On July 15 an Iowa state economic development board agreed to co-fund a feasibility study by a start-up company seeking a humane way to euthanize and process horses for consumption by animals. Responsible Transportation, LLC wants to develop innovative methods to collect and euthanize horses with no charge to the horse owners.

The business plan for RC was developed by an industrial engineering student at the University of Iowa. The student won an entrepreneurial startup grant of $10,000 for his initial work. Another grant for the project was awarded by the Bedell Entrepreneurship Learning Laboratory.

A spokesman for the state development board who expressed fear that the project might attract attention from animal rights activists had his fears realized. An Oregon horseman and lawyer who serves the Humane Society of the United States as an equine protection specialist voiced concern that, among other things, the meat might be steered to human consumption in foreign countries.

Read more details in Rod Boshart’s report in Iowa Farmer Today.
July 23, 2010