Public Affairs
WASHINGTON, June 16, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has determined that Stephen Press, Sharon Press and Francis Manzo are not responsibly connected to Farmer Jacks Produce LLC, operating out of Middlesex, N.J. This is an update to Press Release No: 052-21 issued on May 13, 2021.
Farmer Jacks Produce LLC violated the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) by failing to pay a reparation award in the amount of $11,031 in March 2021. 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 Nasser Nasser, Helen G. Mejia, Stephen Press, Sharon Press and Francis Manzo were responsibly connected to Farmer Jacks Produce LLC and subject to sanctions. Stephen Press, Sharon Press and Francis Manzo contested this initial determination and USDA has now determined that they were not responsibly connected to Farmer Jacks Produce LLC at the time of the violation.
As a result, Stephen Press, Sharon Press and Francis Manzo 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.
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