PURPOSE: This rule establishes a procedure for the receipt, handling, and disposition of public complaints pursuant to the mandate of the Missouri Livestock Marketing Law, sections 277.200–277.215 RSMo, Supp. 2001.

1. (1) The director of the Market Development Division of the Department of Agriculture shall receive and process each complaint made against any packer with respect to livestock, meats, meat food products, or livestock products in unmanufactured form, which complaint alleges violations of sections 277.200 to 277.215, RSMo.
2. (2) Complaints should be mailed or delivered to the following address: Director, Market Development Division, Missouri Department of Agriculture, 1616 Missouri Boulevard, PO Box 630, Jefferson City, MO 65109. However, actual receipt of a complaint by the director of the Market Development Division at the division’s administrative office in any manner shall be sufficient. Complaints may be made based upon personal knowledge or upon information and belief, reciting information received from other sources.
3. (3) The director of the Market Development Division shall appoint a Missouri Livestock Law Violation Review Committee of individuals knowledgeable with the livestock and 2 CSR 10-5

packing industries. Members of the committee may be employees of the Department of Agriculture. The committee shall elect a chairman to receive, acknowledge and investigate all complaints on behalf of the director of the Market Development Division. The committee chairman shall call a meeting of the committee as often as necessary to process all complaints received.

1. (4) All complaints shall be made in writing and shall fully identify the complainant by name and address. Complaints may be made on forms provided by the Market Development Division, included herein. Such forms shall be made available upon request. The forms shall allow for, but not be limited to, the complainant’s name and address; the name and address of the subject(s) of the complaint; the date the alleged violation occurred; and a thorough description of the alleged violation(s). The complainant should include any and all available pertinent information. Oral or telephone requests will not be considered or processed as complaints, but each person making such communication will be provided with a complaint form and will be requested to complete the form and return it to the Market Development Division.
2. (5) Upon receipt by the committee, each complaint shall be acknowledged in writing and investigated by the committee. When the investigation is completed, the committee shall determine if the complaint should be forwarded to the Missouri Attorney General, or if the complaint should be dismissed. Upon that determination, the committee shall inform the complainant, in writing, of the committee’s decision.
3. (6) This rule exists for the benefit of those members of the public who submit complaints to the Missouri Livestock Law Violations Review Committee. This rule is not deemed to protect or inure to the benefit of those persons or entities against whom enforcement actions may be instituted concerning possible violations of the provisions of the Missouri Livestock Marketing Law. AUTHORITY: sections 277.200–277.215, RSMo 2000 and Supp. 2001.* Emergency rule filed Oct. 16, 2001, effective Oct. 26, 2001, expired April 23, 2002. Original rule filed Feb. 13, 2002, effective July 30, 2002. *Original authority: See Missouri Revised Statutes 2000 and Supp. 2001.