The USDA has filed an administrative complaint against Island Fresh De Puerto Rico Inc. (IFPR) for alleged violations of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.
The company, operating from Puerto Rico, allegedly failed to make payment promptly to six produce sellers in the amount of $1,554,566 from August 2019 through July 2020, according to a news release.
IFPR will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry as a licensee for three years, or two years with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond, the release said. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for two years, or one year with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
For more information, contact Corey Elliott, Chief, Investigative Enforcement Branch, at (202) 720-6873 or [email protected].