Source:  Various

The full Nebraska Legislature may now debate LB 305 which proposes to establish and fund a state run meat inspection program under the Federal Meat and Poultry Inspection Acts.  The bill was advanced by the State Legislature's Agriculture Committee on a vote of 7 to 1.

While the document does not directly address inspection of horse meat for human consumption, it would sidestep the federal legislation which removed funding for federal meat inspectors at horse meat packing plants.  

By removing funding for meat inspection, the federal legislation was aimed toward and ultimately successful at shutting down the remaining U.S. horse slaughter plants.  

South Dakota is also considering legislation to both provide state inspection and build a new plant.

Currently, U.S. horses destined for slaughter for human consumption must be trucked to plants in Canada or Mexico.

According to the Lincoln Journal Star, the bill was introduced by Sen. Tyson Larson, son of a horse breeder, who maintains that the legislation will allow the development of small, specialty meat processing in markets for horse, ostrich and other exotic livestock.