In a pivotal move for the agricultural sector, Always Fresco LLC, headquartered in McAllen, Texas, has successfully settled a $40,885 reparation order issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), according to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on March 18, 2024.
This resolution, under the auspices of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), concludes a dispute centered around unpaid produce transactions, thereby reinstating the company’s license and its managers’, Guadalupe Quintanilla Jr. and Edgar Rios, eligibility to engage within the industry.
The announcement comes as a significant relief to Always Fresco LLC, allowing it to resume its operations in the produce industry without restrictions.
The settlement of the reparation order underscores the importance of PACA in maintaining fair trade practices and resolving disputes within the fruit and vegetable sector.
PACA & The Produce Industry
The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) was established to facilitate fair trading practices within the produce industry, offering an administrative forum for resolving disputes involving produce transactions.
This recent case involving Always Fresco LLC highlights PACA’s critical role in ensuring that contractual obligations are met and that businesses operate within the framework of fairness and integrity that PACA enforces.
Implications for the Industry
The resolution of disputes such as this one is vital for the stability and fairness of the produce market.
It reassures participants that there is a mechanism in place to address grievances and enforce agreements.
Over the past three years, the USDA has handled more than 2,340 cases valued at $126.3 million, assisting over 5,600 callers with issues valued at $146.7 million.
These actions are just a few examples of how the USDA and PACA continue to support the fruit and vegetable industry, ensuring that it remains vibrant and equitable.
Fair Trade & Industry Support
The USDA’s intervention in this case through PACA demonstrates its ongoing commitment to fostering a fair trading environment and supporting the agricultural sector’s growth and sustainability.
As Always Fresco LLC moves forward, this resolution marks a fresh start for the company and its management, allowing them to focus on contributing positively to the industry’s future.
The PACA Division, part of the Fair Trade Practices Program in the Agricultural Marketing Service, continues to regulate fair trading practices of produce businesses, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry.
This case serves as a reminder of the essential functions that these regulatory bodies serve in maintaining the integrity and fairness of the agricultural market.
About the USDA
The USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways.
In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities, and building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices.
