AMS No. 265-12

Nadine Wilkins (202) 720-8998

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2012 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has found Paul O. Rangel and Randall L. Lintz responsibly connected to Smokey Mountain Produce LLC in Morristown, Tenn.

Smokey Mountain Produce LLC, failed to pay a default reparation award. Paul O. Rangel and Randall L. Lintz initially challenged their responsibly connected status. They have now entered into a consent decision in which they neither admit nor deny their responsibly connected status. As a result, Paul O. Rangel and Randall L. Lintz may not be employed by or affiliated with any Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) licensee unless the employing company posts a USDA-approved surety bond. After two years, they are eligible to be employed or affiliated with any PACA licensee without the approved surety bond.

Under PACA provisions, those individuals held responsibly connected to PACA violations including sole proprietors, partners, members, officers, directors, and stockholders, may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA-approval.

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

In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 5,000 claims filed under the PACA involving $96 million. This is just one more way USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.

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