A preliminary High Court ruling is expected today in the case of a small meat processor who claims he was wrongly "hung out to dry" during the horse meat scandal.

A company of beef baron Larry Goodman has sought High Court orders requiring McAdam Food Products Ltd to provide security for costs of a defamation action brought over a press statement which alleged horse DNA was present in certain meat products.

A meat trader claims his business was brought to its knees by false and malicious allegations made during the horsemeat scandal last year.

The owner of a meat trading company is to sue the factory at the centre of the horsemeat contamination scandal for defamation.