WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to uphold fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). In accordance with these practices, the USDA recently announced that Maryland-based Los Fuertes Produce LLC satisfied a reparation order in the amount of $37,322 issued under the PACA involving unpaid produce transactions.

Direct from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:

The Elkridge, Maryland, company can continue operating in the produce industry upon applying for and being issued a PACA license. Jose Ramirez and Aracely Ortiz were listed as members of the business and may now be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee.

PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in USDA’s issuance of a reparation order that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. USDA 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. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.

Once a reparation order is fully satisfied and it is confirmed that there are not any outstanding unpaid awards, USDA lifts the employment restrictions of the previously named, responsibly connected individuals. USDA also requires any unlicensed company that fully satisfies all unpaid reparation awards to obtain a license if it continues to operate in the industry.

For more information, and to read the press release in its entirety, please visit the link here.

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service