USDA restricts PACA violators in Florida, New Jersey and Texas
The U.S. Department of Agriculture imposed sanctions on three produce businesses — Breadberry Lakewood, RC Pro Corp. and Indita Produce — 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.
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:
- Breadberry Lakewood LLC, operating out of Lakewood, NJ, for failing to pay a $61,572 award in favor of a New York seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Samual Gluck was listed as the sole member of the business.
- RC Pro Corp., operating out of Fort Myers, FL, for failing to pay a $18,244 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Raidel Cruz Suarez was listed as the sole officer, director and stockholder of the business.
- Indita Produce LLC, operating out of Pharr, TX, for failing to pay a $13,415 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the issuance date of the reparation order, Demetrio Bisbardis was listed as the sole member of the business.
PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in USDA’s issuance of a reparation order that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. 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.
