Release No.: 079-15

Contact:

Nadine Wilkins (202) 720-8998

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2015 – The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has suspended the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) license of ABI Imports Inc., Pittsgrove, N.J., for failing to make its records available for review.

The company refused to allow inspection of its records as part of an ongoing investigation under PACA, and its PACA license was suspended as a result of the refusal. The suspension will remain in place until the records are made available. During the suspension, ABI Imports Inc. may not operate subject to PACA.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), PACA Division, regulates fair trading practices of produce companies operating subject to PACA, which includes buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers, and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry. USDA is authorized to suspend or revoke a company’s license for violations of PACA. All oversight of actions related to PACA are conducted by AMS, an agency within USDA.

In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 4,250 PACA claims involving more than $77 million. Our experts also assisted more than 7,000 callers with issues valued at approximately $110 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.

For further information, contact Josephine E. Jenkins, Chief, Investigative Enforcement Branch, at (202) 720-6873, by fax at (202) 720-8868, or by email at InvestigativeEnforcement@ams.usda.gov.