Would you eat horse meat?

Horses could soon be slaughtered in the U.S. for human consumption now that Congress has lifted a ban on funding horse meat inspections. (Vladimir Radionov/Reuters)The U.S. Congress has lifted a ban on funding horse meat inspections, creating the possibility that horse meat might soon be available for human consumption.

Pro-slaughter activists predict new slaughterhouses could be up and running in as little as 30 days, with state approval. They estimate that as many as 200,000 horses could be slaughtered a year for human consumption.

Most of that meat would be shipped to Europe and Asia, where it's considered a delicacy, The Associated Press reports.

Slaughtering horses for human consumption is illegal in California and Illinois; the sale of horse meat is tightly regulated in at least 12 other states.

In Canada, horse meat is available on supermarket shelves in Quebec and on the menus of at least four or five Toronto restaurants. And Alberta has been very successful selling horse meat for consumption to Europe, Japan and Brazil, according to food writer Chris Nuttall-Smith.

Would you eat horse meat? Why or why not? If you have eaten it, would you recommend it to others? Share your thoughts in the field below.


(This survey is not scientific. Results are based on readers' responses.)

Related link:

• Should horse meat be on the menu at Top Chef Canada?