US meat inspectors will no longer offer voluntary horse inspections

The US Food Safety and Inspection Service is removing its voluntary fee-for-service program for horse inspections. This means the agency will no longer offer to inspect horses before slaughter, even if a company pays for it.

This document is a cleanup of old regulations. A court vacated the voluntary inspection program for horses in 2007. The agency is now just updating its rules to reflect that decision. It does not change current practice, as the program has not been active for years.