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Leonhard Foeger / Reuters
An employee of the microbiological laboratory of the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety prepares a sample of minced meat in Vienna this week. The samples of minced meat are tested for the presence of horse meat as a precaution. United States officials say it's highly unlikely the scandal will reach U.S. consumers.
Europe’s scandal over horse meat hidden in beef products -- including recalls of Nestle ravioli and Birds Eye chili con carne -- has renewed questions about whether Americans unwittingly could be eating equine products as well.
U.S. Department of Agriculture regulators say it’s highly unlikely that beef adulterated with horse meat could make it to the nation’s dinner plates because no domestic suppliers currently slaughter horses and the agency has strict labeling and inspection standards for imported meat.
But agency officials also acknowledge privately that species testing for meat imported into the U.S. is performed typically only when there’s a reason to question a shipment.
And a Florida company that supplies the only validated tests for horse meat in food has been slammed with nearly 1,000 requests in recent weeks for its $500 kits -- including orders from major U.S. meat producers.
“It’s becoming a little hectic,” said Natalie Rosskopf, administrative director of Elisa Technologies Inc. of Gainesville. “There was no call for horse testing a month ago. Nothing.”
Continental Europe has been roiled recently by reports of horse meat masquerading as beef in frozen burgers and prepared foods, including frozen dinners and pastas. This week, Nestle announced it was removing chilled pasta products produced by a German supplier, including Buitoni Beef Ravioli and Beef Tortellini, from stores in Italy and Spain, and a lasagna product from France. On Friday, frozen food maker Birds Eye said it would withdraw products including chili con carne from Britain and Ireland because tests detected traces of horse DNA.
The trouble with horse meat hidden in beef is partly a health concern. Meats taken from store shelves in Britain and Germany had traces of a powerful equine painkiller, phenylbutazone, or “bute,” which is banned in animals destined for human food, tests showed.
But it’s also about trust, especially in the U.S., where many shudder at the mere thought of eating horse meat and the deception would raise even more suspicion about a company’s practices.
“If a company is willing to commit fraud, I can’t imagine that food safety is the biggest thing on their agenda,” said Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer and food safety expert who publishes a blog focused on the industry.
In fact, boneless beef adulterated with horse meat -- and with kangaroo -- did make it to the U.S. more than 30 years ago, when mislabeled meat from Australia led to the impounding and testing of 66 million pounds of the product, according to old USDA records found and posted by Marler.
Known as the “Australian meat incident,” the beef substitution scandal prompted swift action and increased scrutiny by agency officials.
USDA officials couldn’t quickly produce records of species testing results in the past 30 years -- or even the past year -- but they say the possibility of that happening again is remote. The U.S. neither slaughters horses nor imports horse meat from other countries, and it doesn’t allow import of beef from the countries and companies involved in the European scandal, an official told NBC News. (He was speaking on background because he said he wasn’t authorized to discuss the issue.)
In addition, USDA inspectors look at every shipment of meat sent through U.S. ports and can demand species testing if anything is amiss, documents show.
Officials with the Food and Drug Administration, which oversees processed foods, said that they had detected no horse meat in imported or U.S.-made food.
“We have no past record or current indication that horse meat is an ingredient in any FDA-regulated processed foods in the U.S.,” Jalil Isa, an FDA spokesman, said in an email. He added that FDA officials are reaching out to Nestle and Birds Eye to ensure that no adulterated food was sent to the U.S. Nestle has said no U.S. products use meat from European sources.
Birds Eye Iglo U.K. products have no connection to the Birds Eye brand in the U.S., which is owned by Pinnacle Foods, and isn’t affiliated with the U.K. supplier.
Producers such as the meat giant Cargill say they don’t import beef from plants that also slaughter horses, or from the companies and suppliers implicated in the European scandal, and they remain confident that their meat is free of adulteration.
“Cargill’s beef supply chain is shorter than those involved in the horse meat issue in Europe and we know, and work directly with, our suppliers, which minimizes the potential for fraudulent substitution of products,” Cargill spokesman Mike Martin told NBC News in an email.
Still, the problems in Europe could prompt renewed scrutiny, he added.
“We do not analyze for other species and are assessing the current situation to determine if this is something we might do in the future,” Martin said.
If they do, they’ll have to turn to Elisa Technologies for the horse species test, said Rosskopf. The company’s meat species kits, which verify animal proteins in raw and cooked meat samples, have been used for years by the USDA and by private firms, she said.
Before the discovery in Europe of horse meat in beef, the firm’s typical demand was for tests for more common species, for instance, to confirm that no pork was present in kosher meat, Rosskopf said. Now, meat suppliers mostly in Europe, but also in the U.S., have been clamoring for the equine test.
Have there been any positive tests so far?
“I can’t say,” said Rosskopf, noting that the company is known for its adherence to confidentiality agreements.
Of course, putting horse meat on the dinner table is common in many countries, including France, Canada, Mexico and Japan, to name a few. And it’s not unheard of on American menus, either. Slaughterhouses that produced horse meat for human consumption were in operation in the U.S. until 2007, when the last three of a one-time high of 16 or 17 plants closed under state and federal pressure.
Congress effectively banned the practice then by refusing to fund USDA inspections of the slaughterhouses. Those efforts were fueled by vocal anti-slaughter activists who regarded the practice as inhumane.
The arrangement stayed in place until 2011, when the Obama administration quietly lifted the restriction, partly out of concern for the neglect of horses in the U.S. and the treatment of horses that were shipped to Canada and Mexico to be killed.
The U.S. exported more than 46,000 metric tons of horse meat in 1990, a figure that fell to about 5,600 metric tons in 2007, when the ban was enacted, industry figures show.
Wyoming state Rep. Sue Wallis is trying to reinstate horse slaughter in the U.S. and to build a new source for the meat in America and abroad.
Her application is among those pending with the USDA to open horse slaughterhouses in Missouri, Iowa and New Mexico. The firms would produce what she and other advocates call “cheval,” horse meat that she said is prized by gourmet cooks and health enthusiasts for its taste and lean profile. Plus, Wallis said, horse meat is generally about 40 percent cheaper than beef.
“There are plenty of people in America who have no problem with cheval and are anxiously awaiting our product,” she said.
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NAY sayers. I say this is complete BULL. Quit horsing around and get My little Pony on the menu..stat. I'd like to gallop on down to my local eatery to gets me a bite. OK I am all out of puns can someone please keep this train a rolling forward for me...
cause that's the way I trot..OK one more for the road.
What a bunch of non news type stories. Isn't there any real news today on NBC?
I predict 2 more gun stories. 2 more blame republican stories, one gay story and nothing on a budget or unemployment. I'm heading over to Yahoo news.
JediUtahn
I am saddled with grief that I have never tried horse meat. But I must wait with bridled joy at the thought.
Jedi, John, - you guys are good - LOL! It is a great news story.
Blutowski just because you don't find it interesting does not mean others will not. I thought it was interesting that Sue Wallis is trying to bring back Mr. Ed to the table...I look forward to it.
I had buffalo, aligator, snake, deer, goat, pig, sheep and they all taste like chicken, I am sure horse will taste like beef.
I will gallop to the store when it in stock.
buffalo, deer, pig (pork) and sheep taste like chicken? what are you doing, deeep frying it in chicken fat?
LOL, do the same to horse problem solved.
The thought of eating horse meat gives me a long face, but that's not my mane concern.
