WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2010 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cited Missiana Produce Inc. (Missiana) of Bruce, Miss., for mislabeling the state of origin on 3,850 boxes of sweet potatoes shipped in interstate commerce. The mislabeled sweet potatoes had been grown in Mississippi but Missiana incorrectly marked them as originating in Louisiana, which is in violation of Section 2(5) of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
As a result of these actions, the USDA and Missiana have entered into a consent decision and Missiana paid a civil penalty of $25,000.00 dollars.
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), PACA Branch, regulates fair trading practices of produce companies operating subject to the PACA, which includes buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry. The USDA is authorized to suspend or revoke a company’s license for violations of the PACA. All oversight of actions related to the PACA are conducted by the AMS, an agency within the USDA.
In fiscal year 2010 USDA resolved approximately 2,000 claims filed under the PACA involving $30 million in their continued efforts to serve and protect the fruit and vegetable industry from unlawful trade practices.
For further information contact Phyllis Hall, Director, Trade Practices Section, at (202) 720-6873, by fax at (202) 720-8868, or by email at TradePracticesSection@ams.usda.gov.
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