<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Washington, DC -</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">01.29.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The USDA has restricted two PACA Violators from operating within the produce industry. The USDA imposed sanctions on Tarik Packing Services Inc., operating out of Salinas, Puerto Rico, and Lombardo Imports Inc., operating out of Las Vegas, Nevada, for failure to pay reparation awards issued under the PACA.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/usda-body.jpg" alt="images012813" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Tarik Packing Services Inc. has failed to pay a $15,482 award in favor of a Minnesota seller. As of the issuance date of the order, Raul T. Calderon Benavente was listed as the officer, director, and major stockholder of the business according to an USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service press release. Lombardo Imports Inc. has failed to pay a $66,383 award in favor of an Illinois seller. As of the issuance date, Thomas J. Lombardo Jr. was listed as the officer, director, and major stockholder of the business.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/usda-paca-story-3.jpg" alt="images012813" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">USDA has also filed an administrative action under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act against Quality Produce Suppliers Inc. The company operating from Illinois, allegedly failed to make payment to 16 produce sellers in the amount of $617,811. These failed payments occurred from July 2011 through December 2011.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Quality Produce Suppliers Inc. will have an opportunity to request a hearing. If the USDA discovers that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, Quality Produce Suppliers will be barred from the produce industry for two years. In addition, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for one year and then only with the posting of a USDA- approved surety bond.</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.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateU&navID=Newsroom&topNav=Newsroom&page=Newsroom&acct=AMSPW" target="_new"> PACA Violations </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
