Cattle Groups Hope to Join Horse Processing Suit
Northern Ag Network posted on February 22, 2013 10:41 :: 144 Views
Cattle groups are now squaring off against the HSUS in a court case over the processing of horses.
Late in 2012, Rick de los Santos, the owner of Valley Meat Co., filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture alleging that their inability to take action on his applications to have a horse processing plant was driven by emotional and political debates. According to the Los Angeles Times, de los Santos has been converting his existing cattle plant, going through a drought-induced slow down, into a facility that can handle horses and claims its cost him more than $100,000. He also says he's submitted all the needed paperwork into the USDA to become a horse plant and been told continually "Oh, it won't be long now" by the USDA only to wait longer.
His lawsuit has been filed and, with that, we've now seen the Humane Society of the U.S. step up and file a motion to intervene in the case as well as a motion to dismiss. That action prompted the Equine Business Association, the South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, the New Mexico Cattle Growers' Association, several individuals, and R-CALF USA to also file a motion this week to intervene.
Haylie Shipp spoke to R-CALF's CEO Bill Bullard on Friday.
http://www.northernag.net/AGNews/tabid/171/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/7789/Cattle-Groups-Hope-to-Join-Horse-Processing-Suit.aspx
Bill says that in addition, the numbers of abandoned and unwanted horses is also increasing as a result of not having a U.S. horse processing industry.
While both HSUS and R-CALF and the groups named before have filed motions to intervene, neither has been granted intervener status in the case.
© Northern Ag Network 2013
Haylie Shipp
