Several firms have been notified of their violations of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, and USDA says those businesses have lost their licenses to operate without departmental approval.
USDA rolled out three PACA-related notices Tuesday including nine violations, four of which are tied to production and distribution in the West, including two growers in Arizona.
One individual, Fernando Acevedo, Jr., doing business as La Familia Produce in Nogales, Arizona, is restricted from operating in the produce industry for a failure to pay an award of more than $310,000 in favor of a Texas seller. In the same notice, USDA also noted the same penalty was levied against Arturo Hernandez, doing business as The Avo King in Camarillo, California, for a failure to pay more than $41,000.
In another release, USDA noted Real Value Sales in Nogales, Arizona, is restricted from industry operation for the failure to pay an award of nearly $14,000 in favor of a seller in the same state.
Finally, a Texas business – San Antonio-based West Pacific Orchard – was cited for a failure to pay just shy of $60,000 to a California seller.
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According to USDA, the department is required “to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued.” Individuals associated with a revoked license “may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA license without USDEA approval.”
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