Preserving Trust Benefits Under the Packers and Stockyards Act

Resumen

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) proposes to revise the regulations providing instructions for livestock sellers and live poultry sellers or growers who desire to preserve their interest in statutory trusts under the Packers and Stockyards Act (Act). The proposed revisions would add procedures and timeframes for a livestock seller to notify the livestock dealer and the Secretary of Agriculture that the seller has not received full payment for livestock purchased by the dealer and that the seller intends to preserve its trust interests. Additionally, under this proposed rule, livestock dealers with average annual purchases over $100,000 would be required to obtain written acknowledgement from livestock sellers that trust benefits do not pertain to credit sales and would be required to maintain records related to credit sales. The proposed revisions to the Packers and Stockyards regulations reflect recent amendments to the Act that provide for a livestock dealer trust.