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Livestock, Meat and Poultry

Regulated Entities

 
Regulated Entities under the Packers and Stockyards Act

 

 
NOTE: These lists include certain regulated entities subject to the Packers and Stockyards Act - those that are required to maintain a bond (market agencies, dealers, and packers) and those subject to the statutory trust provisions (bonded packers and live poultry dealers). The lists and bond amounts are current as of the date listed on the linked file. The listed business addresses are most often mailing addresses. Please contact a Packers and Stockyards Program (P&SP) regional office with any questions concerning these lists.

 
Frequently Asked Questions About Regulated Entities

 
Who is NOT Subject to the Packers and Stockyards Act?

 
Farmers and ranchers are not subject to the Act when buying livestock for their own stocking or feeding purposes, or when marketing their own livestock.

 
Who is Subject to the Packers and Stockyards Act?

 
Those engaged in the business of marketing livestock, meat, and poultry in commerce are subject to the Packers and Stockyards Act. Regulated entities include stockyard owners, market agencies, dealers, packers, swine contractors, and live poultry dealers.

 
A business may be classified as a

 
Market Agency, if it
  • buys or sells livestock on a commission basis, or
  • furnishes stockyard services.
Dealer, if it
  • buys and sells livestock either on its own account or as the employee or agent of the vendor or purchaser.
Packer, if it
  • buys livestock for slaughter,
  • manufactures or prepares meats or meat food products for sale or shipment, or
  • markets meats, meat food products, or livestock products in an unmanufactured form acting as a wholesale broker, dealer, or distributor
Live Poultry Dealer, if it
  • purchases live poultry,
  • obtains live poultry under a poultry growing arrangement for slaughter or sells it for slaughter by another.
Swine Contractor, if it
  • obtains swine under a swine production contract for slaughter or sells it for slaughter by another.

 
What responsibilities do regulated entities have under the Act?
Select from the list below to see summary lists of responsibilities by type of entity:

 

 
Who is required to register and obtain bond coverage?

 
Market agencies and dealers must register with GIPSA's Packers and Stockyards Program (P&SP) and obtain sufficient bond coverage before operating. Packers that purchase over $500,000 of livestock a year must have a sufficient bond in place to operate. "Bond" refers to either a surety bond or its financial equivalent.

 
If a regulated entity doesn't have a registration requirement, what information does it have to provide to P&SP?

 
All packers and live poultry dealers must provide P&SP with information about their business operations by completing an inquiry form.

 
Registration, inquiry, and bond forms are available on this website. Forms must be completed by hand and mailed to the nearest regional office for processing. For more guidance on the information that is required of regulated entities, please contact the nearest P&SP regional office.

 

 
Last updated 06/26/2008

 

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