The U.S. Department of Agriculture has sanctioned a California produce company and filed actions against three other firms under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.
The USDA cited Desert Star Produce LLC, Beaumont, Calif., for failing to pay $349,850 to four sellers for 54 lots of produce. Desert Star cannot operate in the produce industry until May 8, 2014, and its sole principal, Damon P. Baldiviez, cannot be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee until May 8, 2013, and then only with the posting of an USDA-approved bond.
The USDA also filed actions against the following:
- Oasis Corp., Las Vegas, for failing to fully pay nine sellers a total of $1,628,480 for produce bought from April 2009 through July 2010;
- Bacchus Fresh International Inc., Lombard, Ill., for failing to pay 23 sellers a total of $720,903 for produce bought from April 2009 to February 2011; and
- Custom Cuts Inc. (CCI) and Custom Cuts Fresh, LLC (CCF), Milwaukee. CCI allegedly failed to pay two sellers $217,128 for produce bought from August 2008 through September 2009. CCF allegedly failed to pay eight sellers a total of $976,399 for produce bought from November 2010 through July 2011.
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