(a) A person shall not carry on the business of a livestock dealer, packer, or transporter without first obtaining a license from the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets. Before the issuance of a license, a person shall file with the Secretary an application for a license on forms provided by the Agency. Each application shall be accompanied by a fee of $175.00 for livestock dealers and packers and $100.00 for livestock transporters.

(b) The Secretary may deny any application for a livestock dealer, packer, or transporter license, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, whenever the applicant is a person or a representative of a person who has had a livestock dealer, packer, or transporter license suspended or revoked by any state, including Vermont, or any foreign country during the preceding five years or who has been convicted of violating statutes, rules, or regulations of any state or the federal government pertaining to the sale or transportation of livestock or the control of livestock disease. The applicant shall be informed of any denial by letter, which shall include the specific reasons for the denial. The applicant shall have 15 days in which to petition the Secretary for reconsideration. The petition shall be submitted in writing, and the Secretary in his or her discretion may hold a further hearing on the petition for reconsideration. Thereafter, the Secretary shall issue or deny the license and shall inform the applicant in writing of his or her decision and the reasons therefor.

(c) The Livestock Special Fund is established under and shall be administered pursuant to 32 V.S.A. chapter 7, subchapter 5. All funds received under this section shall be deposited in the Livestock Special Fund for use by the Agency for administration of livestock programs. (Amended 1959, No. 91, § 2, eff. April 7, 1959; 1975, No. 220 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1981, No. 8, eff. March 20, 1981; 1989, No. 257 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 1995, No. 186 (Adj. Sess.), § 7, eff. May 22, 1996; 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2013, No. 72, § 18; 2015, No. 149 (Adj. Sess.), § 9; 2017, No. 30, § 1.)