WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has cited Ricardo Bombella of Goodyear, Ariz., for failing to comply with employment sanctions under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).
According to a USDA press release, the USDA and Ricardo Bombella entered into a consent decision and order finding that Bombella violated section 8(b) of PACA by being employed by a PACA licensee between April 2012 and April 2014 while under employment sanctions. As a result of the consent decision and order, Ricardo Bombella’s employment sanction was extended for a one-year period beginning April 6, 2016.
In a discussion with Mr. Bombella, he told AndNowUKnow that he could still conduct business in the produce industry as long as he did not ship more than 2,000 lbs. per day of produce during this time period.
In the past three years, the USDA resolved approximately 3,700 PACA claims involving more than $66 million. Their experts also assisted more than 7,100 callers with issues valued at approximately $100 million. These are just two examples of how the USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.
