The Packers and Stockyards Act:
An Overview

The Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 ("PSA" or "Act"), 7 U.S.C. §§ 181-229, is designed to assure effective competition and integrity in livestock, meat, and poultry markets. It was enacted in response to concerns that the "Big Five" large meat packers- Swift & Company, Armour & Company, Cudahy Packing Company, Wilson & Company, and Morris & Company- had engaged in anticompetitive practices that had a deleterious effect on producers and consumers. See 10 Neil E. Harl, Agricultural Law § 71.02 (1993) (providing an extensive discussion of the historical development of the PSA).

The PSA is administered by the Packers and Stockyards Programs of the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration ("GIPSA"), an agency within the USDA. See http://www.gipsa.usda.gov/. The regulations implementing the Act are found at 9 C.F.R. Part 201-206. In its administration of the PSA, GIPSA's Packers and Stockyards Program seeks

to ensure fair trade practices and competitive markets for livestock, meat, and poultry. This includes fostering fair and open competition and guarding against deceptive and fraudulent practices which affect the movement and price of meat animals and resulting products. The Agency also works to protect consumers and members of the livestock, meat, and poultry industries against unfair business practices that can unduly affect meat and poultry distribution and prices. http://www.usda.gov/gipsa/pubs/psbroch.htm.

Applicability

The PSA applies to persons engaged in the business of marketing livestock, meat, and poultry in interstate or foreign commerce- packers, swine contractors, stockyard owners, market agencies, dealers, and live poultry dealers. See Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-171, tit. X, § 10502, 116 Stat. 134, 509-10 (codified at 7 U.S.C. §§ 182(a), 192-195, 209(a), 221, 223) (amending the PSA to include swine contractors as persons regulated by the PSA). The PSA does not apply to persons marketing their own livestock or buying livestock for their own stocking or feeding purposes.

A "packer" is

any person engaged in the business (a) of buying livestock in commerce for purposes of slaughter, or (b) of manufacturing or preparing meats or meat food products for sale or shipment in commerce, or (c) of marketing meats, meat food products, or livestock products in an unmanufactured form acting as a wholesale broker, dealer, or distributor in commerce.

7 U.S.C. § 191. A "person" can be an individual, partnership, corporation, or association. See id. at § 182(1).

"Livestock" includes "cattle, sheep, swine, horses, mules, or goats- whether live or dead." Id. at § 182(4). "Livestock products" are "all products and byproducts (other than meats and meat food products) of the slaughtering and meat-packing industry derived in whole or in part from livestock." Id. at § 182(5).

A "swine contractor" is

any person engaged in the business of obtaining swine under a swine production contract for the purpose of slaughtering the swine or selling swine for slaughter, if- (A) the swine is obtained by the person in commerce; or (B) the swine (including products from the swine) obtained by the person is sold or shipped in commerce.

Id. at § 182(12).

A "stockyard owner" is "any person engaged in the business of conducting or operating a stockyard." Id. at § 201(a). A "stockyard" is

any place, establishment, or facility commonly known as stockyards, conducted, or operated or managed for profit or nonprofit as a public market for livestock producers, feeders, market agencies, and buyers, consisting of pens, or other inclosures, and their appurtenances, in which live cattle, sheep, swine, horses, mules, or goats are received, held, or kept for sale or shipment in commerce.

Id. at § 202(a).

A "market agency" is "any person engaged in the business of (1) buying or selling in commerce livestock on a commission basis or (2) furnishing stockyard services." Id. at § 201(c). "Stockyard services" are "services or facilities furnished at a stockyard in connection with the receiving, buying, or selling on a commission basis or otherwise, marketing, feeding, watering, holding, delivery, shipment, weighing, or handling in commerce, of livestock." Id. at § 201(b).

A "dealer" is "any person, not a market agency, engaged in the business of buying or selling in commerce livestock, either on his own account or as the employee or agent of the vendor or purchaser." Id. at § 201(d).

A "live poultry dealer" is "any person engaged in the business of obtaining live poultry by purchase or under a poultry growing arrangement for the purpose of either slaughtering it or selling it for slaughter by another . . . ." Id. at § 182(10). "Poultry" includes "chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and other domestic fowl." Id. at § 182(6). A "poultry grower" is "any person engaged in the business of raising and caring for live poultry for slaughter by another, whether the poultry is owned by such person or by another, but not an employee of the owner of such poultry." Id. at § 182(8). A "poultry growing arrangement" is "any growout contract, marketing agreement, or other arrangement under which a poultry grower raises and cares for live poultry for delivery, in accord with another's instructions, for slaughter." Id. at § 182(9).

Unlawful Practices

The PSA prohibits certain unlawful conduct on the part of packers and live poultry dealers. See id. at § 192. Practices enumerated as unlawful include engaging in or using "any unfair, unjustly discriminatory, or deceptive practice or device"; making or giving "any undue or unreasonable preference or advantage to any particular person or locality in any respect, or subject[ing] any particular person or locality to any undue or unreasonable prejudice or disadvantage in any respect"; and engaging "in any course of business or do[ing] any act for the purpose or with the effect of manipulating or controlling prices, or of creating a monopoly in the acquisition of, buying, selling, or dealing in, any article, or of restraining commerce." Id.

Bonds

Market agencies, packers whose average annual purchases of livestock exceed $500,000, and "every other person operating as a dealer" must maintain a bond as a means of protecting livestock sellers. Id. at § 204. The amount of the bond is typically based on the volume of business done in two business days and is usually at least $10,000. See http://www.gipsa.usda.gov/pubs/psact.htm.

