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PSC issues 'Cease and Desist' order against a Devils Lake grain buyer

Dave Thompson
/
Prairie Public

The Public Service Commission has issued a “cease and desist” order against a Devils Lake man who owned both a grain elevator company and held a roving grain buyer’s license.

The PSC said it has received a number of complaints against Hunter Hanson and his two companies, NoDak Grain and Midwest Grain Trading, for bounced checks and unpaid contracts. The commission has received more than 50 contacts about this, and four client complaints have been filed.

Midwest Grain Trading has elevators in Tunbridge and Rohrville.

The order prevents Hanson and the two companies from buying grain or moving grain.

"Staff is preparing documents for filing with district court, asking that Midwest Grain Trading and NoDak Grain be declared insolvent," said PSC Chairman Randy Christmann. "We ask that the PSC be appointed trustee, and the sureties be joined as a party."

Hanson has $550,000 in bonds for the two companies -- $400,000 for Midwest Grain Trading and $150,000 for NoDak Grain.

"Today, we're just protecting assets," said Commissioner Julie Fedorchak.

"And we're trying to stop the bleeding," said PSC legal counsel Ilona Jeffcoat-Sacco. "Not take any more grain, stop the transactions coming or going."

This is the first case of its kind before the PSC since 2014.

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