Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA)
Overview
The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (“PACA”), 7 U.S.C. §§ 499a-499t, was enacted in 1930 to regulate the marketing of perishable agricultural commodities in interstate and foreign commerce. The primary purposes of the PACA are to prevent unfair and fraudulent conduct in the marketing and selling of perishable agricultural commodities and to facilitate the orderly flow of perishable agricultural commodities in interstate and foreign commerce. The PACA is administered and regulated by the Agricultural Marketing Service, an agency within the USDA. Read the full overview.
Major Statutes
The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act, 7 U.S.C. §§ 499a-499t
Regulations
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act Regulations, 7 C.F.R. §§ 46.1-46.49
Rules of Practice for Reparation Proceedings, 7 C.F.R. §§ 47.1-47.49
Rules of Practice Governing Formal Adjudicatory Proceedings, 7 C.F.R. §§ 1.130-1.151
Federal Register Rules Open for Comment
Case Law
Case Law Index for Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act
Administrative Law Decisions
USDA, Office of the Administrative Law Judges
Center-published USDA Judicial Officer Decisions
Summaries of Judicial Officer Decisions
Center Research Publications
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act Factsheet (Pittman, 2012)
Legal and Business Guide for Specialty Crop Producers (National AgLaw Center & U. AR Division of Agriculture)
Secured Lending in the Produce Industry: What Every Bank Should Know (Klinowski, 2009)
The PACA: The Statutory Trust and Its Application to Restaurants (Pittman, 2003)
PACA Roundup: A Review of Recent Cases (Pittman, 2003)
Congressional Research Service Reports
CRS Subject(s):
Farm Commodity Programs
Commodities
Agricultural Law Bibliography
Introduction | Keyword Search | Browse Categories
Legal publications on Perishable Agricultural Commodities:
Fruits and Vegetables – Perishable Agricultural Commodities
Reference Resources
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act
File a PACA Claim or Apply for a License
PACA Overview
Top 10 Contract Issues Causing Confusion in Produce Industry
PACA Frequently Asked Questions
PACA Good Delivery Guidelines
Congressional Resources
Reports on PACA (Government Accountability Office)
Publications
PACA Web Guide (McCarron, 2012)
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (USDA AMS, 2011)
Federal Law Protects Farmers’ Rights to be Paid for Fruit and Vegetable Contracts (FLAG, 2007)
Preferences, Reclamation, and PACA in One Case: A Three Ring Circus (Nathan, National Association of Credit Management, 2004)
PACA Rights Destroyed by Oral Agreement Extending Payment Terms (Nathan, Nat’l Assoc. of Credit Management, 2004)
Let the Lender Beware: The Perishable Commodities Act (Secured Lender, 2002)
Additional Resources
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Posts (Ag & Food Law Blog)
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (USDA AMS, 2013) (YouTube Video)
Produce Law 101: The PACA Trust and How it Works (Meuers Law Firm)