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Illinois Senate votes to ban horse slaughter

Posted May 16, 2007 11:00 pm

Laura Camper

By LAURA CAMPER

STATE CAPITOL BUREAU

SPRINGFIELD -- Cavel International, a horse-slaughtering plant in DeKalb that reopened about a week ago, may have to close again due to legislation passed in the Illinois Senate Wednesday.

The plant was closed this spring after a court ruling prohibited the U.S. Department of Agriculture from charging the Belgian company to inspect its meat.

Federal law forbids the sale of horse meat for human consumption in the United States. Meat from horses slaughtered by Cavel is sold overseas, especially in Europe.

House Bill 1711, which would ban the sale of horsemeat in Illinois for human consumption, passed the House April 18. It was approved in the Senate by a vote of 39-16.

Sen. John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said Illinois is the only state in the nation that continues to allow horses to be slaughtered for food.

"Horses are clearly recreational, companion animals," Cullerton said. "They are not livestock raised for food."

He said horses are raised and taxed as recreational and sport animals, and discontinuing their slaughter is the humane thing to do.

Sen. Bradley Burzynski, R-Clare, who represents DeKalb, disagreed, saying Cavel International is providing a valuable service.

"In the state of Illinois, we can't dispose of that horse on our own property anymore," Burzynski said, arguing that Cavel is a humane solution for disposing of an animal at the end of its life.

"People have made this into an animal-rights issue, which I don't believe is really applicable here."

It's an economic issue, he said, and the plant in DeKalb would have to close if the governor signs the legislation.

"This bill costs money," Burzynski said. "It takes money out of the state of Illinois. It takes money out of the city of DeKalb."

James Tucker, general manager of the plant, said Cavel International employs 55 people in DeKalb, all of whom would lose their jobs if the business closes. And the Illinois economy would lose $30 million in foreign trade revenue, he said.

Cullerton said he was sure the plant could reopen slaughtering livestock, but Burzynski and Tucker said that's just not true.

"It's my opinion Sen. Cullerton just doesn't understand agriculture from that standpoint," Burzynski said.

Laura Camper can be reached at (217) 782-6882 or laura.camper@sj-r.com.

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