P&S market agency bonds.
Selling on commission. Flat 3%.

A market agency that sells livestock on commission must file a Packers & Stockyards bond with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service under 7 U.S.C. §204. The amount comes from your sales volume; we issue it at a flat 3% with one soft credit pull.

Required of a market agency selling on commission — Clause 1 of the standard P&S bond form
Amount is set by 9 CFR §201.30 — based on your average daily volume of livestock sold
Soft credit pull only — never affects your score, and the rate stays 3% either way
Flat 3%of your bond amount$275minimum premiumSoft pullnever affects your score
Trusted by industry leaders
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
How it works

Apply to filed in one sitting.

Your registration with USDA AMS is waiting on this bond. Here is the whole process — no broker phone tag:

TODAY · 5 MINUTES

Apply once, online

Business details, the bond amount your volume requires, and an effective date. The only extra step is a one-time consent to a soft credit pull.

WITHIN 48 HOURS

Reviewed & approved

Most clear quickly; if underwriting needs anything, you hear from an underwriter within 48 hours. The credit check is a soft pull that never affects your score.

1–2 BUSINESS DAYS

File with USDA AMS

Receive the executed bond on the standard P&S bond form, ready to file with the Packers & Stockyards Division to register or stay registered. Wet-ink originals mailed on request.

The whole pricing page.

Bond amount × 3% = your premium, one-time, $275 minimum. Enter the figure 9 CFR §201.30 produces for your volume and the premium updates.

$10,000 bond
$300
$25,000 bond
$750
$50,000 bond
$1,500
About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the P&S bond actually guarantees

The Packers and Stockyards Act (7 U.S.C. §181 et seq.) requires market agencies, dealers, and certain packers to register with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service and to maintain a surety bond. For a market agency selling on commission, the bond stands behind the proceeds owed to the livestock sellers you represent.

The required amount is fixed by 9 CFR §201.30. For a selling-on-commission agency, you divide the value of livestock sold in the preceding year by the number of days livestock was sold (the divisor capped at 130), then round up to the next $5,000 — with a $10,000 minimum and a graduated cap above $50,000.

It is a three-party guarantee: you (the principal), the surety, and the United States as obligee, protecting the sellers, consignors, and others the Act covers. It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a valid claim, you repay the surety.

7 U.S.C. §204 · 9 CFR §201.30The Packers and Stockyards Act (7 U.S.C. §181 et seq.; bonding authority at §204) and 9 CFR Part 201, Subpart G — in particular §201.30 — require a market agency selling livestock on commission to maintain a bond filed with USDA AMS, in an amount computed from its average daily volume of livestock sold (minimum $10,000). Confirm your required amount with the Packers & Stockyards Division.

You need this bond if you are

A market agency selling on commission — Clause 1 of the standard P&S bond
Registering a new livestock operation with the Packers & Stockyards Division
Re-filing after a volume change that raised your required bond amount under §201.30
Replacing a non-renewed bond to keep your AMS registration in good standing

Five minutes. The whole thing.

These are the actual underwriting fields, including a one-time consent to a soft credit pull. Submit once and your bond is typically issued within 1–2 business days.

Start the application →
FAQs

Common questions.

If yours isn't here, the bond team can usually answer within the hour.

How much is the Packers & Stockyards bond? +
The premium is a flat 3% of the bond amount, with a $275 minimum. The amount itself is set by 9 CFR §201.30 — for a selling-on-commission agency, it is based on your average daily dollar volume of livestock sold, with a $10,000 minimum. Enter that figure and the quote updates.
Who requires this bond? +
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, through the Packers & Stockyards Division, under 7 U.S.C. §204. A registered market agency must keep a sufficient bond on file as a condition of operating.
How do I figure out my required amount? +
Under 9 CFR §201.30 you divide the value of livestock sold in the prior business year by the number of days livestock was sold (capped at 130 days), round up to the next $5,000, and apply the $10,000 minimum. AMS can confirm the figure — send it to us and we’ll issue it.
Is there a credit check? +
Yes — one soft credit pull, which never affects your score. It informs approval, not price. The rate is a flat 3% either way: credit can affect whether we approve the bond, never what it costs.
When does it renew? +
Terms run 1, 2, or 3 years — your choice at purchase. We send renewal notices 60 and 30 days out, and the bond must stay on file for your AMS registration to stay in good standing.
Related bonds

Other New York bonds.

USDA AMS is waiting on one document.

Flat 3%, $275 minimum, five-minute application, e-signed bond in 1–2 business days. Free until issued.

Your premium @ 3%$750
Apply now →