WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently determined that Eloiza Nunez Ramirez, Jose A. Ramirez, Antonio Benitez, Tomasa Rivera Granados, Raul Martinez, Omar P. Polito, and Alverto Rivera are not responsibly connected to Organic Fruit Markets LLC, operating out of Oroville, Washington, which failed to pay a $19,231 reparation award in September.

Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:

Organic Fruit Markets LLC violated the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) by failing to pay a reparation award in the amount of $19,231 in September 2020. As a result, USDA imposed sanctions on the business, including requiring that all principals may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.

USDA made an initial determination that Eloiza Nunez Ramirez, Jose A. Ramirez, Antonio Benitez, Tomasa Rivera Granados, Raul Martinez, Omar P. Polito, and Alverto Rivera were responsibly connected to Organic Fruit Markets LLC and subject to sanction. These individuals contested this initial determination and USDA has now determined that they were not responsibly connected to Organic Fruit Markets LLC at the time of the violation.

As a result, Eloiza Nunez Ramirez, Jose A. Ramirez, Antonio Benitez, Tomasa Rivera Granados, Raul Martinez, Omar P. Polito, and Alverto Rivera may be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee.

For more information, and to read the press release in its entirety, click here.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service