Any person, including packing companies, that engage in the business of buying or selling livestock on a regular basis for the person's own account or for the account of others. Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) <strong xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Who must be licensed?</strong> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">Anyone, including meat packing companies, who engages in the business of buying or selling livestock on a regular basis. Livestock includes:</p> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li>Cattle</li> <li>Sheep</li> <li>Swine</li> <li>Horses intended for slaughter</li> <li>Mules</li> <li>Farmed cervidae (deer & elk)</li> <li>Llamas</li> <li>Ratitae (ostriches & emus)</li> <li>Bison</li> <li>Goats</li> </ul> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">You do not need a license if you:</p> <ul xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <li>are primarily a meat retailer,</li> <li>operate a frozen food processing plant, or</li> <li>raise livestock, and the animals you buy are for herd replacement and you sell only livestock you bred and/or raised yourself.</li> </ul> <p xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">If you are interested in becoming a licensed livestock dealer or market agency, see <a href="https://www.mda.state.mn.us/how-get-livestock-dealer-or-market-agency-license">How to Get a Livestock Dealer or Market Agency License</a></p> None
