Us Code § 204 - Bond and suspension of registrants
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 204 — Bond and suspension of registrants, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 204. Bond and suspension of registrants
On and after July 12, 1943, the Secretary may require reasonable bonds from every market agency (as defined in this subchapter), every packer (as defined in subchapter II of this chapter) in connection with its livestock purchasing operations (except that those packers whose average annual purchases do not exceed $500,000 will be exempt from the provisions of this paragraph), and every other person operating as a dealer (as defined in this subchapter) under such rules and regulations as he may prescribe, to secure the performance of their obligations, and whenever, after due notice and hearing, the Secretary finds any registrant is insolvent or has violated any provisions of this chapter he may issue an order suspending such registrant for a reasonable specified period. Such order of suspension shall take effect within not less than five days, unless suspended or modified or set aside by the Secretary or a court of competent jurisdiction. If the Secretary finds any packer is insolvent, he may after notice and hearing issue an order under the provisions of section 193 of this title requiring such packer to cease and desist from purchasing livestock while insolvent, or while insolvent purchasing livestock except under such conditions as the Secretary may prescribe to effectuate the purposes of this chapter.
(July 12, 1943, ch. 215, 57 Stat. 422; Pub. L. 94–410, §§1, 4, Sept. 13, 1976, 90 Stat. 1249.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was enacted as part of the Department of Agriculture Appropriation Act, 1944, act July 12, 1943, and not as part of the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921, which comprises this chapter.
Amendments
1976—Pub. L. 94–410 inserted provisions exempting market agencies and packers whose average annual purchases do not exceed $500,000 from bonding requirement and authorizing Secretary, after notice and hearing, to issue cease and desist orders to insolvent packers prohibiting the purchase of livestock except under conditions prescribed by Secretary, respectively.
Prior Provisions
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in the following prior appropriation acts:
July 22, 1942, ch. 516, 56 Stat. 689.
July 1, 1941, ch. 267, 55 Stat. 432.
June 25, 1940, ch. 421, 54 Stat. 557.
June 30, 1939, ch. 253, title I, 53 Stat. 970.
June 16, 1938, ch. 464, title I, 52 Stat. 721.
June 29, 1937, ch. 404, 50 Stat. 406.
June 4, 1936, ch. 489, 49 Stat. 1432.
May 17, 1935, ch. 131, title I, 49 Stat. 257.
Mar. 26, 1934, ch. 89, 48 Stat. 477.
Mar. 3, 1933, ch. 203, 47 Stat. 1441.
July 7, 1932, ch. 443, 47 Stat. 620.
Feb. 23, 1931, ch. 278, 46 Stat. 1252.
May 27, 1930, ch. 341, 46 Stat. 402.
Feb. 16, 1929, ch. 227, 45 Stat. 1198.
May 16, 1928, ch. 572, 45 Stat. 547.
Jan. 18, 1927, ch. 39, 44 Stat. 1002.
May 11, 1926, ch. 286, 44 Stat. 527.
Feb. 10, 1925, ch. 200, 43 Stat. 851.
June 5, 1924, ch. 266, 43 Stat. 460.
About This Section
7 U.S.C. § 204 is part of Title 7 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 7 U.S.C. § 204. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.