LOL, LOL , this is the best post I have been on in along time...now lets gets serious and stop horsing around.
Did someone say that already?
haggisbingo-2225582
Really?
I am not on the far right but I'll play.
If it wasn't for all of the people on the left waiting for government to save them and them breeding like rabbits over-populating the earth we wouldn't all have to be eating Soylent Green twenty years from now.
I wonder how you will taste? Marinated in a garlic vinaigrette, lightly grilled, seasoned lightly with salt and pepper.
Just remember, you went there.
The way our population continues to grow we'll soon be eating soylent green!
Whoa! All you punsters shouldn't get your pony tails all in a knot trying to come up with applicable comments. Just rein in your compulsions and use a little horse sense because it's a cinch that you may be out-flanked and nosed out by others who trotting out their unbridled puns.
Louie Bee
LOL I think you won! You get to eat the pizzle.
So what is wrong with horse meat, dog, cat or snake.If you are hungry eat it... MOnkey is ok also, Feed the hungry!!!
A.... horse is a horse of course of course.. unless it's in your ravioli sauce, so now your horse is a second course, thank you Mr. ED...
Ah, clever posts -- funny -- but seriously how can horse meat be any cheaper that of cows? -- recognizing that it must take as much money to raise a horse as it does a cow. There must be a financial incentive here otherwise they wouldn't do it. In this time of cutting American federal budgets, hopefully it will not occur in the agency responsible for safe guarding our food.
As long as it was significantly cheaper than beef, I would gladly eat some horse meat.
The way the price of groceries has been going through the roof, I have been contemplating a canine safari for a while now and I'm sure horse is better than dog.
Mike-1145948
I loved that show growing up. I just looked up some favorite quotes and they still make me laugh.
john-737278
Mr Ed will never speak unles he has something to say...LOL Thanks
What I think is silly in all this is that when you ask kids today where beef comes from and they say the grocery store. They have no idea. Man have they been sheltered. In reality, there is a very simple solution.
Find a local farmer that raises cows, or go to a butcher shop and ask them for a couple. Tell the rancher you want a cow, they will send it to the butcher, and you will pick up what you know is beef. Most of the time the rancher will either say do you want a full, half, or quarter, or you can buy the whole thing and share the costs with friends and family. You can specify everything from the thickness of the steaks to how many pounds of hamburger per bag. The last one we got was around $3.50 per pound hanging weight(about the cost of crappy hamburger at the store)
Sometimes in the sterilized world we live in I think we lost some things along the way.
There's absolutely no reason why we shouldn't be eating horse. The species was originally domesticated for meat, milk and as a beast of burden. But now they've become a pet species. Cows are more intelligent, pigs way more so and we eat them.
Theo:
It's the drugs in the horse meat. They aren't intended for human consumption. If horses were raised like cattle and hogs the drugs would not be given to them.
I have no desire to eat Trigger. Period.
The issue is not safety. The issue is one of labeling. If you buy beef, you should be getting beef. If you buy beef and get apples you're going to be pretty angry.
John, might I ask who encourages "breeding like rabbits"? That would be right wing nutsacks....it's in their Buy-Bull. They just want as many babies to be born as possible....for?......enslavement? Once they are born they don't give a sh!t about them, could care less if they live or die.....unless it affects them. As far as horse meat.....eat whatever YOU want....hell...eat you kids if you want. Most horses have FAR more sense than MOST humans. Remember.....you are only top of the food chain if you have a weapon........no weapon....YOU are lunch meat.
The other morning when it was only 10 degrees outside I passed a pickup on the side of the freeway with the rear window of the topper open, and just then these two older guys threw a frozen deer carcass into the back of their pickup that plainly had been road-kill.
Where do all of our 99-cent cheeseburgers come from if not from either horse meat or roadkill if the price of hamburger at the grocery store would mean that such burger places would have to sell their low-price burgers at a loss?
Old Timer - enough conspiracy, those fast food joints use COW for their burgers, plus a ton of preservatives. That 99cent 1/8lb patty means McD's makes about $8/lb of beef they sell, and with volume purchasing I'm sure they get beef far below the grocery store average of $3.50/lb. Trust me even with the cost of the bun, condiments, etc. they are not selling at a loss, they enjoy quite a nice margin.
However I need to point out that the price of the long-gone "value menu" that used to be $1 is creeping up to $1.29, $1.59, etc. Beef supply has going down (finished weight is about 30 lbs less per head than 5 years ago due to feed price), and therefore the price of beef has risen. Perfect reason to introduce a new meat source into our food supply. Have you noticed every fast food chain has been advertising Fish like crazy the past few months? Like that really hot chick eating a Cod Fish sandwich (um, no longer attractive) in the Hardee's commercial....and fish McNuggets, WHAA?? The days of the "low priced" burger are slowly fading, and fast food joints are absolutely going to turn to substitutes to keep profits up.
groucheeoleman
I agree, but it was both sides that created the completely flawed system. I would simply like to see rational solutions to problems rather than throwing good money and energy after bad. I can argue both sides equally. I am just sick of sides.
I would also have liked to have not seen haggis boy spewing in the middle of what was a nice thread.
I can't even stand to read Newvine anymore there are so many horse's azzez.
I think it is best to not know what one eats, as long as it tastes good and it passes all health and food safety/labelling requirements, it’s OK. Horse meat is one of those things. It tastes good, it’s lean and healthier than many other things we currently eat and admire.
I would rather see it eaten by us than turned into pet food, so stop being “so precious” and try it!
To slaughter is where almost all STOLEN horses go.
Hey, how about lets eat dogs and cats too? Other barbaric countries do.
Fawna
Its not just in other countries. 25 years ago my wife and I had two dogs disappear from our front yard. They were found about a week later with about thirty others hung in someones garage tenderizing.
Let the "Progressive" liberals eat each other. There's plenty of free meat for all and plenty of fat cows on couches in America to be found. Simple economic law of supply and demand would apply along with generous seasoning. The strong will survive.
If politicians are screwing the average American with impunity, heck I wouldnt be surprised we are being fed horse meat masquarading as beef...why not?
Ever notice sometimes those walmart foods taste kinda funny...could be the Gastric cancer-causing nitrate preservertives or could be horse meat or worse especially if they are from China...
In my own humble opinion, the Chinese are silently suffocating us with poisonous foods and their weapon of choice? Ethyl Glycol (Antifreeze)
They would not hesitate to do so those pesky chinamen...why else would baby diapers and doggie biscuits be lased with ethyl glycol? Trying to eliminate the kids and the pets first...
Years ago I remember looking at some porn where some ladies thought horse meat was the best, bigger than any dude they ever knew.
Don't really understand what the big deal is to people. Most of humanity are carnivores by nature and if people eat beef, why should horse meat be any different?
If I may.... I'd rather eat horse meat, that the horse $hit the administration is serving up the last 5 years!
You're probably so full from eating the previous 8 years of horse @!$%#, it just doesn't appeal to you any longer....LOL!!
Mark, I think haggis and moshululuulu eat Barry's 'stuff' every day... they'd be better off eating horse meat... less indigestion!
America is suffering a major case of indigestion as we speak. It's the economy stupid!
John737278...are you for real you found dogs hanging in a garage like that?? How awful.
I think it comes down to we Americans get attached to our animals and don't like to eat our friends...the only time it seems kosher to eat them is in a survival situation, and a dog with the amazing souls they have would probably be happy if he were to help out and we survived. I love dogs but wouldn't eat them, but I would in a survival situation and I would eat people too...I just wouldn't brag about it or start out on a family member or friend. I would start to munch on the biggest jerk in the group, but out of respect I would start on his ass so there's a little retribution for him.
