80_FR_53191 80 FR 53021 - U.S. Standards for Grades of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Fruits and Vegetables for Processing, Nuts, and Specialty Crops

80 FR 53021 - U.S. Standards for Grades of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Fruits and Vegetables for Processing, Nuts, and Specialty Crops

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 170 (September 2, 2015)

Page Range53021-53021
FR Document2015-21836

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes revising 46 U.S. Standards for Grades of fresh fruits and vegetables, fruits and vegetables for processing, nuts, and specialty crops by removing the ``Unclassified'' category from each standard. This would bring these grade standards in line with other recently amended standards and current terminology. This revision would update the standards to more accurately represent today's marketing practices and provide the industry with greater flexibility.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 170 (Wednesday, September 2, 2015) 
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 2, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 53021]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21836]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 51

[Doc. Number AMS-FV-14-0090, FV-15-327]


U.S. Standards for Grades of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Fruits 
and Vegetables for Processing, Nuts, and Specialty Crops

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes revising 46 U.S. Standards 
for Grades of fresh fruits and vegetables, fruits and vegetables for 
processing, nuts, and specialty crops by removing the ``Unclassified'' 
category from each standard. This would bring these grade standards in 
line with other recently amended standards and current terminology. 
This revision would update the standards to more accurately represent 
today's marketing practices and provide the industry with greater 
flexibility.

DATES: Comments must be received by November 2, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
the Standardization Branch, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Fruit 
and Vegetable Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, National Training and Development Center, Riverside 
Business Park, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, VA 
22406; Fax: (540) 361-1199, or on the web at: www.regulations.gov. The 
current U.S. Grade Standards for the 46 affected commodities are 
available on the AMS Web site at www.ams.usda.gov/scistandardization. 
Comments should reference the dates and page number of this issue of 
the Federal Register. Comments will be made available for public 
inspection in the above office during regular business hours and can 
also be viewed, as submitted, with any personal information provided, 
on the www.regulations.gov Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Olivia Vernon, Standardization Branch, 
Specialty Crops Inspection Division, at the address above or by 
telephone at (540) 361-2743; fax (540) 361-1199; or, email 
[email protected]. The current U.S. Standards for Grades are 
available on the AMS Web site at www.ams.usda.gov/scistandardization.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), as amended, directs and authorizes 
the Secretary of Agriculture ``to develop and improve standards of 
quality, condition, quantity, grade and packaging, and recommend and 
demonstrate such standards in order to encourage uniformity and 
consistency in commercial practices.'' AMS is committed to carrying out 
this authority in a manner that facilitates the marketing of 
agricultural commodities and makes copies of official grade standards 
available upon request. The U.S. Standards for Grades of Fruits and 
Vegetables not connected with Federal Marketing Orders or U.S. import 
requirements no longer appear in the Code of Federal Regulations, but 
are maintained by USDA, AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Program, and are 
available on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/scihome.
    AMS is revising these voluntary U.S. standards for grades using the 
procedures in Part 36, Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 
CFR part 36).

Background

    AMS proposes to eliminate the ``Unclassified'' section in 46 U.S. 
grade standards that were issued under the Agricultural Marketing Act 
of 1946.
    The fresh fruit and vegetable grade standards covered by these 
proposed changes are: Sweet anise, lima beans, beets, Brussels sprouts, 
cabbage, celery, cucumbers, endive, garlic, collard greens or broccoli 
greens, mustard greens and turnip greens, honey dew and honey ball type 
melons, horseradish roots, greenhouse leaf lettuce, mushrooms, common 
green onions, onion sets, parsnips, fresh peas, southern peas, rhubarb, 
romaine, bunched shallots, spinach plants, summer squash, turnips or 
rutabagas, dewberries and blackberries, American grapes, juice grapes, 
Persian limes, summer and fall pears, winter pears, and raspberries.
    The fresh fruit and vegetable for processing grade standards 
covered by these proposed changes are spinach, berries, blueberries, 
red sour cherries for manufacture, sweet cherries for canning or 
freezing, cranberries for processing, currants, raspberries, growers' 
stock strawberries for manufacture, and washed and sorted strawberries 
for freezing.
    The nut and specialty crops grade standards covered by these 
proposed changes are: Brazil nuts in the shell, cut peonies in the bud, 
and tomato plants.
    AMS continually reviews all fruit, vegetable, nut and specialty 
crop grade standards to ensure their usefulness to the industry. AMS 
has identified that the ``Unclassified'' section needs to be eliminated 
from the 46 aforementioned U.S. Standards for Grade. The 
``Unclassified'' category is not a grade and only serves to show that 
no grade has been applied to the lot. It is no longer considered 
necessary.
    This notice provides for a 60-day comment period for interested 
parties to comment on the proposed revisions in the standards.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

