<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Washington-</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By ANUK Staff<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">1.10.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The USDA cited Custom Cuts Inc. & Custom Cuts Fresh LLC for failure to pay for produce on numerous occasions.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Based in Milwaukee, WI, CCI failed to pay $9,889.25 to a seller for one lot of produce, in violation of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). CCF failed to pay $976,398.92 to a total of eight sellers for 14 lots of produce. CCI and CCF will be prohibited from operating in the produce industry until Dec. 19, 2014, at which time it may reapply for a PACA license.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/hl_usda_body_01.jpg" alt="images011013" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The company’s sole principal, Bradley V. Beckman, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee until Dec. 19, 2013, and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p> PACA dictates that those individuals held responsible in connection with a violation may not be employed or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA-approval.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), PACA Division, regulates fair trading practices of produce companies operating under PACA jurisdiction including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry. The USDA has authorization to suspend or revoke a company’s license for violations of the PACA. All oversight of PACA-related actions is conducted by AMS, an agency within the USDA.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome" target="_new">USDA </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
