The United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Marketing Service, Fruit and Vegetable Programs division (USDA, AMS) helps buyers and sellers market their perishable products in the most efficient manner possible through distribution channels. The AMS Fruit and Vegetable Programs division partners with State agencies to benefit growers, shippers, brokers, receivers, processors and the foodservice industry nationwide.
USDA, AMS Grading, Certification and Verification
At the recommendation of the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Advisory Committee, USDA's Fresh Products Branch has developed a long-range plan to review the U.S. standards for fresh fruits and vegetables to ensure that they meet the needs of the produce industry. This recommendation was delivered to former USDA Secretary Ann Veneman as part of an overall package of recommendations that the Advisory Committee believes will help productivity and efficiencies of the produce industry. Since 1928, USDA has developed 158 official grade standards for 85 fresh fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, peanuts, and related commodities. They describe the quality requirements for each grade of commodity, giving industry a common language for buying and selling.
Public input from the produce industry is solicited to determine if a grade standard needs to be updated, and if so, which elements should be updated. For the current list of Fruit and Vegetable Rulemaking notices related to grade standards and other Federal Register notices, click here.
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA)
The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA) promotes fair and ethical trading practices in the marketing of fresh produce and frozen fruits and vegetables in interstate and foreign commerce. It prohibits unfair and fraudulent practices and provides a means of enforcing contracts. Under the PACA, anyone buying or selling a threshold amount of commercial quantities of fruit and vegetables must be licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
To apply for a license, to obtain more specific information about licensing requirements, or to find out if a firm is a licensee, one may contact the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service, the agency that administers the PACA licenses, at (800) 495-7222.
To find information on PACA Education and Training, Dispute Resolution, Licensing, and Fair Trade Enforcement, click here.
Under United Fresh's "User Guide to the PACA", written by noted PACA attorney Steve McCarron, provides a complete overview of and clear explanation of how to operate legally under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act. The newest edition of this essential reference source includes discussion of recent expansions of the PACA trust to include restaurants and cruise lines, the fallout of the Hunts Point inspection scandal, the New Dispute Resolution Corporation, the latest PACA rulings on commercial bribery, recent court decisions, and much more.
Click here to see United Fresh's comments on PACA EDI.
To purchase a copy of the PACA User's Guide, click here.
Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee
Since its inception in 2001, this Advisory Committee has met up to two times per year to develop recommendations for submission to the Secretary of Agriculture on issues affecting the U.S. produce industry.
AMS will hold the next Industry Advisory Committee meeting on February 24-25, 2009.
AMS Fruit, Vegetable and Specialty Crop Purchasing Program
The Commodity Procurement Branch of the Fruit and Vegetable Programs buys fresh and processed fruits, vegetables and specialty items from industry vendors. For more information on how to sell to USDA, click here.
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