GOP lawmakers cite New World Screwworm threat, animal welfare concerns, and unyielding public opposition to horse slaughter
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy today applauded a group of 17 House Republicans led by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., for sending a letter to President Donald J. Trump urging him to permanently prohibit the export of American horses to Mexico for slaughter.
The lawmakers praised President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins for recently suspending live animal exports to Mexico in response to the growing threat posed by New World Screwworm (NWS), a flesh-eating parasitic fly that threatens livestock, wildlife, companion animals, and humans.
The letter notes that the movement of animals across borders creates additional opportunities for NWS to spread, making eradication efforts more difficult and costly. The lawmakers argued that ending the horse slaughter export pipeline would help protect American agriculture, strengthen animal health safeguards, and align federal policy with the values of most Americans.
“Horses exported for slaughter serve no agricultural purpose, but every horse truck crossing into Mexico is a potential ride for screwworm hitchhikers,” said Dr. Jim Keen, DVM, Ph.D., director of veterinary science for the Center for a Humane Economy and a former veterinary epidemiologist for the USDA. “Ending horse exports for slaughter in Mexico helps protect ranchers on both sides of the border.”
Last year, approximately 20,000 American horses were shipped to Mexico for slaughter, with the vast majority of the horse meat then reexported to Japan for human consumption. The lawmakers emphasized that horses are not raised for food in the United States and have long been valued for their roles in ranching, recreation, sport, law enforcement, and companionship.
The letter also points to growing congressional support for permanently ending horse slaughter exports. The Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act has attracted 230 House cosponsors, and core provisions of the legislation were recently incorporated into the Build America 250 Act approved by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Senate bill, led by Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., is also strongly bipartisan.
“If it’s wrong to slaughter American horses on U.S. soil, it’s at least as bad to slaughter them on Mexican soil,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “This is a powerful letter from Congressman Buchanan and other GOP lawmakers across the nation who are asking President Trump to wield his pen and his power to spare American horses the misery and the terror of being sent to a Mexican abattoir for re-export of their flesh for far-off markets.”
“Protecting America’s horses from slaughter is a commonsense, bipartisan policy, and I’m grateful for President Trump’s decision to ban their export to Mexico and his leadership on this issue,” noted Rep Buchanan, who has long been one of the leading champions of animal wellness in Congress. “It’s crucial that we make this export ban permanent to protect our horses and preserve American values.”
The organizations said the New World Screwworm outbreak has highlighted the broader risks associated with transporting horses long distances through the slaughter pipeline for a trade that serves foreign horse-meat markets and provides little economic benefit to American agriculture.
“The New World Screwworm crisis underscores why the long-distance transport of horses for slaughter should become a thing of the past,” said retired Col. Tom Pool, DVM, MPH, senior veterinarian for Animal Wellness Action and former commander of the U.S. Army Veterinary Command. “The Administration acted appropriately in suspending exports during this emergency. Making that policy permanent would protect horses while reducing avoidable disease risks to livestock and rural communities.”
The letter was led by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., and signed by Reps. Mike Carey, R-Ohio; Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz.; Randy Fine, R-Fla.; Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.; Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y.; Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla.; Lance Gooden, R-Texas; Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y.; Nick LaLota, R-N.Y.; Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.; Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y.; Troy Nehls, R-Texas; David Schweikert, R-Ariz.; Chris Smith, R-N.J.; Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y.; and Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J.