WASHINGTON – The North American Bison Cooperative and North Dakota Natural Beef LLC, Fargo, ND, were assessed civil penalties by the US Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) for failing to pay and failing to pay, when due, the full purchase price of livestock.

The cooperative and North Dakota Natural Beef were ordered to make immediate payment for all livestock purchases, GIPSA said. They also were fined $140,000, of which $125,000 will be held in abeyance until they make restitution to unpaid sellers of approximately $325,000.