JOKE: So what did one gay horse say to the other gay horse......??? Haaaaaay. :)
JediUtahn
Actually, we called the cops when they disappeared. The police had received many calls about the same thing and finally busted an Asian ring in the next city that was selling them to their own. It is awful, because they hang them until almost dead and let them live for a while and then do it again thinking that it tenderizes the meat.
And when they did finally bust them, the cops simply brought the collars back to us.
@john-737278
Really? You actually seem on the right side to anyone because:
How in your extreme vomit of wisdom will you consider "people on the left" the sole recipients of government assistance, when it is common knowledge that most welfare recipients belong to both "liberal and conservative" affiliations? In fact, the ones you might refer as cheaters of the system and not genuinely in need of services) don't belong to any ideology or principle, and couldn't care less about any party in power.
Wise up and get off your "high horse" guy! You're generalizing according to your personal views.
In the US they substitute rat and dog.
.
lilirocks
And who the @!$%# are you to tell me what to believe. If I choose to believe that humanity is a plague on this planet that is my choice and is not subject to yours. I never stated that people on the left are the only recipients of welfare. Both sides want what others have. What you don't seem to understand is that I really don't like humanity much, and now I like one even less.
So there you go. Is that a generalization enough?
As far as the article goes, and apart from all political stupidity not belonging here, we don't have huge commercial slaughterhouses in the U.S for horses. It would be very rare to find horse meat mixed with beef in any place in our country.
Would it bother me? Absolutely not. Cattle and equine meat belong to mammals we use as meat. Even if horse meat is not popularized in the U.S., it is in many other countries of our Hemisphere. Sorry, but if you feel horrible about eating horse meat, you should feel the same about eating beef.
@john-737278
That I can remember, never told you what to believe.
Stupidity is a very common illness in our country. btw, I don't like you either, though I don't even know you!
the problem here is not with eating horse meat. it is with the deception that is facilitated by an vastly overly complicated supply system. they wanted beef to make frozen lasagna, so they got frozen beef from a guy who got it from a guy who got if from a guy who got it from a guy who got it from a guy who got it from a horse butcher in Romania.
WHY? if you want beef to make frozen lasagna, what is so hard about finding someone who owns cows and buying the cows from them? nobody ever looked at a horse and mistook it for a cow.
no wonder food prices are so high. how many people have needlessly imposed themselves into the supply chain, selling the meat for profit 4, 5, 6 times before someone actually cooks it and eats it? how many people do that IN AMERICA? how many hands does OUR food go through unnecessarily, resulting in much higher prices, just so some a-hole doesn't have to find a way to be a productive member of society?
BUY LOCAL!
MmmmMmmmBeer - They're not advertizing fish because it's cheaper than beef. They're advertizing it because it's lent. And Catholics aren't allowed to eat meat except for Fish. So they can either lose 25% of their business or they can advertize that they have an option that good Catholics can eat too.
truthhurts - not everyone has room to buy a whole cow and keep it in their freezer. Also not everyone lives in an area that ranches cattle intended for food. All the cows I know of in Jersey are dairy cows, not beef cows. That's why there's the rancher, the slaughter house, the distributors and the grocer. If the food is processed there's a manufacturer in there somewhere.
lilirocks
Stupidity? Well I guess that is a matter of perspective, isn't it. Thanks for the lecture anyway. I don't think it is myself that believes they are riding a stallion.
Haggis bingo
You'll eat whatever the farmers feed you, because you don't have a choice, you have no capacity in the matter.
Farmers slaughter there own food ! If a farmers eating horse it's because he wants to.
If your eating horse well ... Your not a farmer.
MmmMmmBeer
What do you mean that they don't sell cheap burgers at a loss??? How do you figure they they can keep the lights on, let alone pay their employees???
I hear ya' on the beer too!!!
LOL! I predict you are an old, white, christian, male. If you don't like NBC, find another channel/website. And if you get your news from Yahoo, well, I have no other words.
Aftre the pink slime fiasco can we really trust these people to expose themselves if they are doing it?
Has nobody noticed this story's timing with the Dr. Betances audio that has hit the air?????
Say "THANK YOU BIG GOVERNMENT."
Justification must be made for looming budget cuts and EVERYONE gets hailed as a superhero for being a good part of a budget we can not cut anywhere EXCEPT military. From here it is likely a news reporter will ask a question from some lowly politician drek like, I dunno, Pelosi! Only she will be brave enough to stand up and say with budget cuts coming you MAY eat horse in the US and NOT know it.
just wait for Obammacare taxes to kick in 2014, non-union whites will be forced to eat thier cats & dogs.....Horse meat will be only for the Savages that voted for O'Bama ( 98% ).
Regardless of how you feel about eating horse meat, it's vitally important that people know what they're eating. My daughter is seriously allergic to horses. No idea if it's the horse's hyde that has the allergens, or the whole horse, but I imagine if she were to eat a hamburger laced with horse meat, her throat would close up and she'd be struggling to breathe.
People have a right to know what they are eating, so they can take responsibility for their own health. You cannot avoid eating certain ingredients you know will make you sick if you do not know what the ingredients are.
Well then what would they call a chicken fried steak..?
And what will you do when a Congressperson suggests for law, a ban on beef products for food stamp families and suggest a cheaper alternative to beef? Never trust a Corporation, I have yet to see one be ethical instead of greedy. We will see horse meat in the menu soon. If they can force GMFoods down us, why not a little Mr. Ed?
Actually, it's like Gov Bobby Jindal, R, LA said about most republicans, you know, the "Stupid Party!"
1.) Damn, you sound like one of those cannibals from some isolated long lost Island....LOL!!!
2.) I bet you're pro-life too (breeding like rabbits over-populating the earth), well, for a certain breed of people, but not all.....LOL Come on big guy, admit it.
LOL....Non-union whites, are those like Non-union blacks?
moshuluu, lilirocks, haggis have all proven that horse's asses aren't always on the end of a horse ...sometimes they speak and can type! They can even vote and bet I can guess which horse's ass they voted for! The guy who still hasn't learned how to stop campaigning and start leading!
moshuluu
Cannibal? No Pro-life? Not even remotely.
If you are actually interested in where my opinion stems, buy or rent Soylent Green. I know it is an old movie, but it has some very valid points. It is about over-population on a global scale to the point that we have destroyed most tillable land and we can't grow the food necessary to support humanity any longer. Most people are so dependent on government that when starving, they will eat anything, and don't even ask what is in the food, most are simply on welfare and dependent. Because of this dependence and faced with lack of choices, the government and the Soylent Green Corporation start to process the dead into food. And because it is so processed, people don't even realize what they are eating. I think we could say that about much of we eat nowadays.
So, no, I am not pro life because it is a population problem that is not being addressed. We, as a society have simply glossed over it finding it easier to simply give welfare instead of dealing with the real problem which is breeding.
As far as being a cannibal, I guess time will tell whether we as a society go down the same path as the movie.
MK, and that same guy you're talking about - our own BO... has also admitted he likes to eat dog! So, it's not a stretch to say he could soon recommend we incorporate horse meat into our diet because it's cheaper and we'd have more money to pay for his inefficient obamacare debacle!
