Definitions.

As used in ss. 534.48-534.54, the term:

(1) “Dealer” means a person, not a market agency, engaged in the business of buying or selling in commerce livestock either on his or her own account or as the employee or agent of a vendor or purchaser.

(2) “Department” means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

(3) “Livestock” has the same meaning as in s. 585.01(13).

(4) “Livestock market” means any location in the state where livestock is assembled and sold at public auction or on a commission basis during regularly scheduled or special sales. The term “livestock market” does not include private farms or ranches or sales made at livestock shows, fairs, exhibitions, or special breed association sales.

(5) “Packer” means a person engaged in the business of buying livestock in commerce for purposes of slaughter, or of manufacturing or preparing meats or meat food products for sale or shipment in commerce, or of marketing meats, meat food products, or livestock products in an unmanufactured form acting as a wholesaler broker, dealer, or distributor in commerce.

(6) “Purchaser” means a person, partnership, firm, corporation, or other organization owning, managing, producing, or dealing in livestock, including, but not limited to, a packer or dealer, that buys livestock for breeding, feeding, reselling, slaughter, or other purpose.

(7) “Registered and approved livestock market” means a livestock market fully registered, bonded, and approved as a market agency pursuant to the Stockyards Act and governing regulations of the United States Department of Agriculture Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration.

(8) “Seller” means a person, partnership, firm, corporation, or other organization owning, managing, producing, financing, or dealing in livestock, including, but not limited to, a registered and approved livestock market as consignee or a dealer, that sells livestock for breeding, feeding, reselling, slaughter, or other purpose.

(9) “Stockyards Act” means the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, 7 U.S.C. ss. 181–229 and the regulations promulgated pursuant to that act under 9 C.F.R. part 201.