President Obama's FY 2014 budget contains a proposal to block spending on horse slaughter inspections, a move that would effectively end the prospect of the practice re-starting in the US.
The battle over horse slaughter in the US intensified following news that the US Department of Agriculture was likely to approve horse slaughter operations at Valley Meat Company, Roswell, NM.
USDA confirmed that five companies were seeking permits to operate horse slaughter facilities.
Four members of Congress introduced the Safeguard American Food Exports (SAFE) Act, which would ban slaughter of horses for human consumption in the US and prohibit exporting horses for food slaughter.
But several states passed or considered legislation legalizing horse slaughter. In March, Oklahoma legislators lifted the state's 50-year ban on horse slaughter, legalizing exports of horse meat but maintaining a ban on domestic sales.