And of course his acolytes will eat it up! (Pun intended)
john, I too remember Soylent Green! An early Charlten Heston movie. And I too can see us moving in that direction, slowly but surely. Food costs are rising unusually fast because of the extended drought, more people are becoming dependent on government, shrinking farm land, etc., lots of reasons to be concerned! And in Mark's post below yours, the idea that our government would encourage food sources like horse meat or dog meat as a cheap alternative is not too far fetched!
Mooch.
You mean those entitlement blacks? Go to any large U.S. city & you'll see non-union blacks selling dope or voting for a dope. 3 or 4 times.
Blutowski, I agree with your post 1.1. And since the community couldn't handle it, I'll repost it:
"What a bunch of non news type stories. Isn't there any real news today on NBC?
I predict 2 more gun stories. 2 more blame republican stories, one gay story and nothing on a budget or unemployment. I'm heading over to Yahoo news."
Of course, that's why NBC is finishing dead least in Feb sweeps month.... and why they came in dead last in the most recent poll of most trusted news networks. But that's ok, NBC, keep up the biased coverage. I'm enjoying your real-life remake of the titanic.
Everything is wrong with it. Your anthropocentric mindset is why we have the problems in this world we do. Humans are NOT the center of the universe, and DO NOT have the right to kill other creatures to satisfy our insatiable desire for meat, which is completely unnecessary for our survival. What if somebody decided to 'feed the hungry' with a filleted you? How would you like that??
With the world population growing as it is that just may be in the future to feed everyone.
And how are we going to do that, PWD? It takes 5,000 gallons of water to produce ONE POUND of beef. (No research has been done on a pound of horse.) We're running out of water, which is more important than food of any kind.
Now I know what that drunken Australian guy was pouring wine over in that old show The Galloping Gourmet.
Enneagram1
I have eaten all of the above mentioned by Dan in #1.13 and had absolutely no problems. Whether you like it or not, Homo Sapiens are carnivorous by nature and it is known as survival of the fittest. If you cannot accept that than that is your problem. What gives you the right damn others for their cultural beliefs and habits? Do what works for you and leave others alone! By the way, what you describe in your last two sentences is known as cannabalism and is frowned upon in most civilized societies around the world.
john-737278
"Stupidity a matter of personal perspective"? Sure it is. Lets see now.
So in your misanthropic perspective do you expect to accomplish any palpable change in human society? If not, why are you living among a society that you hate? Might it be because it gives you personal advantages that you could not obtain on your own? Maybe, even a more fulfilling life?
Maybe you are prone to project your fears and most deeply disliked personal characteristics onto others, rather than engage in self introspection. Maybe you see the reflection of the worst of your own personality in others. But for all I care, though you try to blend in without taking any sides or principles, you are definitely riding on that high stallion that you so willfully deny.
Pal, whether you eat horse meat or not, you definitely burp a lot of BS!
@Memphis Kelly
You're the perfect example of the illiteracy problem in our Education system and not even worthy of a respond (I'm not in the business of Education). Come up with something of value after you take a few courses and then we can engage in some conversation.
In the meantime, Adios.
lilirocks
Exactly why can I not have values that don't follow the norm of either left or right that cannot still be deemed as values?
FYI, I am quite comfortable with who I am and my belief system. I am not here for others. I came into this world alone, and can easily guarantee that I will leave it the same. I also believe that I would be able to survive without all the crap, can you say the same?
I honestly don't believe you are in the right attempting to judge me. And even if you were, I still believe that I have the right to refute your claims. And before you judge me on one post alone, perhaps you should read the rest. Your liberal crap fest that you throw at me has really no affect and never will.
What is the big deal about horse meat? Or, for that matter, other animals than cow, swine or fowl? If one took a look at history, one would find that horse meat was, in fact, sold here and eaten here until the Law was changed. Animal Rightists?
You don't have to be rude to state your case. Since I am not rude, I will not respond in kind. I'm sorry, but you are wrong. We are actually herbivores and not carnivores by nature. And I'll tell you why:
Humans are not anatomically suited to be omnivores. We don’t anatomically match up with omnivorous animals any more than we do with carnivorous ones. Omnivores are more similar to carnivores than they are to herbivores
Enneagram1
I don't know if you are going to come back here, but I thought you might like some reading. And while I agree with much of what is in it, I don't like the government implementing it behind our backs. They should just be truthful to the public. It is Agenda 21 by the UN signed by Bush 1 and re-affirmed by Clinton addressing sustainability of life on earth.
http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/spec/aress19-2.htm
John-737278: This is something I would be interested in reading. Thanks for providing this link.
Your welcome. I had another that was more recent that went into specifics regarding population control, but the link wasn't there when I looked. You might find it looking on the UN web sight under Agenda 21
Enneagram1
If you took my post above as being rude, please accept my apologies as such was not my intention. I was simply responding to your post above in #1.68. With further thought, it is probably better st state that humanity is more omnivorous than carnivorous. Either way, we still require the proteins from meat in out diets to survive.
Oh, boy, do I wish this conversation were over; however, I feel I must respond to your recent comment. I am a living example that humans do not need proteins from meat in our diets to survive. I have been vegetarian since 1967 and have never been sick, never even had a cold; and am looking forward to the next several decades of living on the planet. So, based on pretty significant evidence, I must humbly disagree with your statement.
Enneagram1
At least we agree on one thing. I too wish this conversation to be over, so we may as well just agree to disagree an let it go at that as I take good care of myself, enjoy my steaks, which I eat in moderation along with my charbroiled burgers and also rarely are ever sick. I wish you well on your next several decades, as I plan on enjoying mine as well. Have a good day.
Generally 40% cheaper than beef. I doubt that will happen in the U.S. There will probably be a small market for it and they will label it with some generic term like delicacy and charge big bucks for it.
Oklahoma is quickly pushing a bill to allow the slaughter of horses in it's state. They think it is more humane and and a money maker, but the meat will only be shipped out of the country. I live here, I know.
Carl, Carl, Carl, the US is already slaughtering horses in the US. It is legal here. They claim they are only selling it to other countries but remember the filler in hamburger, PINK SLIME, while not horse meat it went unreported and unadvertised! They didn't tell us about that until a whistle blower exposed the practice.
Horse slaughter legal once again in the United States (Photos)
Despite the cries of advocates from across the country to take the language out of an appropriations bill that would fund the inspection of horse slaughter plants and keep horse slaughterhouses closed down, it all fell on deaf ears when President Obama signed into law the bill that did include that language. Source.
Horse slaughter is NOT illegal in the United States, though certain states (such as New Jersey) ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. The problem with using horse flesh for food is that saddle soap might slightly taint the meat. What IS illegal (by federal statute) is killing wild mustangs that were released in the US hundreds of years ago by the Spaniards. Some believe wild horses are an invasive species that foul springs and increase erosion by tearing up creek banks and destroying native habitats. However, there are tens of thousands more head of cattle and sheep being grazed for profit on public lands that do far more harm to the landscape than the relatively few wild herds left behind after the massive Bureau of Land Management roundups in recent years.
Although some states prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption, there is no federal law banning the practice. There are cultural taboos against the consumption of horse meat, which is why most horses slaughtered in the US are exported to other countries. Plus, since horses are not raised for human consumption like cattle, for instance, their diets are not free of drugs and feed additives that would be considered undesirable for the palette of European horse meat purchasers.
horse meat is delicacy? horse meet should cost more because there are no horse farms for horsemeat yet.
