter is interesting:

America's horses deserve protection
GALE WIOT

Editor:

I would like to respond to Mr. Robert Kauffman's July 3 letter regarding the
slaughter of America's horses. I found it interesting that he found it
alarming to consider horses as pets. Many of us do consider our horses to be
companions and participate in a number of activities with them. And they do
provide hours of relaxation on the trail or in the arena.

( Read more... )