Greenhouse grower charged for mislabeling Canadian vegetables

A Kingsville greenhouse operator has been charged with fraud for selling more than $1 million of non-Canadian – largely Mexican – vegetables that were falsely labelled as being from Canada to Ontario’s largest grocery chains, reports the Windsor Star.

The charges were filed earlier this week by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Danny Mucci, 39, and Joe Spano, 47, of Mucci Farms are each facing several criminal charges related to “defrauding the public of money by misrepresenting the country of origin of greenhouse vegetables,” according to Ontario Court documents.

They are listed in the charges as violating the Criminal Code, Food and Drug Act, Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Regulations and Canadian Agricultural Products Act.

The two were charged and released earlier this week. They are scheduled to make their next court appearance on Sept. 15.

According to court documents, the company has been accused of falsely labelling the country of origin on packages of greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

The family-based Mucci Farms has been in business since 1963 and currently includes more than 400 acres of greenhouse vegetables.

Both Mucci Farms and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are not willing to give any statement as the case is now before the court.

Source: Windsor Star