Washington, D.C., Sept. 9, 2026 – On Aug. 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) signed a Consent Decision and Order with Anderson County Livestock Exchange LLC (Anderson) and James Peters of Elkhart, Texas, settling an administrative complaint USDA filed on April 6, 2026, for alleged violations of the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act.
A USDA investigation revealed that between August 2022 and December 2022, Anderson and Peters failed to remit $84,693 in proceeds from the sale of livestock by issuing nonsufficient funds checks as payment to livestock consignors, in violation of the P&S Act. As of the date of the complaint, Anderson and Peters owed $72,401 to consignors. Anderson and Peters were also found issuing checks for livestock from a non-custodial account and failing to keep and maintain records that fully and correctly disclose all the transactions involved in their business, in violation of the P&S Act.
Under the Consent Decision and Order, Anderson and Peters were ordered to cease and desist from failing to remit proceeds to consignors from the sale of livestock, issuing checks to consignors without having sufficient funds available in the account upon which the checks were drawn to pay, misusing and failing to maintain a custodial account by issuing checks from a non-custodial account, failing to deposit payments into the custodial account, and issuing checks for non-livestock purchases. Anderson and Peters registrations were suspended from operating subject to the P&S Act for five years.
The Secretary of Agriculture has authority to take action against violators, including issuing cease and desist orders, suspending registrations, and imposing other remedies as authorized by the P&S Act.
For more information, contact Amy Blechinger, Packers and Stockyards Division, at 202-720-7051 or Amy.R.Blechinger@usda.gov.
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