The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on four 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.
The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
- Richard Fahoum, doing business as All American Distributing Co., operating out of Visalia, Calif., for failing to pay a $168,629 award in favor of a California seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Richard S. Fahoum was listed as the sole proprietor of the business.
- The Italian Scallion LLC, operating out of New Haven, Conn., for failing to pay a $2,500 award in favor of a New York seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Salvatore Orlando Sampieri was listed as the member of the business.
- WWD Fruits LLC, doing business as B Fruits, operating out of Miami, Fla., for failing to pay a $60,725 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Damian V. Segal was listed as the manager/member of the business.
- Dominic Produce LLC, operating out of Miami, Fla., for failing to pay a $5,706 award in favor of a Florida seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Solanyi Garcia and Felix G. Garcia were listed as managers of the business.
By issuing these penalties, USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.
For more information, contact Penny Robinson-Landrigan, Chief, Dispute Resolution Branch, at (202) 720-2890 or PACAdispute@usda.gov.
Original source can be found here.