---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 203"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "203"
heading: "Activity as stockyard dealer or market agency; benefits to business and welfare of stockyard; registration; penalty for failure to register"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/203"
units:
  - "Chapter 9 — Packers and Stockyards"
  - "Subchapter III — Stockyards and Stockyard Dealers"
---

# §203. Activity as stockyard dealer or market agency; benefits to business and welfare of stockyard; registration; penalty for failure to register


After the expiration of thirty days after the [Secretary](/usc/7/182.md?p=2) has given public notice that any [stockyard](/usc/7/202.md?p=a) is within the definition of [section 202 of this title](/usc/7/202.md), by posting copies of such notice in the [stockyard](/usc/7/202.md?p=a), no [person](/usc/7/182.md?p=1) shall carry on the business of a [market agency](/usc/7/201.md?p=c) or [dealer](/usc/7/201.md?p=d) at such [stockyard](/usc/7/202.md?p=a) unless (1) the [stockyard owner](/usc/7/201.md?p=a) has determined that his services will be beneficial to the business and welfare of said [stockyard](/usc/7/202.md?p=a), its patrons, and [customers](/usc/7/24.md?p=b), which determination shall be made on a basis which is not unreasonable or unjustly discriminatory, and has given written authorization to such [person](/usc/7/182.md?p=1), and (2) he has registered with the [Secretary](/usc/7/182.md?p=2), under such rules and regulations as the [Secretary](/usc/7/182.md?p=2) may prescribe, his name and address, the character of business in which he is engaged, and the kinds of [stockyards](/usc/7/202.md?p=a) services, if any, which he furnishes at such [stockyard](/usc/7/202.md?p=a). Every other [person](/usc/7/182.md?p=1) operating as a [market agency](/usc/7/201.md?p=c) or [dealer](/usc/7/201.md?p=d) as defined in [section 201 of this title](/usc/7/201.md) may be required to register in such manner as the [Secretary](/usc/7/182.md?p=2) may prescribe. Whoever violates the provisions of this section shall be liable to a penalty of not more than $500 for each such offense and not more than $25 for each day it continues, which shall accrue to the United States and may be recovered in a civil action brought by the United States.


## Source credit

(Aug. 15, 1921, ch. 64, title III, § 303, 42 Stat. 163; Pub. L. 85–909, § 2(3), Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1750; Pub. L. 90–446, § 1(b), July 31, 1968, 82 Stat. 474.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1968—Pub. L. 90–446 designated existing provisions as cl. (2) and added cl. (1).

1958—Pub. L. 85–909 inserted “Every other person operating as a market agency or dealer as defined in section 201 of this title may be required to register in such manner as the Secretary may prescribe.”