USDA Determines Individual Responsibly Connected to California Violator

Date
Friday, March 5, 2021 - 9:30am
Contact Info
Release No.
022-21

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has determined that Lewis Macleod is a responsibly connected principal of Huxtable’s Kitchen Inc. (Huxtable’s), Vernon, Calif. This is an update to Press Release No: 044-20 issued on Feb. 26, 2020, and 150-19 issued on Nov. 6, 2019.

Huxtable’s violated section 2(4) of the PACA by failing to pay $551,829 to six sellers for produce purchased, received and accepted in interstate and foreign commerce from October 2015 to May 2016. As a result, USDA imposed sanctions on the business, including requiring that all principals may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee without USDA approval.

Lewis Macleod has been held responsibly connected to Huxtable’s at the time of the violation. As a result, he may not be employed by or affiliated with any PACA licensee until Feb. 2, 2022, and then only with the posting of a USDA approved surety bond.

For further information contact Corey Elliott, Chief, Investigative Enforcement Branch, at (202) 720-6873 or PACAInvestigations@usda.gov.

The PACA Division, which is in the Fair Trade Practices Program in the Agricultural Marketing Service, regulates fair trading practices of produce businesses that are operating subject to PACA, including buyers, sellers, commission merchants, dealers and brokers within the fruit and vegetable industry. In the past three years, USDA resolved approximately 3,625 PACA claims involving more than $104 million. PACA staff also assisted more than 7,600 callers with issues valued at approximately $166 million. These are just two examples of how USDA continues to support the fruit and vegetable industry.

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