Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, June 9, 2020 – As part of its commitment to ensuring fair and competitive markets for the livestock, meat and poultry industries, on June 4, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reached a consent decision with Alvin E. Downey, doing business as CBI Livestock Brokers (Downey) of Santa Teresa, N.M., for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.
An investigation by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) revealed Downey failed to pay for two livestock transactions totaling $147,358 in December 2017. In addition, Downey issued two insufficient funds checks for purchases.
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.
Under the consent decision, Downey is suspended as a registrant from all livestock operations for five years. The suspension can be modified if Downey makes payment to the unpaid sellers.
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, Packers and Stockyards Division, at (515) 323-2586, or by email at stuart.frank@usda.gov.
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