Title 7, AgricultureRelease 119-102

§221 Accounts and Records of Business; Punishment for Failure to Keep

Title 7 › CHAPTER 9 — PACKERS AND STOCKYARDS › SUBCHAPTER V — GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 221

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Packers, swine contractors, live poultry dealers, stockyard owners, market agencies, and dealers must keep full, accurate records and notes that show all business deals and who really owns the business. If the Secretary says the records are not complete, the Secretary can require a specific form. Failing to keep records in that form can bring a fine up to $5,000, up to three years in prison, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §221

Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Every packer, any swine contractor, and any live poultry dealer, stockyard owner, market agency, and dealer shall keep such accounts, records, and memoranda as fully and correctly disclose all transactions involved in his business, including the true ownership of such business by stockholding or otherwise. Whenever the Secretary finds that the accounts, records, and memoranda of any such person do not fully and correctly disclose all transactions involved in his business, the Secretary may prescribe the manner and form in which such accounts, records, and memoranda shall be kept, and thereafter any such person who fails to keep such accounts, records, and memoranda in the manner and form prescribed or approved by the Secretary shall upon conviction be fined not more than $5,000, or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2002—Pub. L. 107–171 inserted “any swine contractor, and” after “packer,”. 1987—Pub. L. 100–173 substituted “, any live poultry dealer,” for “or any live poultry dealer or handler,”. 1935—Act Aug. 15, 1921, title V, § 503, as added Aug. 14, 1935, inserted “or any live poultry dealer or handler” after “packer” wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1987 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 100–173 effective 90 days after Nov. 23, 1987, see section 12 of Pub. L. 100–173, set out as a note under section 182 of this title. Liens or Security Interests Against Livestock; Interagency Task Force To Recommend Method of Providing Information to Purchasers; Report to Congress Pub. L. 95–409, § 2, Oct. 2, 1978, 92 Stat. 887, required the Secretary of Agriculture to appoint a task force to recommend methods of providing information to purchasers of livestock concerning the existence of a lien or security interest against livestock and to submit a report to Congress not later than Feb. 1, 1979.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 221

Title 7, Agriculture

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102