<p>The U.S. Department of Agriculture has cited Pacific Rim Onion Inc. for failure to pay for produce. The company failed to pay $340,687 to two sellers for 67 lots of produce. This is in violation of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). As a result of these actions, Pacific Rim Onion Inc. cannot operate in the produce industry until May 24, 2015, at which time it may reapply for a PACA license.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The company’s sole principal, Michael B. Aker, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee until May 24, 2014, and then only with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 5,000 claims filed under PACA involving $96 million. This is just one more way USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><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/" target="_new">AMS </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
