Opinion ID: 77005
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Summary Judgment was proper on PSA misweighing claims.

Text: 46 The Londons argue that the district court erred in granting summary judgment to Fieldale on their misweighing claims for the loss of fuel weight in transit of the birds from their Green Meadows No. 1 Farm and their Green Meadows No. 2 Farm. The two contracts that cover these farms both provided that the weighing procedure would not include any adjustment for vehicle fuel used during transportation. The Londons do not provide any case law to indicate that two contracting parties would violate the PSA by inserting a provision regarding whether fuel usage would be considered during the weighing process. Instead, they rely on a regulation promulgated by the Grain, Inspection, and Packers and Stockyards Administration, pursuant to the PSA, that requires that poultry growers be paid based on the actual weight of the live poultry. See 9 C.F.R. § 201.55. 47 Congress passed the PSA to protect farmers and growers, but Congress did not intend for the PSA to supplant the traditional principles of freedom of contract. Jackson, 53 F.3d at 1458. The Londons presented no evidence that they did not enter into these contracts voluntarily, and throughout most of their growing relationship with Fieldale, the Londons never complained about the weighing of the birds. Moreover, we find the Londons' reliance on the regulation to be unavailing because that section notes that any adjustment to the actual weight shall be explained on any statements. Fieldale did just that: it inserted contractual provisions in their grower contracts informing the Londons that no fuel adjustment would be made at weigh-in. Accordingly, the district court properly granted summary judgment to Fieldale on the Londons' fuel adjustment claims on their grower contracts for the Green Meadows Farms.