Title 7AgricultureRelease 119-73

§201 “Stockyard owner”; “stockyard services”; “market agency”; “dealer”; defined

Title 7 › Chapter CHAPTER 9— - PACKERS AND STOCKYARDS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - STOCKYARDS AND STOCKYARD DEALERS › § 201

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in the chapter. A stockyard owner is anyone who runs a stockyard. Stockyard services are the services or facilities at a stockyard for receiving, buying (including commission sales), marketing, caring for, moving, shipping, weighing, or handling livestock. A market agency either buys or sells livestock on commission or provides stockyard services. Since October 7, 2016, it also includes people who buy or sell livestock online, by video, or electronically and handle the payments if their yearly average of such electronic commission sales is over $250,000. A dealer is anyone not a market agency who buys or sells livestock in commerce for themselves or as an employee or agent.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §201

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this chapter:
(a)The term “stockyard owner” means any person engaged in the business of conducting or operating a stockyard.
(b)The term “stockyard services” means services or facilities furnished at a stockyard in connection with the receiving, buying, or selling on a commission basis or otherwise, marketing, feeding, watering, holding, delivery, shipment, weighing, or handling in commerce, of livestock.
(c)The term “market agency” means any person engaged in the business of (1) buying or selling in commerce livestock on a commission basis or (2) furnishing stockyard services. Beginning on October 7, 2016, such term includes any person who engages in the business of buying or selling livestock, on a commission or other fee basis, through the use of online, video, or other electronic methods when handling or providing the means to handle receivables or proceeds from such buying or selling, so long as such person’s annual average of online, video, or electronic sales of livestock, on a commission or other fee basis, exceeds $250,000.
(d)The term “dealer” means any person, not a market agency, engaged in the business of buying or selling in commerce livestock, either on his own account or as the employee or agent of the vendor or purchaser.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2016—Pub. L. 114–237, § 2(b)(1), substituted “In this chapter:” for “When used in this chapter—” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–237, § 2(b)(2), substituted period for semicolon at end. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 114–237, § 2(b)(3)(B), substituted period for semicolon at end. Pub. L. 114–237, § 2(b)(3)(A), which directed amendment of subsec. (b) by substituting “weighing” for “weighting”, could not be executed because the word “weighing” already appeared in text. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–237, § 2(a), substituted period for “; and” after “stockyard services” and inserted at end “Beginning on October 7, 2016, such term includes any person who engages in the business of buying or selling livestock, on a commission or other fee basis, through the use of online, video, or other electronic methods when handling or providing the means to handle receivables or proceeds from such buying or selling, so long as such person’s annual average of online, video, or electronic sales of livestock, on a commission or other fee basis, exceeds $250,000.” 1976—Subsecs. (b) to (d). Pub. L. 94–410 substituted “livestock” for “live stock”. 1958—Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 85–909 struck out “at a stockyard” after “livestock”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 201

Title 7Agriculture

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73