WASHINGTON, May 30, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entered into a stipulation agreement with Smithfield Fresh Meats Corp. (Smithfield) of Smithfield, Va. on May 15, 2025, resolving an alleged violation of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act. Under this agreement, Smithfield waived its right to a hearing and agreed to pay a civil penalty of $2,000.
On March 12, 2025, a USDA Agricultural Marketing Service investigation found that trolleys being used at Smithfield’s pork plant in Crete, Neb. were not uniform in weight.
The P&S Act requires packers purchasing livestock on a carcass weight basis to use trolleys in connection with the weighing of carcasses that are uniform in weight. Packers deduct a standard trolley tare weight from the gross weight based on the average weight of the trolleys in the plant. If a trolley weight is heavier or lighter than the fixed tare weight being deducted, payment could be affected. Failure to standardize the weight of trolleys is an unfair trade practice and a violation of the P&S Act and regulations.
The Secretary of Agriculture has authority under the P&S Act to act against violators, including issuing orders to cease and resist, suspending registrations, and applying other appropriate remedies as authorized by the Act. The USDA may also offer alleged violators the option to waive their right to a hearing and enter into a stipulation agreement to resolve the suspected violations quickly.
For information about the P&S Act, contact Bryice Wilke, Packers and Stockyards Division, at (202) 720-7051 or at Bryice.A.Wilke@usda.gov.
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