The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on six produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and for failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). These sanctions include suspending the businesses' PACA licenses and barring the principal operators of the businesses from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without USDA approval.
The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
- Los Angeles Produce Distributors LLC (Los Angeles, Calif.) for failing to pay a $121,453 award in favor of a Calif. seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Matthew E. Clark and Sierra Nevada Produce LLC were listed as manager/members of the business.
- Fresh Start Healthy Meals Inc. (Sylmar, Calif.) for failing to pay a $34,872 award in favor of a Calif. seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Veronica Alcaraz was listed as the officer, director, and major stockholder of the business.
- The Choice Produce Inc. (Vernon, Calif.) for failing to pay a $32,348 award in favor of a Calif. seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Ho Gill Kim and Brian K. Kim were listed as the officers, directors, and/or major stockholders of the business.
- Forbidden Valley Fruit Co. LLC (McAllen, Texas) for failing to pay a $25,613 award in favor of a Calif. seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Elias Banos, Jorge A. Celis Salas, and Bruno Alfonso Romo were listed as manager/members of the business.
- Banana Bros Produce LLC (Holly, Mich.) for failing to pay a $27,334 award in favor of a Mich. seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Chelsey C. Gelardi was listed as the manager/member of the business.
- J & G Soto Produce LLC (McAllen, Texas) for failing to pay a $3,277 award in favor of a Fla. seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Guadalupe Soto Benitez was listed as the manager/member of the business.
- Munoz Fresh Produce LLC (Omaha, Neb.) for failing to pay a $91,810 award in favor of a Wash. seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Marlene Santos and Deleney R. Santos were listed as members of the business.
Click here for an overview of companies that previously violated PACA.
For more information:
Penny Robinson-Landrigan
USDA
Tel.: +1 (202) 720-2890
[email protected]
www.ams.usda.gov