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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)

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Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA)