Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, April 24, 2020 – As part of its commitment to ensuring fair and competitive markets for the livestock, meat and poultry industries, on April 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reached a consent decision with John B. Hagler (Hagler) of Salem, Mo., for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.
An investigation by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) resulted in the issuance of an administrative complaint against Hagler on May 7, 2019. The investigation revealed that in seven transactions from Aug. 25, 2015, through Oct. 27, 2015, Hagler violated the P&S Act by purchasing livestock and falsifying purchase prices to increase profits.
Under the consent decision, Hagler agreed to cease and desist from engaging in operations subject to the Act without accurately representing the purchases in transactions, and cease and desist from falsification of invoices to show false price or weight. He also agreed to keep and maintain records sufficient to fully and correctly disclose all transactions.
Hagler is also suspended as a registrant from all livestock operations as a dealer for a period of five years, beginning April 16, 2020, with the last three-years of the five-year suspension held in abeyance.
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 P&S Act, contact Stuart Frank, Director, Packers and Stockyards Division, Fair Trade Practices Program at (515) 323-2586, or by email at stuart.frank@usda.gov.
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