Earlier, the company had planned to convert a former gas pipeline production facility in southwest Missouri into a horse meat plant capable of processing 200 horses a day. However, due to high conversion costs and protests by residents, the company terminated the proposition.
According to Unified Equine, the former beef plant in Missouri has US Department of Agriculture certification, which is an advantage because similar methods and equipment are used for processing cattle and horses.
In 2011, Congress eased a 5-year-old ban on funding federal horse meat inspections, making it possible to reopen horse slaughtering plants in the US.
Unified Equine noted that most of the horse meat processed at the plant would be shipped overseas.
