WASHINGTON, April 7, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entered into a stipulation agreement with Mid-State Stock Yard LLC of Damascus, Ark., on March 25, 2025, which resolved an alleged violation of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act. Under the terms of the stipulation agreement, Mid-State Stock Yard waived its right to a hearing and paid a civil penalty of $750.
A USDA Agricultural Marketing Service investigation revealed Mid-State Stock Yard last tested its livestock scale on April 3, 2024. Mid-State Stock Yard continued weighing livestock to determine sales prices throughout the second half of 2024 without submitting a scale test report to USDA. On Jan. 10, 2025, Mid-State Stock Yard took corrective action by having its livestock scale tested and submitting the report.
The P&S Act requires subject entities to test livestock scales used in commerce at least once between Jan. 1 and June 30, and at least once again between July 1 and Dec. 31, and submit the scale test reports to USDA.
For further information about the P&S Act, contact Amy Blechinger, Packers and Stockyards Division, at (202) 720-7051 or by email at Amy.R.Blechinger@usda.gov.
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