EWA News Update: EU Horse Meat Scandal Spreads to Fourteen Countries
Posted: February 16, 2013 by R.T. Fitch in Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Tags: Equine, European Union, Food safety, Horse, Horse Meat, Horse Slaughter, Walmart
Commentary and information supplied by Vicki Tobin ~ VP of Equine Welfare Alliance
Tainted Horse Meat found in UK Walmart
Allow me to vent for a moment…. Have we (collective we) not been saying that horse slaughter is going to give the entire meat industry a black eye? It has become a reality with this scandal and still not a peep out of the meat industry, USDA or Congress. And in total denial, you have OK and NM still trying to open plants. What is wrong with these people?
The words horse slaughter shouldn’t be crossing anyone’s lips except Congress – followed by; it is forever banned. Period. End of discussion. No further evidence needed on the lies, deceit, fraud and total lack of food safety. Food safety can NEVER be guaranteed in equines. How much more proof do they need? If food safety laws were being followed, why is the EU just now ordering equines to be tested for bute and more importantly, what does this say about the integrity of the passport system? This is just infuriating. Everything we have been saying is front and center so where is the ban on horse meat?
Okay, I’m done!
We have been getting a lot of calls from reporters so I don’t think this is going to die down anytime soon. There are way too many articles to send you but here’s what we know, thus far, of where this has spread. Three were arrested from the raid of the two horse slaughter plants in the UK. Jo-Claire saw a new article today about 3 people being arrested but we don’t know if it’s the same 3 or 3 more because they don’t list the names.
Countries involved:
UK
Ireland
Scotland
France
Italy
Netherlands
Cyprus
Germany
Switzerland
Norway
Luxembourg
Romania
Poland
Sweden
Major retailers:
Aldi
Walmart (released to today they found horse meat in Walmart in the UK)
Latest:
Horse meat found in school meals in UK
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-21475337
Walmart:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/walmart-horsemeat_n_2688782.html
Boston Globe:
Dangerous drug found in European horse meat
Now, the questions are:
Since Aldi and Walmart source globally, what is in OUR meat in retail stores? The Boston Globe article has a statement that it unlikely to happen in the US because we don’t import horse meat but what about the beef that is sold that comes from elsewhere? Walmart labels have 3 countries of origin (Canada, US and Mexico) so how can they say it’s not possible?
Was any of the horse meat shipped from Romania, Poland or Luxembourg imported from Canada or Mexico?
Stay tuned!