Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2020 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reached a consent decision against Frey Cattle Company Inc. and Alan Halfmann (FCC and Halfmann) of Ballinger, Texas, on October 13, 2020, for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.
An investigation by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) revealed that FCC and Halfmann failed to pay $82,756 when due for 145 head of livestock purchased in 18 transactions from July to November 2018.
Under the consent decision, FCC and Halfmann are ordered to cease and desist from failing to pay the full amount of the purchase price for livestock within the required time period and assessed a $7,500 civil penalty. A copy of the full Consent Decision is available.
The P&S Act requires subject entities to issue the full payment for livestock by the close of the first business day following purchase and transfer of possession. Failure to timely pay for livestock purchases and failure to issue the full payment for purchases is an unfair trade practice and a violation of 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 Jeana Harbison, Packers and Stockyards Division, at (202) 720-7051, or by email at Jeana.M.Harbison@usda.gov.
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