Nadine Wilkins, (202)720-8998Nadine.wilkins@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1, 2012 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on three produce businesses for failure to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:
--Harry Gelb Frozen Foods Inc., operating out of St. Louis, Mo., for failure to pay a $21,829.01 reparation award in favor of a Tennessee seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Lawrence A. Gelb was listed as the officer, director, and major stockholder of the business.
--G D Fresh Distribution Inc., operating out of Clackamas, Ore., for failure to pay a $53,915.50 reparation award in favor of an Idaho seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, George M. Dziak was listed as the officer, director, and major stockholder of the business.
--Double Trouble LLC, operating out of Hobe Sound, Fla., for failure to pay a $5,600 reparation award in favor of a Maryland seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Deborah E. Ponte and Michael A. Ponte were listed as members of the business.
PACA provides for an administrative forum to handle disputes over produce transactions; this may result in a reparation order being issued that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. The USDA is required to suspend the license of a business or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. 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 businesses operating subject to the PACA, which includes buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry. All oversight of actions related to the PACA are conducted by the AMS, an agency within the USDA.
In fiscal year 2011, USDA resolved approximately 2,000 claims filed under the PACA involving $31 million. This is just one more way the USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
For more information, contact John Koller, Chief, Dispute Resolution Branch at (202) 720-2890, by fax at (202) 690-2815, or by email at disputeresolutionsection@ams.usda.gov regarding this matter.
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