The USDA has imposed sanctions on four produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.
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 approval from USDA, according to a news release.
The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
- Fresh Crop Dist., operating out of Plant City, Fla., for failing to pay a $16,280 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Justin Daye was listed as the sole officer, director and stockholder of the business.
- Agritrade Farms LLC, operating out of Deerfield, Fla., for failing to pay a $2985 award in favor of a Georgia seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Ayal Raz was listed as the sole member of the business.
- Sunbelt Produce Distributors Inc., operating out of Forest Park, Ga., for failing to pay a $85,303 award in favor of a Wisconsin seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Bernard Syme was listed as the sole officer, director and stockholder of the business.
- ARR LLC, operating out of Nashville, Tenn., for failing to pay a $23,831 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Carlos Arrendondo was listed as the sole member of the business.
For more information, contact Penny Robinson-Landrigan, chief of the Dispute Resolution Branch, at 202-720-2890 or PACAdispute@usda.gov.