Like there are deer farms and venison still more expensive then beef. Plus horse lovers may want to ban horsemeat supply byway of boycotting the retailers etc. So, if social stigma cause a price drop to be 40% of beef prices, let's all create a stigma for king crab so price can drop to 40% of lobster. yeah!
Hello Carl, unfortunately horse slaughter is legal in the US. As to whether it has found its way into the US food supply, who knows? Remember the unadvertised PINK SLIME that was filler in hamburger? That went unadvertised and unreported until a whistle blower exposed the practice. Click on source below to be taken to the article with more information.
Horse slaughter legal once again in the United States (Photos)
Despite the cries of advocates from across the country to take the language out of an appropriations bill that would fund the inspection of horse slaughter plants and keep horse slaughterhouses closed down, it all fell on deaf ears when President Obama signed into law the bill that did include that language. Source.
Horse slaughter is NOT illegal in the United States, though certain states (such as New Jersey) ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. The problem with using horse flesh for food is that saddle soap might slightly taint the meat. What IS illegal (by federal statute) is killing wild mustangs that were released in the US hundreds of years ago by the Spaniards. Some believe wild horses are an invasive species that foul springs and increase erosion by tearing up creek banks and destroying native habitats. However, there are tens of thousands more head of cattle and sheep being grazed for profit on public lands that do far more harm to the landscape than the relatively few wild herds left behind after the massive Bureau of Land Management roundups in recent years.
Although some states prohibit the slaughter of horses for human consumption, there is no federal law banning the practice. There are cultural taboos against the consumption of horse meat, which is why most horses slaughtered in the US are exported to other countries. Plus, since horses are not raised for human consumption like cattle, for instance, their diets are not free of drugs and feed additives that would be considered undesirable for the palette of European horse meat purchasers.
Lets get some of those wild mustangs in the cooler. What not killing is fattening.
Once in my life I did buy and eat horse meat. It appeared redder and less fat-flecked than beef and it didn't taste bad at all. I survived and still exist even decades later.
I have not seen horse meat in supermarket meat shelves since then. But as ground meat, sausages, etc, it could easily still be there. I would not necessarily objec.
TrustVerify, sorry but you are wrong. The Prez did sign the Ag Appropriations bill which 3 legislators sneakily removed the language defunding horse meat inspections. This was part of an enormous bill and to not sign it would have shut down a huge portion of govt. While this action did set up the POSSIBILITY of funding horse meat inspections there is currently no budget for it. Meat cannot be sold without USDA inspection. The horse slaughter houses tried to hire their own inspectors but this action was shut down by the courts. The USDA has taken financial hits to their budget and have no personnel to inspect food that is NOT eaten in America but only for export. They have even had to close down offices. They can barely keep the food we do eat safe. Why would we want to pay millions upon millions of our tax dollars to inspect food we do not eat? There is currently NO horse slaughter in the US (unless you count those criminals in FL that steal horses and butcher them fully conscious during the entire atrocity along side the roads ). The USDA states that it will be a long time before this is even possible regardless that the fools in OK want to spend money on a horse slaughter plant when the demand for this product is steadily decreasing. The horse slaughter plants in Canada are having problems not going into bankruptcy and some already have.
Horses are not raised as food animals and therefore there is no oversight into the drugs that are given that horse over its lifetime. Bute is a commonly administered drug. It is one of many that are routinely given to horses. The drug does remain in the tissues and if tests are run correctly is found to be present. The passport system that is used to track horses and the meds in Europe has already shown fraud while the paperwork that accompanies US horses is filled out by the kill buyers who have no knowledge of the previous life of that horse. While yes you can probably eat a single meal without undue effects there are some countries where their people have eaten many meals of horse meat. How many of the cancers and fatal anemias could be traced back to eating tainted and toxic meat? With the vast variety of food that we have available to us why would anyone want to consume the most toxic product out there?
Trust,
Pink slime is still actual meat. It is meat where the fat is centrifuged out and then exposed to ammonia or citric acid to kill bacteria.
Trust - there were only three horse processing plants in the US, and those were closed nearly a decade ago.
"Pink slime" is processed beef with high amount of nitrate (preservative) added....basically the same reason that delicious corned beef sandwich at Carnegie Deli is bright pink in color.
I see all you city people think eating horse meat is just a fine idea. You all have never even been around horses.
Fawana
Not a city dweller and still think eating horses is a fine idea, it can be a stable food source. I wonder how corned horse would taste.
To all the folks who would like to eat horse meat, I hope you choke on it. Horses are pets, not a food source. Horses are filled with carcinogenic drugs like bute (and the racehorses are filled with steroids). Many older horses that go to slaughter are riddled with cancer.
Horse owners live in fear that their horses will be stolen without trace. These were little girls' ponies, cart horses, race horses, trail buddies, fancy dressage horses, etc. They worked hard and their reward is to be a dinner? The nasty Amish send all their work horses to slaughter. They are animal abusers. Horses have earned our trust and deserve our loyalty. Horse slaughter is horribly cruel as horses are not easy to stun - they are a flight animal. They are often hooked up by a back leg while still conscious. They also suffer horribly on their way to slaughter - pregnant mares are mixed in with stallions, big horses are mixed in with small horses and even foals. Foals born in transit are smashed in the head by workers. Workers poke out the eyes of horses to end aggressiveness. No food or water is provided for the horses once they leave the feedlot (and sometimes even at the feedlot). Did you also know that the slaughterhouses will not take skinny horses? These skinny horses are dumped in the Texas/Arizona deserts.
There are currently NO slaughterhouses in the U.S., though it IS legal to slaughter them since 2011. Lots of illegal horse slaughter is done by the Cubans in Florida. Plenty of that meat enters the U.S. food system. Lots of horse meat crosses back into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico.
Oklahoma just approved horse slaughter. I am sure it is no coincidence that wild horses rounded up by the BLM are kept in huge warehousing systems in Oklahoma. It will not be long before these wild horses will head to slaughter (cattlemen and oilmen need the wild horse territory). We will soon have no more wild horses left in the U.S. - most are now in holding facilities.
Again, if you support the killing of these beautiful creatures for meat, I hope you get sick.
Hahahaha I see what you did there.
I should've been more clear the doubt I had was that it would be cheap. I'm down for some grilled Cheval.
down with big brother
Did you pass history class in High School?? Because if it were not for the French we'd all still be saying "Long live the Queen".
Linda Brown, I agree with you! Despite the nutritional value, I would not consider eating horse of dog meat as I've had both for pets.
It seems the President doesn't make that distinction. As he has admitted to eating and liking dog meat and also has a pet dog!?
Linda Brown
Your post is so full of bull @!$%# it would take a day to correct it all. Do you just make that crap up or do you actually believe it???
@Linda Brown
So a drug infused, cancer riddled animal makes for a great pet?
I can respect your love of horses, but your post is full of horse sh!t.
the point attempting to be made as horsepeople we spend tons of money preparing them for use, and we cannot protect them from all illnesses and that the industry is trying to hide except to certain people the dangers of what we use in our horses until someone attempts to eat them. I want to let people know that horses in the most recent years are NOT for food source and we have loaded them with everything and discovered many new illnesses and problems never before seen in horses. We cannot eat these animals. They were sending them overseas because they dont care if people they will never meet get sick or die. Horse killer buyers are seedy, hatefull people who have had some bad expiriences with animals and make a living stealing and killing them so they dont care who eats them or what the consequences are. Because the slaughterhouse will pay the price in a lawsuit the shady horse dealer figures he wont be sued or charged if people die. So why risk it? As far as disease ridden animals-every creature has a right to live
Is there any truth to the rumor that wal-mart uses 25% horse meat in their hamburger?
