A previous attempt to open a plant in Mountain Grove Mo. was met with much resistance as Unified Equine Missouri will now try it again in Rockville, Mo
If Unified Equine is successful in opening the Rockville plant it will be the first in the nation to be opened since Congress restored funding for horse slaughtering plants last year, and is thought to bring as many as 50 jobs to the area.
The company's plans to open a plant in Mountain Grove, Mo was shot down, as local residents didn't like the idea of Unified Equine Missouri slaughtering up to 800 horses a day and shipping the meat to Europe.
While Unified Equine Missouri is moving forward with plans to move into the former Rockville meat packing plant, a Mountain Grove attorney, Cynthia McPherson, wants to stop it in is tracks, as she was instrumental in the effort to block it in Mountain Grove as well.
McPherson is hoping the citizens of Rockville will join her cause- but some say the need for jobs is of utmost importance. Others simply don't like the idea of slaughtering horses for any reason. At this time it is unknown just how many Rockville folks are for the idea or not.
Still, Unified Equine argues that this type of operation is better for aging horses than 'putting them out to pasture', as many horses simply die of neglect, according to head of Unified Equine Missouri, Sue Wallis. She has also noted that Canada, Mexico, Asia and Europe are expanding markets for horse meat and the United States should be no exception. In fact, in an effort to expand their business, Unified Equine is considering a partnership with a Belgian company Chevideco, one of the biggest horse meat suppliers in the world to help bring a Missouri plant to fruition.
McPherson stated in an earlier interview she feels that the jobs won't go to the locals anyway, but will be filled by Hispanics brought in. She also noted that horse slaughtering operations have a terrible track record when it comes to environmental concerns.
