The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced plans to purchase Pacific Seafood Items for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs.  Potential materials may include Pacific Whiting fillets, Pacific Rockfish fillets, and Pacific Salad shrimps. Purchases will be made under the authority of Section 32 of the Act of August 24, 1935, with the purpose to encourage the continued domestic consumption of these products by diverting them from the normal channels of trade and commerce.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), warns member of the produce industry to beware of a fraudulent “phishing” scam where criminals have been sending fraudulent email messages using the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act Division (PACA) name. The scam asks recipients of the fraudulent email to click on a link or open a file that may release a virus onto your computer.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced today that, as required by law, it will conduct a referendum for eligible domestic producers and importers of highbush blueberries on whether to continue the Blueberry Promotion, Research and Information Order. The referendum will be held Oct. 8-22, 2021.