The USDA has sanctioned four produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of the produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.
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 approval from USDA, according to a news release.
The USDA said the following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
- Mendoza Fresh Produce LLC, operating out of Houston, for failing to pay a $11,440 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Victor Mendoza was listed as the member and manager of the business.
- AZ Puchi III Enterprises Inc., operating out of Nogales, Ariz., for failing to pay a $11,580 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Alberto Puchi III was listed as the sole officer, director and major stockholder of the business.
- Rossman Fruit & Veg. Dist. Inc., operating out of Brooklyn, N.Y., for failing to pay a $102,729 award in favor of a New York seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Nitzan Rozman was listed as the sole officer, director and major stockholder of the business.
- G&S Produce Inc., operating out of Los Angeles, for failing to pay a $10,676 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance of the date of the reparation order, Guadalupe Serafin was listed as the sole officer, director and major stockholder of the business.
For more information, contact Penny Robinson-Landrigan, chief of the Dispute Resolution Branch, at 202-720-2890 or PACAdispute@usda.gov.
