The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) negotiated an administrative Consent Decision and Order with Abdelkader Fedhal a/k/a Abdelkader Fedal a/k/a Ali Fedal (Fedhal) and Westminster Meat Packing Inc. (Westminster) of Westminster, Vt., on Aug. 29, 2022, for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.

An investigation by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) revealed that from April 23, 2019, through Aug. 19, 2020, Fedhal and Westminster failed to pay the full purchase price of livestock to five (5) livestock sellers totaling $774,306. As of the consent decision date, a total of $110,272 remains unpaid.

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 consent decision included an Order requiring Fedhal and Westminster to cease and desist from failing to pay, when due, the full purchase price of livestock. In addition, Fedhal and Westminister were assessed a $110,272 civil penalty. However, in accordance with an Understanding Regarding Civil Penalty Payment Terms, the penalty will be held in abeyance and will be reduced dollar-for-dollar by restitution made to their unpaid livestock 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 Kraig Roesch, Packers and Stockyards Division, at (303) 375-4291 or by email at kraig.roesch@usda.gov.

Source: USDA