WASHINGTON, March 19, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entered into a stipulation agreement with Mike Reaves Livestock Inc. of Rowland, N.C., on Feb. 28, 2025, which resolved an alleged violation of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act. Under the terms of the stipulation agreement, Reaves waived its right to a hearing and paid a civil penalty of $750.
A USDA Agricultural Marketing Service investigation revealed Reaves last submitted a scale test report on Sept. 2023. Reaves continued weighing livestock to determine sales price throughout 2024 without submitting a scale test report to USDA. On Feb. 18, 2025, after USDA initiated the stipulation enforcement action, Reaves submitted a scale test report for Aug. 27, 2024, and March 5, 2025. No scale test report was submitted for the first half of 2024.
The P&S Act requires subject entities to test livestock scales used in commerce at least once between Jan. 1 and June 30, and at least once again between July 1 and Dec. 31, and submit the scale test reports to USDA.
For further information about the Packers and Stockyards Act, contact Amy Blechinger, Packers and Stockyards Division, at (202) 720-7051 or by email at Amy.R.Blechinger@usda.gov.
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