Washington - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reached a consent decision against Martin D. Yoder Livestock Ltd. (Yoder Livestock) of Kidron, Ohio, on Oct. 12, 2021, for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.
An investigation by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) reviewed purchases of livestock made by Yoder Livestock, and four other buyers at three auction markets in Ohio from December 2015 to May 2016. The investigation found that the buyers took turns bidding on livestock and failed to conduct their livestock buying operations in competition with each other. In the complaint, USDA alleged that the agreements to alternate bidding resulted in statistically significant lower payments to livestock sellers than would otherwise have occurred.
Under the consent decision, Yoder Livestock without admitting or denying the allegations, agreed to an order that it, its officers, directors, agents and employees, including, but not limited to Martin D. Yoder, directly or indirectly through any corporate or other device, cease and desist from agreeing, or otherwise arranging, to take turns with other buyers in violation of applicable laws and statutes when bidding on livestock at livestock auction markets, and failing to conduct buying operations in competition with, and independent of, other packers and dealers that are similarly engaged in the buying of livestock. Yoder Livestock was further assessed a civil penalty of $11,000, to be paid immediately. The full decision and order issued by the USDA Administrative Law Judge is available on the AMS Packers and Stockyards Enforcement page.
The P&S Act is a fair-trade practice and payment protection law that promotes fair and competitive marketing environments for the livestock, meat and poultry industries.
For further information about the Packers and Stockyards Act, contact Kraig Roesch, Packers and Stockyards Division, at (303) 375-4291, or by email at kraig.roesch@usda.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service
