P&S packer bonds.
Buying as a packer. Flat 3%.

A packer whose average annual livestock purchases exceed the regulatory threshold must file a Packers & Stockyards bond with USDA AMS under 7 U.S.C. §204. The amount tracks your purchase volume; we issue it at a flat 3% with one soft credit pull.

Required of a packer buying livestock — Clause 4 of the standard P&S bond form
Amount is set by 9 CFR §201.30 — based on your average livestock purchase volume
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:

TODAY · 5 MINUTES

Apply once, online

Business details, the bond amount your purchase 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. 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
$20,000 bond
$600
$50,000 bond
$1,500
About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the packer bond actually guarantees

Under the Packers and Stockyards Act (7 U.S.C. §181 et seq.), a packer whose average annual livestock purchases exceed the regulatory threshold must register with USDA AMS and maintain a surety bond. The bond stands behind the money the packer owes livestock sellers for the animals it buys.

The amount is fixed by 9 CFR §201.30, computed from the packer’s livestock purchase volume, rounded up to the next $5,000, with a $10,000 minimum and a graduated cap on the largest operations.

It is a three-party guarantee — you (the principal), the surety, and the United States as obligee — protecting the sellers 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 §201.30 require a packer whose livestock purchases exceed the regulatory threshold to maintain a bond filed with USDA AMS, in an amount computed from purchase volume (minimum $10,000, in no case less than $10,000). Confirm your required amount with the Packers & Stockyards Division.

You need this bond if you are

A packer buying livestock above the regulatory purchase threshold — Clause 4 of the P&S bond
Registering with the Packers & Stockyards Division for the first time
Re-filing after a volume change that raised your required 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 packer bond? +
The premium is a flat 3% of the bond amount, with a $275 minimum. The amount is set by 9 CFR §201.30, computed from your livestock purchase volume, with a $10,000 minimum. Enter that figure and the quote updates.
Does every packer need a bond? +
No. The bonding requirement applies to packers whose average annual livestock purchases exceed the threshold in 9 CFR §201.30. Smaller packers may be exempt — AMS can confirm whether your operation must bond.
Who requires it? +
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, through the Packers & Stockyards Division, under 7 U.S.C. §204.
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.
When does it renew? +
Terms run 1, 2, or 3 years. 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.

Keep your packer registration current.

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

Your premium @ 3%$600
Apply now →