WASHINGTON – The US Department of Agriculture announced that it recently reached a consent decision with Jackman Florida Wagyu Beef and Justin Ashley Jackman of Clewiston, Fla., over violations of the Packers and Stockyard Act.

An investigation by the Agricultural Marketing Services (AMS) showed that between May 2018 and January 2019, Florida Wagyu and Jackman operated as a packer without maintaining adequate bond coverage and failed to pay for livestock purchases in a timely manner. 

AMS found that 21 transactions from Florida Wagyu failed to pay approximately $1,037,372 of the $1,724,584 it owed.

With the consent decree, the company and Jackman agreed to cease operations as a packer without maintaining adequate bond coverage and failing to pay the full purchase price of livestock.

“Florida Wagyu and Jackman are prohibited from owning and operating a packer business for five years and are assessed a $5,000 civil penalty,” AMS added. “Jackman is permitted to engage in salaried employment owned and operated by a third party.”

The P&S Act is a law designed for fair trade practice and payment protection law that promotes competitive markets in the meat and poultry industries.