Washington - As part of its commitment to ensuring fair and competitive markets for the livestock, meat and poultry industries, on Dec. 17, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reached a consent decision with Brian Gader, doing business as Gader Livestock Co. (Gader) of Napoleon, N.D., for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.
An investigation by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service in December 2020 revealed that Gader failed to pay for livestock transactions totaling $697,587, including 508 head of livestock that were not delivered.
Under the consent decision, Gader is suspended as a registrant under the Act for a period of ten years. The suspension can be modified if Gader makes payment to the unpaid sellers.
The P&S Act requires subject entities to issue the full payment for livestock by the close of the first business day following purchase and transfer of possession. Failure to timely pay for livestock purchases and failure to deliver livestock for which payment has been accepted are unfair trade practices and are violations of the P&S Act.
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
