Release No.: 167-15
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2015 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Super Save Market LLC, Super Aloha Ltd., and Cheung Chau Trading Inc., in Honolulu, Hawaii, for failure to pay for produce.
Super Save Market LLC failed to pay $16,350 to two sellers for 19 lots of produce; Super Aloha Ltd. failed to pay $39,211 to two sellers for 21 lots of produce; and Cheung Chau Trading Inc. failed to pay $55,967 to one seller for 65 lots of produce. These are violations of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). As a result of these actions, Super Save Market LLC, Super Aloha Ltd., and Cheung Chau Trading Inc., cannot operate in the produce industry until Oct. 21, 2017, at which time they may reapply for a PACA license.
As a result, Nhi Tran, Janie Lo, Tony Liu, and Soniya Liu, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee until Oct. 21, 2016, and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
USDA is required to publish the finding that a business has committed willful, repeated, and flagrant violations of PACA as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business during the violation period. 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 Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), PACA Division, regulates fair trading practices of produce companies operating subject to PACA, which includes buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry. USDA is authorized to suspend or revoke a company’s license for violations of PACA. All oversight of actions related to PACA are conducted by AMS, an agency within USDA.
In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,700 PACA claims involving more than $66 million. Our experts also assisted more than 7,100 callers with issues valued at approximately $100 million. These are just two examples of how the USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
Get the latest Agricultural Marketing Service news at www.ams.usda.gov/news or follow us on Twitter @USDA_AMS. You can also read about us on the USDA blog.
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