Livestock seller protection

Before you hand over livestock, know what USDA records can tell you about the buyer.

This guide puts the main USDA Packers & Stockyards resources in one place: bond records, suspension checks, prompt-payment information, and official help if a payment problem occurs.

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A practical pre-transaction check

1
Confirm the business identity.
Use the legal or trade name and, when known, the state or province. Similar names can belong to different regulated entities.
2
Check USDA bonded records and suspensions.
Livestock Counterparty Guard searches the supported USDA P&S record classes together and preserves each source date.
3
Read the evidence, not just the status.
Review the matched legal/DBA name, location context, bond information when published, match basis, suspension evidence, and source date.
4
Keep the result with your transaction records.
A source-dated result can document what public USDA information was available when you performed the check.

What USDA says about payment protection

USDA says market agencies, dealers, and packers are generally required to pay promptly for livestock, usually by the close of business on the day after transfer of possession. USDA also requires dealers and market agencies buying on commission to maintain bond coverage, and requires certain packers to maintain bonds based on their livestock-purchase volume.

USDA Payment Protection USDA Dealer & Market Agency Buying on Commission USDA Market Agency Selling on Commission USDA Packer Responsibilities

If a payment problem occurs

Use the official USDA process rather than relying on this website for a legal conclusion. USDA publishes instructions for bond claims and accepts reports of suspected Packers & Stockyards Act violations, including slow, insufficient, or non-payment.

USDA: How to File a Bond Claim USDA: Reporting P&S Violations USDA: Trust Rights Under the P&S Act
Scope: This guide summarizes and links to public USDA information. It is not legal advice, a credit rating, a recommendation to transact, or a guarantee of payment. Official USDA materials control.