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.
Note: Recently added resources are posted at the top of the applicable sections.
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 for Disciplinary Proceedings, 7 C.F.R. §§ 1.130-1.151
Federal Register Rules Open for Comment
Center published Federal Register Digest
Case Law
Note: Recently summarized cases are listed and linked in Recent Postings.
Case Law Index for Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act
Administrative Law Decisions
USDA, Office of the Administrative Law Judges
Summaries of USDA Judicial Officer Decisions
USDA National Appeals Division
List of Recent Disciplinary Decisions
Center published USDA Judicial Officer's Decisions
Center Research Publications
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
Reference Resources
USDA
PACA Publications
Perishable Agricultural Commodities Web Site
PACA: A Valuable Tool for Growers (Frazier, 1999)
Other Congressional Resources
Reports on PACA (Government Accountability Office)
Publications
Understanding Farmers' Rights to be Paid for Fruit and Vegetable Crops (FLAG, 2007)
Federal Law Protects Farmers' Rights to be Paid for Fruit and Vegetable Contracts (FLAG, 2007)
PACA and Bankruptcy (Bodoff, Bodoff & Salvitt, 2004)
In PACA We Trust: Commercial Protection of Suppliers Under PACA (redacted version)
(Chen, Harvard Law School, 2003)
PACA Rights Destroyed by Oral Agreement Extending Payment Terms (Nathan, Nat'l Assoc. of
Credit Management, 2004)
Recent PACA Decisions: A Mixed Bag for Creditors (Nathan, AllBusiness.com, 2003)