Vernon Black of Riverton, Wyoming Assessed a Civil Penalty in Settlement with AMS

Date
Thursday, March 19, 2020 - 9:00am
Contact Info
Release No.
054-20

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2020 – On March 13, 2020, Vernon Black of Riverton, Wyo., (Black) a market agency selling livestock on commission subject to the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act, entered into a Consent Decree with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming. Black agreed to pay a civil penalty of $10,000, which includes the $4,000 civil penalty Black did not pay from a previous Consent Decision and Order issued by the Secretary of Agriculture. Black will pay the civil penalty on the 15th day of each month beginning April 15, 2020, in the amount no less than $500 per month for twenty months. Also, if found in contempt of the Consent Decree, Black agreed to suspend his market agency activities for at least sixteen regularly scheduled livestock sales.

The Consent Decree permanently enjoins Black from: (1) engaging in business without obtaining and properly maintaining a reasonable bond or bond equivalent: and (2) engaging in business without registering with the Secretary of Agriculture.

This Consent Decree follows a previous Consent Decision and Order issued by the Secretary on Dec. 31, 2012, that required Black to cease and desist from engaging in business in any capacity for which bonding is required without obtaining, filing, and maintaining an adequate bond as required by 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 Stuart Frank, Director, Packers and Stockyards Division, Fair Trade Practices Program, at (515) 323-2586, or by email at Stuart.Frank@usda.gov.

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