Empire Livestock Letter

Dear Commissioner:

I am writing on behalf of Empire Livestock Marketing Inc., New York's largest livestock marketing organization, to voice our support for Docket Number 98P-0151/CP1, which pertains to the prohibition of the use of downed animals in the human food supply.

As General Manager of Empire Livestock, which operated eight auction facilities and has a 60 percent market share in the region, I oversee and enforce the policies of our organization. We have a long-standing policy that states that non-ambulatory animals will not be permitted to be accepted at our marketplace. Furthermore, animals that become non-ambulatory while at our facilities are euthanized and disposed of in a proper fashion.

Empire Livestock fully supports all efforts to help ensure the high quality of our nation's food supply and maintain consumer confidence. We strongly urge the Food and Drug Administration to grant the petition of Docket Number 98P-0151/CP1, and urge the making of a rule to label all non-ambulatory animals as "adulterated" and therefore unfit for human consumption.

Thank you for your consideration in this important matter.

Sincerely,

Dale Chambers
General Manager