We of course have our usual patchwork of different local and state laws, and I believe it is outright banned in some parts of the country
But overall, federally, I believe it’s more of an issue that there’s so little demand for it that no slaughterhouse for horses has bothered to open and go through the necessary USDA inspections and such to process horses for human consumption.
I believe, if you really wanted to, you could go slaughter a horse yourself and feed it to your friends and family and be totally in the clear, but if you try to sell that horse meat anywhere you’d have the USDA beating down your door (not a lawyer, don’t go feeding your friends horse based on my understanding of the issue)
As for the cultural reasons that Americans don’t want to eat horses and why it is outright banned in some parts of the country, I can’t really comment on that. I’d eat a horse and wouldn’t feel the least bit bad about it.
In the US it’s seen as taboo to eat animals that provide labor or companionship to humans, it’s almost like a betrayal. This includes horses, donkeys, dogs and cats.
Is horse meat illegal? Why?
In the US at least it’s sort of a legal grey area
We of course have our usual patchwork of different local and state laws, and I believe it is outright banned in some parts of the country
But overall, federally, I believe it’s more of an issue that there’s so little demand for it that no slaughterhouse for horses has bothered to open and go through the necessary USDA inspections and such to process horses for human consumption.
I believe, if you really wanted to, you could go slaughter a horse yourself and feed it to your friends and family and be totally in the clear, but if you try to sell that horse meat anywhere you’d have the USDA beating down your door (not a lawyer, don’t go feeding your friends horse based on my understanding of the issue)
As for the cultural reasons that Americans don’t want to eat horses and why it is outright banned in some parts of the country, I can’t really comment on that. I’d eat a horse and wouldn’t feel the least bit bad about it.
In the US it’s seen as taboo to eat animals that provide labor or companionship to humans, it’s almost like a betrayal. This includes horses, donkeys, dogs and cats.
Apparently you guys slaughter quite a lot of horses, but you probably just export the meat, mostly.
Not sure. In Begium I’ve seen butcher shops that specialise in horse meat and in Korea there are restaurants where horse meat is served.
I’ve had horse meat in Italy. Nice with polenta.
Yeah, I live in Korea and bring horse jerky back to the US as gifts. Don’t think customs would like finding it though.
For the Cowboys it’s like eating a pet, which is understandable.