Produce shippers will not deal with brokers that cannot provide quick responses to simple questions. They want to find out whether you have active MC Authority, what methods you use to control temperature during shipping and how quickly you can get a load covered.
The good news is that finding shippers costs almost nothing. USDA publishes a free shipper contact list and a free PACA license search. USDA Market News shows what is shipping now and where. The weekly Truck Rate Report shows where trucks are tight, so you know when to call.
This guide shows you how to:
- Find active shippers by state and season
- Check each shipper’s PACA record before you call
- Know who books the truck on FOB and delivered loads
- Say the right things on the first call
- Prove you can protect temperature from pickup to delivery
Follow these steps in order, use these freight broker cold-calling tips, and spend less time prospecting and more time moving loads.
Where Can You Get a Free Produce Shippers List?
One practical way to find shippers as a freight broker is to start with free government data. USDA publishes a shipper contact list, and its PACA search tool lets you find licensed shippers by state. Both cost nothing. You can easily build your prospect database by combining the USDA datasets, the Produce Market Guide, and individual state agriculture directories.
USDA’s Shipper Contact List
USDA posts a downloadable National Shippers Contact List. It shows each shipper’s name, account number, email, phone and fax. The posted copy is dated April 2022, so treat it as a starting point. Confirm every company in PACA Search.
How to Search PACA by State?
You do not need to log in to use PACA Search. Follow these steps:
- Open the ePACA portal.
- Click PACA License Search.
- Type a state or territory in the search box.
- Click a business name to see its full profile.
You can also search by business name, trade name, license number, city or zip code. Listed principals tell you who to ask for.
| Search Field | Best Use |
| State/Territory | Build a regional shipper list |
| License Number | Confirm one exact company |
| Trade Name | Find a shipper that operates under another name |
Check a Shipper’s PACA Record Before You Call
A quick check protects you from bad deals. The search shows trade names, branch locations, principals and other license details. Look for these signs:
- The license status reads “Active.”
- The business name matches the one you were given.
- The location fits where the shipper says it operates.
If a company does not appear, you can email [email protected] for a deeper search, as the PACA Search tip sheet explains. For license questions, call 1-800-495-PACA (7222) and press option 1. Check each contact before you call.
For market prices and supply reports, USDA Specialty Crops Market News lists regional offices you can contact.
Who Books the Truck on a Produce Load?
It depends on the sales terms. Sales terms outline who pays for shipping and who covers transit risks. However, the contract should also specify who is responsible for booking the truck.
- FOB shipping point: The buyer books the truck. Under this term, the buyer usually pays freight and files any carrier claims. The shipper only loads the produce onto the truck at the shipping point. Under PACA rules, the buyer bears in-transit damage and delay the seller did not cause. See 7 CFR 46.43.
- Delivered: The seller books the truck and carries transit risk.
- FOB at delivered price: The seller pays freight, but condition terms stay FOB.
- Plain FOB with freight prepaid: The seller may arrange the truck, but title and risk still pass at the dock.
Cornell’s freight terms table lays out each pairing. Always put “freight collect” or “freight prepaid” in writing on the purchase order to streamline your freight broker lead generation.
When Does Produce Season Start by Region?
Winter crops begin in the South and Southwest in October and November. Summer and fall crops start in spring and move north. Dates shift with weather, so use these as planning windows.
| Origin | Season starts | What to know |
| California | April on the Central Coast, November in the desert valleys | Central Coast lettuce runs April to November, and desert greens run November to March. |
| Florida | Mid-October | Central Florida tomato harvest begins in October. |
| Arizona | November | Western Arizona harvests lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower from November to April. |
| Texas | Late October or November | Valley and Winter Garden harvests start around November 1 and run to May. |
| Georgia | April | Vidalia onions are harvested in April and May. |
| North Carolina | Late August or September | Sweet potato harvest starts in late summer. Cured roots store up to a year. |
| Idaho | Mid-August start, main harvest in September | The heaviest harvest comes in late September and early October. |
| Washington | Early August for new potatoes | New crop Washington potatoes began the first week of August in 2024. |
| Mexico (imports) | November | Nogales handles many winter imports from November to May. |
How to Read the Season Table?
- Start dates mark when volume begins, not when the first box ships.
- Early weeks run light, so prices can be high.
- Overlaps matter. California’s desert valleys, Arizona and Mexico all ship in winter.
- Check USDA Market News for weekly shipment data by origin.
Call Storage-Crop States Year-Round
Idaho, Washington and North Carolina ship from storage after harvest. Most Idaho potatoes go into storage so supply lasts all year. North Carolina storage systems developed at NC State allow year-round sweet potato sales. So these states are always open for calls, provided your outbound campaigns strictly comply with the telemarketing sales rule.
How Do You Time Calls With the USDA Truck Rate Report?
Call on Wednesday and use the supply level to set your plan. USDA issues the report weekly on Wednesday, for the week ending Tuesday. Rates are open (spot) market prices that shippers or receivers pay.
What Each Supply Level Means for Your Call?
The report rates each district as Surplus, Slight Surplus, Adequate, Slight Shortage or Shortage. The actions below are practical advice, not USDA rules.
| Supply level | What it means | Your move |
| Shortage | Trucks are scarce | Call shippers first. Capacity is your pitch |
| Slight Shortage | Trucks are tightening | Call early in the week and offer covered capacity |
| Adequate | Trucks match demand | Compete on service and temperature records |
| Slight Surplus | Extra trucks are available | Buy trucks cheaper, quote sharper |
| Surplus | Trucks are plentiful | Expect rate pressure, sell reliability |
Read the Rate Trend Too
Supply levels differ by district in the same report, so check your own origin, not the national picture.
