USDA restricts four PACA violators

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2025– The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on four produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).

These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring the principal operators of the businesses from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without USDA approval.

The following businesses and individuals are currently restricted from operating in the produce industry:

• WKS Ag Consultants Inc., doing business as Top Shelf Produce Sales BB #:364161, operating out of Dinuba, Calif., for failing to pay a $425,680 award in favor of a Calif. seller. As of the reparation order issuance date, William Slattery and Jeanette Slattery were listed as the officers, directors and/or major stockholders of the business.
• Rio Verde Food Service Inc. BB #:302434, operating out of Des Moines, Iowa, for failing to pay a $29,600 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the reparation order issuance date, Ruben G. Acosta was listed as the officer, director and major stockholder of the business.
• IE AAA LLC, doing business as Citrus World BB #:396901, operating out of Brooklyn, N.Y., for failing to pay a $57,000 award in favor of a Texas seller. As of the reparation order issuance date, Olsian Noreci was listed as the manager of the business.
• Tall Hat Foods LLC, operating out of Orem, Utah, for failing to pay a $31,797 award in favor of a Calif. seller. As of the reparation order issuance date, Kent Andersen was listed as the manager/member of the business.

PACA provides an administrative forum to handle disputes involving produce transactions; this may result in USDA’s issuance of a reparation order that requires damages to be paid by those not meeting their contractual obligations in buying and selling fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. USDA is required to suspend the license or impose sanctions on an unlicensed business that fails to pay PACA reparations awarded against it, as well as impose restrictions against those principals determined to be responsibly connected to the business when the order is issued. Those individuals, including sole proprietors, partners, members, managers, officers, directors, or major stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.

By issuing these penalties, USDA continues to enforce the prompt and full payment for produce while protecting the rights of sellers and buyers in the marketplace.

For more information, contact Penny Robinson-Landrigan, Chief, Dispute Resolution Branch, at (202) 720-2890 or PACAdispute@usda.gov.

Contact Info
Public Affairs
Email: PA@usda.gov
Phone Number: (202) 720-8998
Release No. 054-25