Privacy Policy

What information we collect

When you create an account, we collect your name, email address, and a hashed version of your password. Your password is never stored in plain text. When you complete your profile, you may optionally provide your farm name, location, breeds of interest, and a profile photo. Verification documents (such as a USDA Farm ID) are collected solely to confirm your status as a legitimate producer and are not shared with other users.

How we use your information

We use your information to operate the platform — to display your profile to other producers, to process transactions, to send you notifications about connections and messages, and to verify your identity as a producer. We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your data for advertising purposes.

What other users can see

Your name, farm name, state, breeds of interest, bio, listed animals, and reviews are visible to other registered users. Your email address is never displayed publicly. Your physical address, phone number, and financial information are never visible to other users.

Messages

Private messages between connected users are stored securely and are not visible to other users. AMERICAN CATTLE UNION may review messages flagged through the report system to investigate potential safety or fraud issues. Messages are retained for account safety purposes.

Payments

Payment processing is handled by Stripe. AMERICAN CATTLE UNION never stores your credit card numbers, bank account information, or other sensitive financial credentials. Stripe's privacy policy governs the handling of your payment data. We store transaction records (amounts, dates, listing references) for accounting and dispute resolution purposes.

Cookies

We use a single authentication cookie to keep you logged in. This cookie contains a signed token that identifies your account session. It does not track your activity across other websites. We do not use third-party tracking cookies or advertising cookies.

Data retention

Your account data is retained as long as your account is active. If you close your account, your profile and listings are removed from public view. Transaction records are retained for 7 years as required by US tax law. You may request a copy of your data or deletion of your account by contacting us.

Changes to this policy

If we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you by email or by a notice on the platform before the changes take effect.