30 March 2024, US: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has filed an administrative complaint against Safeway Fresh Foods LLC for alleged violations of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). The company, operating from New Jersey, allegedly failed to make payment promptly to 13 produce sellers in the amount of $3,863,509 from October 2021 through July 2023.
Safeway Fresh Foods LLC will have an opportunity to request a hearing. Should USDA find that the company committed repeated and flagrant violations, it would be barred from the produce industry as a licensee for three years, or two years with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond. Furthermore, its principals could not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee for two years, or one year with the posting of a USDA-approved surety bond.
