The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a complaint against Jackman Florida Wagyu Beef LLC (Florida Wagyu) and Justin Ashley Jackman (Jackman), Clewiston, Fla., on July 13, 2022, for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.
An investigation by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) revealed that on or about May 3, 2018, through Jan. 8, 2019, Florida Wagyu and Jackman operated as a packer in twenty-one (21) transactions involving the purchase of livestock for slaughter for $1,724,584. In each of these transactions, Florida Wagyu and Jackman failed to pay in a timely manner and engaged in the business of a packer buying livestock in commerce for slaughter purposes without maintaining an adequate bond or bond equivalent. As of the complaint’s filing date, Florida Wagyu and Jackman failed to pay four (4) livestock sellers a total of $ 1,037,372.
Every market agency, packer, and dealer must execute and maintain a bond applicable to the activity or activities in which the entity engages. Operating without an adequate bond or bond equivalent is a violation of the P&S Act. The P&S Act requires subject entities to issue 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 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to assess civil penalties up to $28,061 per violation against any person after notice and opportunity for a hearing on the record. If the allegations are admitted or proven in an oral hearing, Florida Wagyu and Jackman may be ordered to cease and desist from continuing violations of the P&S Act and assessed a civil penalty.
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 Kraig Roesch, Packers and Stockyards Division, at (303) 375-4291 or by email at Kraig.Roesch@usda.gov.
Source: USDA