Southern Sun LLC violated the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) by failing to pay the amount of $436,401 to five sellers for produce that was purchased, received and accepted in interstate and foreign commerce from February to November 2018. 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 Paul Ross and Parminder Singh were responsibly connected to Southern Sun LLC and subject to sanction. Parminder Singh contested his initial determination, and USDA has now determined that he was not responsibly connected to Southern Sun LLC at the time of the violations.
As a result, Parminder Singh may be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee.
For further information, contact Corey Elliott, Chief, Investigative Enforcement Branch, at (202) 720-6873 or PACAInvestigations@usda.gov.
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 3,625 PACA claims involving more than $104 million. PACA staff also assisted more than 7,600 callers with issues valued at approximately $166 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service