Nay...they use human flesh and chicken tumors. I DONT get any meat from them any more...to many WTF is that right there moments.
i would not shop for food at wall mart. most of the things they have there is processed in china. they freeze it ship then unthaw for the shelf.
Chicken tumors.LOL
Good one despite that stupid mask.
Has anyone been killed by eating Wal Mart's WTF stuff?
My father-in-law had to eat worse sheite in prison of war camp in Poland, he did just fine. My dad always said as I watched the fly doing the backstroke in my soup ..... whats not killing is fattening, eat the damn thing.
Walmarts beef is @!$%#ing gross!
I don't know where they get it but it does not seem right for sure. Color is always off, too light a pink or just downright gray, either way, they can keep the @!$%#!
I do buy most of my groceries there, only beacuse they are the cheapest in my area but, I go ahead and pay a little more and get my beef from a local meat market that is supplied by local ranches.
Where do you think Wal Mart gets their beef.
Hey Blutowski o.o............. its MR. STUPID MASK to you!! Don't mess with Darth Fawkes bro...I will sword you with my saber home skillet. My the farce be with you...sorry may the schwartz be with you. :)
NOTE: Just for the record and so everyone knows that I only wear this mask symbolically...I don't wear this when I have a sexy time. I have a Homer Simpson mask for those 23 seconds...of two inches of twichen' fury baby!!!
Can't remember the last time I've eaten a hamburger or anything from a fast food joint, restaurant, anyone's home, my home, too many possibilities for too many nasty things in ground beef. We bought ourselves a machine, we ground our own chicken/turkey breast, and use it instead of ground beef.
That's just me.
This is why it is a great idea to raise your own beef and pigs, at least you can control where they are processed at and can have a general idea of how clean the processing facility is.
i usually buy local for that at the co-op. you know what farms you are getting it from then.
Yeah the local Thoroughbred farm
Raising livestock is a lot of work for someone with a full time job, raising a family.
If I ever pick up a place with enough property, I would rather grow grass and trade/sell hay than raise livestock.
Texas is cattle country and there is always demand for hay. So, I figure, if I always have hay, I will always be able to trade for meat and 90+% of the work is done from the seat of a tractor.
Nevermind that anybody who lives in high density housing owns no land. Lots of people live in high density housing.
Haha could you imagine if all of the 8million residents of NYC each raised a cow and pig on Manhattan island? Sad truth is that "buy local" doesn't apply to most people living in the real world, local agriculture is simply unsustainable for our growing population (both domestic and global).
I get where you are coming from but don't care much for the misconception that people who live in rural areas do not live in the "real world"
Americas farms could sustain our population without imported food. We would just be eating a whole lot more corn, and green veggies would be crazy expensive in the winter.
Sue Wallis wants to slaughter horses and cattle in the same plant, anyone else think that's not the best idea?
if you keep it separated, then its not a big deal. many food processing plants do multiple types of food...
no
Here's a possible scenerio:
cows: cows husbandry is for pets, milk, cheese, and flesh meat. Bulls are use in entertainment for bull riding, but not nationwide level like college football is nationwide level.
horses: horse husbandry is for business for entertainment, business for mule pulling, business for gambling entertainment, pets, and for flesh meat. Horses has more variety of values alive as a business asset, currently.
summary: In looking for chaos events from merging processing for horsemeat and beef from raw resources, it can be very easy to identity possible chaos events.
For example, assume factory plant processes beef and horsemeat, then due to the diverse values to keep a horse a alive, there can exist an incident where a business place value for a horse is mistakenly misplace and currently being process for horsemeat. This means shutting down entire factory plant to locate the horse and picking it out from the mass of horses awaiting for slaughter. But why stop process of beef? Because, beef, it is consider same raw resources as horse or cow for the same factory or plant.
Separation in processing of raw livestock separates the inherent chaos from processing such livestock. One can combine processing of various raw material when one has experience to do. There currently is no experience for processing horsemeat because congress just lift a ban on horsemeat factory.
The food industry is pushing for AgGag laws proving that they have a lot to hide from the consumer. If horse and other meat was slaughtered in the same plant I can guarantee that there would be the same problem that Europe is seeing now. In the meat industry it is kill 'em, skin 'em, cut 'em up, package 'em up and ship 'em out as quickly as possible. We have already had testimony from people in slaughter houses regarding the conditions there. We don't need to add another layer of contamination to the food that is available to us to eat.
Horses are a flight animal and the ways used to kill cattle do not work on horses. Plus, you are a monster for even thinking of killing a horse.
BD;
Wrong!!!. Beef processing plants do only beef, Pork only pork and poultry only poultry. Check the FDA, Department of Agriculture
and USDA laws on the subject. Let's leave the horse meat to the French, the "oh so civilized French who have been eating horse meat for hundreds of years. But then, they think snails a delicacy.
That's scamming the IRS-using a Fedeal law to protect the Rescue from paying taxes confiscating or taking in horses for free and accepting tax free donations, meanwhile, whoops did that horse make his way to slaughter I thought we got it a good home. That's how they will scam the government while getting free animals, donations, keeping tax dollars, and have tax payers pay the bill, while getting paid for killing the animals in the slaughterhouse illegally according to the IRS. So if they do this, why can't we make a bank give us all their money without a gun and a note. Why not be able to walk right in and say gimme and walk away scott free> same thing aint it.
-nothing better than barbequed horsesteaks; better yet - newborn horses!
I'll bet the neighborhood children run when they see you because they don't want to be on the barbie.
would love an invite for a cook-out.
Lol, another big story for folks to go on about; Horse meat in America. Hell, meat is meat, people have been eating horse meat for as long as Man has hunted. There's really a sensitivity issue here, lol, don't eat 'ol Dobbin.
OK PLEASE read DRUGS in horses. The french are even reducing the amount of people that have ate horse meat over the years.
well thats what happens when most canned foods come from china now.
FDA and USDA are both a bunch of stupid morons, mostly just a waste of tax dollars. They are condemning dairy products by claiming a link to Alzheimer's, but are not even smart enough to realise its the chemicals added that cause the problems. They check every meat shipment into the US........BS. How does all the crap from China kill pets not get detected. Who would consume food known to be from China.
very little processing is done in the US now. the processing is done in places like china and mexico that do not have the health codes we have. you can put what ever you want on a label, that does not make it true.
when you buy from your local farms you know its good. shop smart for your food people.
They said they don't.
So what do you propose disband the function and then what inspect nothing?
Chinese manufacturers, knowing what tests are done, added a cheap compound to fool the test for protein content to make the products seem like there is more protein. They didn't bother to check whether that compound causes kidney failure. By the way, they did the same thing to Chinese baby formula. Babies died. Those responsible were executed.
Agencies weren't checking for this compound (and others like it) then. But they sure are now.
I'm with you on refraining from knowingly consuming food made or processed in China. They have a hideous track record from product substitutions to antibiotics banned for human consumption.
What the hell is wrong with horse meat anyway? You going to start whining and pawing the ground with your hooves? What a load of horse sh... that Obama comes up with to scare the publc enough to poop their pants!!!
We are all going to die March 2nd anyway from the blast waves of cutting a few bucks from the GROWTH of this years budget!!!!!! Not the cutting of any deficit, not even a cut to the deficit, a CUT in the GROWTH of this years spending!!!!!
