(AP) A small northwest Missouri company is preparing to slaughter horses for meat after a federal appeals court lifted an emergency stay on U.S. horse slaughter operations.
The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday lifted a temporary motion that blocked horse slaughter plants from opening.
David Rains, of Rains Natural Meats of Gallatin, said Tuesday he has seven horses at his property ready for slaughter, but is still waiting for an inspection by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service before beginning work.
It was the third time in five months that Rains and two other U.S. companies prepared to open horse slaughtering operations. Each time a court move has prevented them from opening.
Rains says the issue is so contentious that he’s received death threats.