WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on three produce businesses for failure to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).

According to a USDA press release, the following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:

• Bara Tropical Inc., operating out of Miami, Florida, for failing to pay an $8,604 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Maria M. Baglio and Flippo Baglio were listed as the officers, directors, and/or major stockholders of the business
• Fresh Produce Express LLC, operating out of Miami, Florida, for failing to pay a $7,024 award in favor of a South Carolina seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Henry M. Cabrera was listed as a member of the business
• Johnny Avocado Inc., operating out of Lynbrook, New York, for failing to pay a $52,075 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Johnny Gouzos was listed as the officer, director, and major stockholder of the business

PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in a reparation order being issued 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.

The PACA Division, which is in the Fair Trade Practices Program in the Agricultural Marketing Service, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.

In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,350 PACA claims involving more than $63 million. PACA staff also assisted more than 8,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $156 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.

USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service