The Secretary may, after notice and hearing, suspend a packer, market agency, or any dealer for a "reasonable specified period" if it is determined that the packer, market agency, or dealer is insolvent. 7 U.S.C. § 204. If the Secretary determines that a packer is insolvent, "he may after notice and hearing issue an order . . . requiring such packer to cease and desist from purchasing livestock while insolvent" or requiring the insolvent packer to purchase livestock only in accordance with conditions established by the Secretary. Id.

Prompt Payment

Packers, market agencies, and dealers purchasing livestock must provide prompt payment to the seller for the full amount of the purchase price, usually by the close of the business day after transfer of possession. See id. at § 228b. Packers must pay the full purchase to a livestock seller "before the close of the next business day following the purchase . . . ." Id. at § 228b(a). If, however, the livestock is purchased for slaughter, "before close of the next business day following purchase of livestock and transfer of possession thereof," the packer must "actually deliver at the point of transfer of possession to the seller or his . . . representative a check or shall wire transfer funds to the seller's account for the full amount of the purchase price." Id. Also, if the seller or his representative "is not present to receive payment at the point of transfer of possession . . ., the packer . . . shall wire transfer funds or place a check in the United States mail for the full amount of the purchase price, properly addressed to the seller, within the time period specified in this subsection . . . ." Id.

Live poultry dealers are required to provide prompt payment prior to the close of the next business day for transactions involving live poultry obtained in a cash sale. See id. at § 228b-1(a). Live poultry dealers who purchase live poultry must make prompt payment to the cash seller or poultry grower from whom the live poultry was obtained "before the close of the fifteenth day following the week in which the poultry is slaughtered." Id.

Statutory Trust

Packers and live poultry dealers are required to maintain a statutory trust for the benefit of unpaid sellers or poultry growers. Trust assets do not become part of the bankruptcy estate if a packer or live poultry dealer files a bankruptcy petition. Thus, unpaid sellers and poultry growers have priority over secured creditors for the assets of the statutory trust. See Randy Rogers & Lawrence P. King, Collier Farm Bankruptcy Guide § 105[1] (1997) (discussing the PSA statutory trust).

Packers whose average annual purchases exceed $500,000 must establish a statutory trust. See id. at § 196. Specifically, all livestock that a packer purchases in cash sales, "and all inventories of, or receivables or proceeds from meat, meat food products, or livestock products derived therefrom, shall be held by such packer in trust for the benefit of all unpaid cash sellers of such livestock until full payment has been received by such unpaid sellers." Id. at § 196(b). See also id. at § 196(c) (defining "cash sale"). The unpaid cash seller must give notice to the Secretary within thirty days from the last day in which the packer was to make prompt payment or "within fifteen business days after the seller has received notice that the payment instrument promptly presented for payment has been dishonored." 7 U.S.C. § 196(b).

Similarly, all poultry obtained by a live poultry dealer through either cash sales or poultry growing arrangements, "and all inventories of, or receivables and proceeds from such poultry or poultry products derived therefrom, shall be held by such live poultry dealer" in trust for the unpaid seller or poultry grower. Id. at § 197(b). The live poultry dealer is not required to maintain a statutory trust, however, if it "does not have average annual sales of live poultry, or average annual value of live poultry obtained by purchase or by poultry growing arrangement, in excess of $100,000." Id. at § 197(b).

To preserve its rights in the assets of the statutory trust, the unpaid seller must give notice to the Secretary within thirty days of the final date for making prompt payment in accordance with § 228b or within fifteen days of receiving notice that the packer's or live poultry dealer's payment instrument has been dishonored. See http://www.gipsa.usda.gov/pubs/ptrust.htm (providing detailed information relating to the operation of the PSA statutory trust). The unpaid seller loses its rights to the statutory trust if it extends credit to the buyer. The PSA does not permit an extension of credit for transactions involving poultry that was produced under a growing arrangement.

Swine Contractors

Subject to certain exceptions, swine contractors are subject to the same restrictions and requirements to which packers are subject, including the prohibitions on unlawful practices. See id. at § 192 (identifying unlawful packer practices). The PSA, however, does not include prompt payment, statutory trust, or bond requirements applicable to swine packers.

Enforcement

If any person subject to the PSA violates any of its provisions or any order of the Secretary "relating to the purchase, sale, or handling of livestock, the purchase or sale of poultry, or relating to any poultry growing arrangement or swine production contract," such person shall be liable to the injured person(s) "for the full amount of damages sustained in consequence of such violation." Id. at § 209. The injured person(s) may enforce this liability in federal district court or by bringing a reparations proceeding before the Secretary. See id. at § 210 (setting forth requirements applicable to reparations proceedings). A reparations proceeding must be initiated within ninety days after the cause of action accrues. See id. at § 210(a). See also 9 C.F.R. §§ 202.101-.123 (setting forth requirements governing reparations proceedings); Donald A. Campbell, The Packers and Stockyards Regulatory Program, in 1 Agricultural Law § 3.83 (discussing reparations proceedings). Reparations proceedings cannot be filed against packers, swine contractors, or live poultry dealers.

Further, if there is "reason to believe" that a packer has violated the PSA, the Secretary must issue a written complaint to the packer and conduct a hearing on the matter. Id. at § 193(a). If the Secretary determines after the hearing that the packer has violated the PSA, the Secretary "shall issue and cause to be served on the packer an order requiring such packer to cease and desist from continuing such violation." Id. The Secretary may assess a civil penalty of no more than $10,000 for each violation. See id. See also id. at § 193(b)-(c) (setting forth process for packer who fails to obey order of Secretary and process for amending the Secretary's order). A packer who fails to obey a cease and desist order may be assessed a fine and imprisonment. See id. at § 195(3). See also id. at § 195 (stating rights of private parties to seek damages for packer's violation of the PSA and/or failure to obey Secretary's order).