Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, April 2, 2020 – As part of its commitment to ensuring fair and competitive markets for the livestock, meat and poultry industries, on March 12, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reached a consent decision with Euclid Stockyards Inc. (Euclid) and Jeremy T. Gorham (Gorham) the owner and President of Euclid, Ontario, Calif., 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 Euclid and Gorham on June 20, 2019. The investigation revealed that on 83 dates from July 9, 2014, to Oct. 31, 2014, Euclid and Gorham violated the P&S Act. Gorham operated Euclid as a market agency selling livestock on commission without selling the livestock openly and at the highest available bid. Gorham also misused the Euclid custodial account by obtaining money from the custodial account he was not entitled to as compensation for services.
Under the consent decision, Euclid and Gorham agreed to cease and desist from selling livestock on commission without doing so openly and at the highest available bid. They also agreed to stop using the Euclid custodial account for purposes other than those provided by law. Euclid and Gorham paid a civil penalty of $7,500.
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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