USDA restricts PACA violators in Florida, Nevada and Texas

The USDA has imposed sanctions on five 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 (PACA). 

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 USDA said the following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:

• Marjaba Import & Export Corp., operating out of Miami, Fla., for failing to pay a $152,760 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Areli M. Juarez Rubi and Nidia L. Polanco Juarez were listed as the officers, directors and/or major stockholders of the business.
• Henderson Foods Inc., operating out of Las Vegas, Nev., for failing to pay a $27,000 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Gilberto Blanco and Salvador Castro were listed as the officers, directors and major stockholders of the business.
• 8A S Jalmex Produce Corp., operating out of McAllen, Texas, for failing to pay a $21,885 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Cesar Ochoa Torres was listed as the officer, director and major stockholder of the business.
• Ponce Produce LLC, operating out of Hidalgo, Texas, for failing to pay a $2,510 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Mayra Ponce was listed as a member of the business.
• Mestizos Group LLC, operating out of Garland, Texas, for failing to pay a $139,877 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Gerardo Guillen and Michell Torres were listed as members and managers of the business.

For more information, contact John Koller, Chief, Dispute Resolution Branch, at (202) 720-2890 or [email protected].