USDA Lifts PACA Reparation Sanctions on Terra Produce Connection Corp.

<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">12.20.12</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The USDA has lifted PACA reparation sanctions on the Miami, Florida-based produce company Terra Produce Connection Corp. The company has met its obligations in paying reparations issued against it under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), according to a press release.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/hl_usda_dec_2012_BANNER.jpg" alt="Images 121912" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Terra Produce Corp. is now eligible to conduct business in the produce industry, and has listed Virnalisi Velez as officer, director, and its major stockholder. Velez may now be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">A reparation order may be issued on a business, revoking a company’s business license, if the company fails to meet legal obligations for buying and selling produce in the US. If employment restriction is issued onto a company under PACA, the company must first pay PACA reparations before the USDA declares the company eligible for business and reinstates its business license.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), an agency within the USDA, regulates fair trade in the produce industry and oversees all activity relating to the PACA.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.printData.do?template=printPage&amp;navID=&amp;page=printPage&amp;dDocId=STELPRDC5101706&amp;dID=179661&amp;wf=false&amp;docTitle=USDA+Lifts+PACA+Reparation+Sanctions+on+Florida+Produce+Business" target="_new"> USDA </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">