- Find your district and commodity first.
- Check the weekly range and the Tuesday “mostly” price.
- Note the percent change to see the direction.
Use the live USDA Truck Rate Report. It includes price ranges and percent change by district and city.
What Produce Shippers Expect From a Reefer Broker
Shippers expect a reefer broker to set the temperature in writing, pass it to the carrier and keep proof it was held. The FDA treats you as the shipper, so this is a legal duty and a service standard.
Why the FDA Treats Brokers as Shippers?
The rule counts a freight broker as a shipper when the broker arranges food transportation in the United States. Brokers must know and pass on the key information to the carrier, unless others agree in writing to take that duty. FDA sets no temperature ranges. Shippers or brokers must give them in writing.
What Shippers Check Before They Tender a Load?
| Expectation | What it looks like |
| Written temperature | Set point on the rate confirmation and bill of lading |
| Pre-cooled trailer | Unit at temperature before loading starts |
| Clean equipment | Odor-free, washed out, no cross-contamination |
| Temperature records | Logger or recorder data from pickup to delivery |
| Carrier vetting | Drivers trained on sanitary transport |
| Fast updates | Alerts on delays or temperature problems |
On request, the responsible carrier must show it held the operating temperature. For fresh produce, drivers usually verify temperature by pulping, which means taking the product’s temperature at pickup and at delivery. The shipper and carrier can also agree on how temperature is monitored.
How to Stay Protected?
- Put every duty you hand to the carrier in the written contract.
- Keep temperature and wash-out records on file.
- Ask for a federal inspection if a receiver rejects the load.
- Read the rule in the Federal Register.
What to Say on the First Call to a Produce Shipper?
Open with who you are and what you need. Shippers will check you, because USDA warns about imposter buyers who steal loads.
Get Past the Front Desk
To get past the front desk, ask for the person who buys logistics and freight services, then give your name and company. Keep every claim accurate: the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule now extends its ban on false statements to business-to-business sales calls.
Say This First
- Your callback number.
- Your MC number, if you broker freight.
- Your PACA license number, if you buy or sell produce.
- The product, quantity and lane you want.
USDA’s imposter fraud alert tells shippers to confirm buyer details, then cross-check them in PACA Public Search. Offer that proof up front.
Ask These Next
- Pack size, pallet count and ready date.
- Loading hours and appointment rules.
- Product temperature at loading.
- FOB or delivered price.
- Freight payment terms, and whether they require a credit application.
Close the Call
Read the details back. Then send a three-line confirmation email.
Paid Produce Directories vs Free Federal Lists
Free federal lists tell you who a shipper is and whether it is licensed. Blue Book adds credit and payment history. Use both.
| Source | Cost | What you get | Limit |
| PACA search | Free | License status, trade names, branches, principals and complaint data | No credit score |
| USDA National Shippers Contact List | Free | Names, account numbers, emails and phones | The posted copy is dated April 2022 |
| USDA truck rate reports | Free | Weekly freight rates and truck availability | Shows lanes, not company contacts |
| Blue Book | Basic plan starts at $95 a month, billed annually | Credit scores, trade and pay ratings, and dispute resolution | Paid membership |
Which to Use When?
Start with PACA search to confirm a license. Pull the USDA contact list to find phone numbers. Check truck rates before you quote freight. Pay for Blue Book when you extend credit, because it shows payment behavior that federal lists do not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a USDA list of produce shippers?
Yes. USDA provides a complimentary National Shippers Contact List that includes the names of companies, their account numbers, email addresses, and phone numbers. Since this list was last updated in April 2022, please verify each company listed on the National Shippers Contact List using the PACA Search prior to making calls.
Does a freight broker need a PACA license?
Usually not, if you only arrange trucking for a freight fee. You still need FMCSA authority. USDA requires licenses for brokers who negotiate produce sales, not freight. So you do need a PACA license if you buy, sell or negotiate produce sales on behalf of others.
When is produce season for trucking?
Spring and summer volume runs April through October as harvests move north. Winter volume shifts south from November to April. Arizona, California’s desert valleys, Florida and Mexico crossings through Nogales carry heavy winter volume. Check USDA truck rate reports weekly.
How do freight brokers get produce loads?
Brokers call shippers directly, using USDA’s shipper list and the PACA search to find and vet them. They watch USDA truck availability reports to see which lanes are tight. Then they offer reliable reefer trucks, clear temperature terms and fast answers. Shippers give repeat loads to brokers they trust.
Who should I ask for when I call a produce shipper?
Ask for the shipping manager, dispatcher or traffic coordinator. That is whoever books trucks and sets loading times. At smaller shippers, ask for the sales desk or owner. If the front desk pushes back, treat it like any other freight broker objection: stay brief, explain why you are calling, and ask for the person who books the trucks
Conclusion
Planning is key to success as a produce shipper. You can use the USDA to identify produce shippers currently operating, and verify each shipper using the PACA database before contacting them.
Learn about the seasonal aspects of various areas to contact shippers when they have their highest volumes, rather than when they are at or below average volume. When talking to a shipper, start by giving your MC number and directly ask about the temperature, pick-up, and sales terms.
Follow through on what you verbally stated with physical actions. Write down the set point, record the temperature and let the shipper know immediately if there are any changes. Brokers who assist shippers usually stick in shippers’ minds.
Reach out to five shippers this week and track all calls; then follow up with those shippers who indicated interest in working together. Generating consistent leads as a freight broker will allow you to grow your company quicker than any other way.