But the propaganda machine that the left winger has is going to tell you that the earth is going to suck itself inward next week and we all are going to be pulled in by gravitational force of the GREAT deflation of spending!@@
Well at least I will have had the pleasure of watching the "ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU! BUT HOW MUCH AND WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO DELIVER IT ALL!" group that thought that the RICH were going to pay for it!
Now the great propaganda machine of the left wing(the NY Times) has started to let you jerk wads know that the TAXES which Obama will need will come FROM EVERYBODY!!!!!! Ha Ha Ho Ho Ho!!!!!! You creeps that thought HIS ROYAL LIARSHIP would only tax the rich(who have no working income to tax!) and that you would get a free ride are learniing the truth!!!!!!!!!
HE is going to tax EVERYBODY and YOU will not get that FREE RIDE!!!!!!!!
But then again since HE says that the earth is going to end March 2nd because the republicans are trying to cut spending and LOWER taxes!!!! Or it that a lie too!!!!!!!!!!
Of course it is!!!!! But the taxes raises ON YOU are real!!!!!!!!!!! HA HA HO HO HO the 1984 BIG GOVERNMENT is on it's way!!!!!!
HAHAHAHAH, go take a look at the recent immigrant's starved and abused horse they just ran through the action for meat weight because it is too sick to beat, or the Thoroughbred (2 year old) that broke down on the track or can't make time ( 9 out of 10 starters) and is raised on hormones, steroids, pain killers and unknown substances, and then brought to meat market for your kiddies' burgers and you wonder why little Susie at age 7 is suddenly growing a mustache, and little Billy is needing a new bra.
Have any proof of that? If horses were or are raised for food then the drugs would be different. The wild mustangs don't generally have that issue.
Nothing, unless you call it beef.
What is really difference between horse and cow meat.. Meat eaters are geerakky
Why not call all animals killed/murdered/ just protein? Then they would be no problems. FDA please take not.
Good old U.S. we look at it ... Hahahahaahahahahaha.. What a joke .. USDA don't mean @!$%# anymore ....
Without them you would be eating just that .... @!$%#
Go to the store and read where what you buy comes from. China sends us the most processed foods than and other country. That shyt isn't inspected. The USDA is a waste of tax money.
What's the alternative?
There is no alternative, except maybe to invest in a few hundred thousand dollars worth of lab equipment, test yourself what you buy, lol. The FDA and the Dept. of Agriculture has done more to keep Americans safe from harmful drugs and the geological environment safe from poor farming practices than anything else. The only problem with the agencies is that they are agencies of the government, and, lol, since government is bad so are all of it's agencies, and on that note the folks condemning everything government go ringy-dinging and tootling down the road on the "Bells and whistles" bandwagons.
Practical considerations of finding hundreds of thousands of dollars aside, your average American couldn't interpret their results without a fancy PhD in a few forms of chemistry and biology. Heck I doubt your average PhD in some form of science could fully interpret the results. (But they'd be in a better position to learn!)
It seems to me that the original function of the USDA was to prevent mislabeling of meat. They've since been giving responsibility for about a hundred thousand other things. Not being a farmer, I can't speak to the worth of these things.
The USDA has come a long way from just regulating the labelling of meat, it stops at our borders suspicious food products and is instrumental in fighting crop pests. It does a pretty good job considering what it has to work with and how much it gets in the budget. So, ok, there is no alternative, but it may be that we don't really need one. People talk about reading the labels and how that shows how inferior some products are and how heavily infused with chemicals. Lol, that's for our information and it's our choice then to buy or not buy, the FDA has done it's job. Man, there would be no end to the squalling if the FDA rejected everything it finds questionable, even though it would be doing it's job if it did. Lol, a lot of people want a good piece of meat on the table, so as long at it doesn't smell funny stamp the stuff "Approved" and send it on.
It's meat and people are hungry.
Who cares.
Well, off to slaughter the 10 week rabbits. See you later.
I thought rabbits materialized on store shelves, like leather shoes and fur coats. Nice to eat non-contaminated food, isn't it. You ever raise a meat chicken for 10 weeks, they can barely walk, too messed up to even grow to 10-12 pounds. Can't imagine what chemicals are fed to them in the factory farms to get them to grow up so fast.
You mean my burger or TV dinner might have REAL meat in it? Seriously? Awesome!
Vietnam's preferred meat is rat, so all that chicken substitute at the local Chinese restaurant might have a different origin.
My Vietnam Vet cousin says don't knock it till you have tried it.
They like skunk @ssholes too, well from what I hear. They like to eat them raw.
If you don't like it it is only because you did not prepare it right.
OH, no thanks, I have not tried it. I have had bearded clam, a bit tangy. Just got to clean those real good.
lilian101, please do eat me for posting this. The rat diet belongs to crazy maneater known as neanthethal man and kins... Neanthethal don't have skills to harvest forest mouse born and raise in rice patties that saying like fruits grows on a tree and maneater neanthethal still prefer rats.
Our wonderful capitalism at work. Aren't you all happy you can be lied to about everything as long as it makes money for a few people? Solent Green here we come!
You got one thing right; Wonderful Capitalism. That system has provided more for the most people than any other system. There's only one alternative to Capitalism; Being marched to work and the fields at the point of guns held by the thugs of those groups claiming to be working for the people, ie., the Communists and their running lap dogs, the Socialists. Speaking for myself only, I'm damn happy to be living under our system. Lol, I don't "Kow-tow" to anyone claiming to be working for my benefit and the benefit of all the people, and, lol, being proud of being so selfless that they are sacrificing themselves for the people, lol, waving the gun as they demand my obedience and support. Yeah well, "Birds of a feather flock together." There's only one thing better than Capitalsim and that's more Capitalism, more "Equal value for value trade," more "I won't live my life for the sake of another and I won't demand that another live his life for my sake." Man, that is real Liberal radicalism and I'm amazed that more Left folks don't advocate it. Well, they can't because it would mean giving up the concept of selflessness in favor of following the sheep to slaughter in: The name of the people."
For the life of me, I can't understand why ANY food is imported from overseas unless it can't be grown/raised here in the U.S. at all. And the only thing I can think of would be tropical fruits - we send all our food to other countries and other countries send theirs here? This is stupid.
@m-61
It's called globalization. It's the world market. It's the same reason why, despite the US having to import half of its oil, US oil companies still export some of the domestically produced oil on the world market. Whoever pays most! (it's also why the claim that increasing domestic production would have any influence on oil/gas prices is utter nonsense)
Peter E
----
How dare you speak of how the commodities market works and how buyers and speculation set prices and NOT claims that (1) the president can set prices of oil and gas and that (2) it's the president's fault as to why gas and oil are so costly here in the states...
That's a good point Peter,
In fact the US was the #1 exporter of oil and gasoline until WWII.
m-612920,
well food product like truffles in germany or france... Also, not all fruits and vegetables are allow into usa before nafta, to protect usa farmers and usa crops literally (like plant disease infection, etc). Meanwhile canned food is easier to import... Did you know that rice exports from southeast asia feed the world with rice before american rice production kick in sometime during the 1980s?
nafta = north american free trade agreement; only for countries in the americas (both north and south)
We have also exported more oil products than we have imported for the past few years.
Well I'm just hoping that the " mystery " meat they got out there now is at least horse meat...
