Sue Walls, CEO of Unified Equine, says the company is now considering whether to retrofit a closed beef processing plant in western Missouri. She would not say where the plant is located.

Most Mountain Grove residents objected when Unified Equine announced plans to build its plant there. Walls says the community reaction was only one factor in the decision to look elsewhere.

The Springfield News-Leader reports Unified Equine is considering western Missouri because of large horse populations nearby.

Last year, Congress lifted a 5-year-old ban on funding horse meat inspection, opening the door to new horse slaughtering plants. The last plant that butchered horses closed in 2007.

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