Title 7, AgricultureRelease 119-102
§223 Responsibility of Principal for Act or Omission of Agent
Title 7 › CHAPTER 9 — PACKERS AND STOCKYARDS › SUBCHAPTER V — GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 223
Summary
Holds packers, swine contractors, live poultry dealers, stockyard owners, market agencies, and dealers responsible for what their employees or agents do on the job. If a worker acts, fails to act, or makes a mistake while working, it counts as the business’s act or failure too.
Full Legal Text
Title 7, §223
Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
When construing and enforcing the provisions of this chapter, the act, omission, or failure of any agent, officer, or other person acting for or employed by any packer, any swine contractor, and any live poultry dealer, stockyard owner, market agency, or dealer, within the scope of his employment or office, shall in every case also be deemed the act, omission, or failure of such packer, any swine contractor, and any live poultry dealer, stockyard owner, market agency, or dealer, as well as that of such agent, officer, or other person.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2002—Pub. L. 107–171 inserted “any swine contractor, and” after “packer,” in two places. 1987—Pub. L. 100–173 substituted “, any live poultry dealer,” for “or any live poultry dealer or handler,” in two places. 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.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
7 U.S.C. § 223
Title 7, Agriculture
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102