Yeah steroids and bute and other unknown compounds used on the broken down track horses make buying steriods and growth hormones obsolete--just eat butchered track horses
More like wild mustangs
Ah yes wild mustangs, of course we can go back to the old days where the meat was full of worms picked up from over grazing.
President Obama proudly ended the US horsemeat ban a year or so ago, approving USDA inspections of horsemeat. Next President Obama will proudly end the dog meat ban in the US approving USDA inspections of dog slaughtering houses adjacent to humane society buildings, because it is part of his youth in Indonesia.
well, what do they do with all those euthanized shelter dogs? mmmm puppy...
Dog can make a good meal.
When will he proudly enforce the ban on douchbags?
While I agree that mislabeling any food is a bad idea, there is nothing wrong with eating horse meat. I have it all the time in Tokyo and in Europe.
I don't mind the occasional mislabel ... I'd starve to death otherwise ;)
That's fine, just call it what it is and don't charge more for it than the market will bear. Unfortunately, greed in America by the 1% will call it anything to make outrageous profits, and the right wing idiots will swallow it.
(Pun intended.)
I hope you get horribly sick from all the carcinogens in the horse meat from bute/steroids/wormers. You are disgusting.
I don't know what the big deal is as long as it is labeled, people in other countries eat horse meat. I've never had it but it's a herbivore and there's nothing wrong with meat. Pigs are the dirtiest creatures on earth, they will eat anything and wallow in their own feces.
Side note: I wonder what kind of meat Taco Bell uses?
Meat flavored oatmeal. I'm not even joking.
It's true, most of what is in Taco Bell's food is oat meal. Should be labelled as such, but greed reigns supreme in America. In fact, the GOP would like less fodd inspection in this country, as long as they know where theirs is coming from!
What's wrong with horse meat? Horses are just good looking cows.
its just a social stigma, traumatizes all the little girls with their my little pony and horsie posters...
this meat isLOADED with chemicals, dewormers, and pesticides. Vaccines, Medications, growth hormones, enhancers, and many anti inflammatories, racing drugs, and tons of other things, Also many horses are not tested for Hepatitis which can be transferred to humans, the phenybutozone is all they bring up however, these horses have lepto-spirosa, west nile, HYPP, EIA EPM tons of sicknesses that can people.
I really don't see what the big deal is. It's a hooved animal that eats grain and grass. put it on my menu, that's a lot of food to feed my family. Me and several co workers were having a conversation about this the other day, none of us see it as inhumane or taboo. This is what happens when liberals run the country, the death of food is inhuman but killing babies is normal. Ah America, home where liberals over step their boundaries.
Hey Bird, since you blame everything on liberals, has any of your republican congressmen or senators (including those tea party bozo's) proposed selling horse meat in our stores? Can you name ONE? After all, if it's the liberals that are at fault criticizing horse meat, then by extension you're saying if it was up to the republicans, we'd be having horse burgers at McDonalds right now. So.....which ones support that again?
I hope you are poisoned by all the carcinogens in horse meat if you ever eat someone's pet as you are proposing. Sicko.
bird,
it's called selective bigotry when it doesn't fit THEIR lifestyle
Actually Sue Wallis has been pushing the horse meat sold in the states for food consumption, and has even trie to convince communities that have been running her out of town that they will make money from this. Then the towns rise up and say NO F___G way! It makes the water bad, the dead horse smells in the summer, the body parts piling up and getting loaded on trucks, the element of criminals that bring in the horses to kill, trust me they are NOT upstanding citizens doing this. As far as the offset the cities have to pay for the cleanup lose companies that will not open up because of the slaughterhouses, and the devaluation of the properties around it, not to mention the runoff in the water-it has to have a water reservoir and that stinks for miles, the blood and unmentionables-not like a cattle slaughterhouse, these animals are slaughtered in the worst of conditions and some are half dead when they arrive and your children witness this and the abuse of the horses. Its disgusting-it actually nearly killed Dekalb Illinois. Don't forget you can look up all the senators who actually voted this through attached to another bill that had to pass. This piggybacked bill should be broken down and sent through by itself after more research has been done and solid requirements are set forth which could take years. This Sue Wallis, Dave Duquette, you can look up the hostile's who water this situation down. Please read how they want to "rescue horses" and then they slaughter them in their plants they want to build and run. Sick people in our government. They want to sell horse meat to consumers knowing what's in it could kill the public they don't want horses testing before slaughter. So you have no idea whats in them and what you can die from and they are laughing all the way to the bank. They tell horse owners their horses are only worth 50 bucks and then they take them to slaughter and get paid per pound currently 800-1600 dollars each horse-so they rip off the owner lying to them about what little money the horse is worth then they haul the animals without food, water, or care against FDA, USDA regulations and they sell them 25-30 at a time, so they invest 50 bucks for say 30 animals and they walk out with thousands of dollars and laugh in the face of the people they call f----g idiots quoted from their mouths and they state that the horse owners were stupid enough to fall for it. Then they said that they do not care about what's in the meat because the F----g stupid people who eat could die for all they care! After I heard that I really just couldn't understand why she is in office and why he is running a rescue for anything. Sick freaking people. Horse owners need to raise their prices so that these people cannot afford to buy them-and as for the cheap horse meat this is all a scam to steal from the honest people raising horses.
How is serving horse meat any different than cow, pig, chicken, etc.?
It's horse meat so instead of holding your fork in the hand you normally do, you use the other hand instead. Gets kinda difficult, feels awkward. So eventually you stop horsing around and use the fork in the hand you normally do and eat your horse.
I am not sure that is the real issue, the problem is not knowing what you eat.
Jews, Muslims and Seventh-Day Adventists don't want the tools used to process horses or pigs used to process beef without thorough washing much less have the unclean meat mixed with their beef.
Of course there are those who don't want Flicker eaten by anyone but that is another problem.
Horse meat? HORSE MEAT??? That's nothing. Wait until the sequester kicks in because this congress is on vacation. Then when they lay off our understaffed food safety employees, we be lucky if it's horse meat and not rat. I hear a certain fast food chain might be looking for a new "nugget" menu item. Ummmm....rat nuggets, 10 for a buck.
The GOP will be producing Solent Green for us soon and telling us it is sirloin steak. The right will be licking their lips for it.
If the fines for violating U.S. health codes are stiff enough the problem will stop. I mean fines that are harsh enough that businesses which practice deceotive advertising are pushed toward bankruptcy! An unscrupulous multibillion dollar company is not going to stop as long as these fines are a couple of million or so. Put another zero to those fines and the mere threat should be enough to get immediate action! If it doesn't, the first one that goes down in flames will send a message to the others that will do it!
I was eating horse meat when I was a kid. It's a tad sweter and a little more striny than beef but if cooked right it is very good. I've eaten everything from rattlesnake to bear. It's all good if you know how to cook it
The Vietnamese eat skunk @ssholes and drink monkey piss.
Surf and turf: mountain oysters and fish eye soup ... meee meee meee
Ate dog and monkey in the Nam...last time I had a steak at Logan's i sure felt like kicking up my heels, even though it tasted like chicken! ASHLEY JUDD (DEM-KY) 2014. Adios Mitch!
I eat monkey about twice a week.....but we may not be talking about the same thing. :)
Thanx for your service at an un-apreciated time for soldiers.
Hey tom-1768340---we could be talking about the same monkey, or not, but, there's no need to thank me---I just followed orders, like any good nazi. There's so little time, and we're only passing through.