    Dated: August 28, 2015.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-21836 Filed 9-1-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 170 / Wednesday, September 2, 2015 / Proposed Rules 53021 those investigations when not previously during regular business hours and can these proposed changes are spinach, known. also be viewed, as submitted, with any berries, blueberries, red sour cherries for (c) From subsection (g)(1) (Civil Remedies) personal information provided, on the manufacture, sweet cherries for canning to the extent that the system is exempt from www.regulations.gov Web site. or freezing, cranberries for processing, other specific subsections of the Privacy Act. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: currants, raspberries, growers’ stock Dated: August 19, 2015. strawberries for manufacture, and Olivia Vernon, Standardization Branch, Karen L. Neuman, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, at washed and sorted strawberries for Chief Privacy Officer, Department of the address above or by telephone at freezing. Homeland Security. (540) 361–2743; fax (540) 361–1199; or, The nut and specialty crops grade [FR Doc. 2015–21674 Filed 9–1–15; 8:45 am] email olivia.vernon@ams.usda.gov. The standards covered by these proposed BILLING CODE 9111–14–P current U.S. Standards for Grades are changes are: Brazil nuts in the shell, cut available on the AMS Web site at peonies in the bud, and tomato plants. www.ams.usda.gov/scistandardization. AMS continually reviews all fruit, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section vegetable, nut and specialty crop grade 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act standards to ensure their usefulness to Agricultural Marketing Service of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621–1627), as the industry. AMS has identified that amended, directs and authorizes the the ‘‘Unclassified’’ section needs to be 7 CFR Part 51 Secretary of Agriculture ‘‘to develop and eliminated from the 46 aforementioned [Doc. Number AMS–FV–14–0090, FV–15– improve standards of quality, condition, U.S. Standards for Grade. The 327] quantity, grade and packaging, and ‘‘Unclassified’’ category is not a grade recommend and demonstrate such and only serves to show that no grade U.S. Standards for Grades of Fresh standards in order to encourage has been applied to the lot. It is no Fruits and Vegetables, Fruits and uniformity and consistency in longer considered necessary. Vegetables for Processing, Nuts, and commercial practices.’’ AMS is This notice provides for a 60-day Specialty Crops committed to carrying out this authority comment period for interested parties to in a manner that facilitates the comment on the proposed revisions in AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, marketing of agricultural commodities the standards. USDA. and makes copies of official grade Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627. ACTION: Notice. standards available upon request. The U.S. Standards for Grades of Fruits and Dated: August 28, 2015. SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Vegetables not connected with Federal Rex A. Barnes, Service (AMS) of the U.S. Department of Marketing Orders or U.S. import Associate Administrator, Agricultural Agriculture (USDA) proposes revising requirements no longer appear in the Marketing Service. 46 U.S. Standards for Grades of fresh Code of Federal Regulations, but are [FR Doc. 2015–21836 Filed 9–1–15; 8:45 am] fruits and vegetables, fruits and maintained by USDA, AMS, Fruit and BILLING CODE 3410–02–P vegetables for processing, nuts, and Vegetable Program, and are available on specialty crops by removing the the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/ ‘‘Unclassified’’ category from each scihome. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE standard. This would bring these grade AMS is revising these voluntary U.S. standards in line with other recently standards for grades using the Agricultural Research Service amended standards and current procedures in Part 36, Title 7 of the terminology. This revision would Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 7 CFR Part 504 update the standards to more accurately 36). represent today’s marketing practices RIN 0518–AA05 and provide the industry with greater Background Changes to Fees and Payment flexibility. AMS proposes to eliminate the Methods ‘‘Unclassified’’ section in 46 U.S. grade DATES: Comments must be received by standards that were issued under the AGENCY: Agricultural Research Service, November 2, 2015. Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. USDA. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are The fresh fruit and vegetable grade invited to submit written comments to ACTION: Proposed rule. standards covered by these proposed the Standardization Branch, Specialty changes are: Sweet anise, lima beans, SUMMARY: This document proposes an Crops Inspection Division, Fruit and beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, increase in the fees the Agricultural Vegetable Program, Agricultural cucumbers, endive, garlic, collard Research Service’s (ARS) Patent Culture Marketing Service, U.S. Department of greens or broccoli greens, mustard Collection charges, and a revision of the Agriculture, National Training and greens and turnip greens, honey dew method of payment. Development Center, Riverside Business and honey ball type melons, horseradish DATES: Submits comments on or before Park, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, roots, greenhouse leaf lettuce, Fredericksburg, VA 22406; Fax: (540) November 2, 2015. mushrooms, common green onions, 361–1199, or on the web at: onion sets, parsnips, fresh peas, ADDRESSES: See FOR FURTHER asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS www.regulations.gov. The current U.S. southern peas, rhubarb, romaine, INFORMATION CONTACT section below. Grade Standards for the 46 affected bunched shallots, spinach plants, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: commodities are available on the AMS summer squash, turnips or rutabagas, Jeffrey Kurtz, ARS—Budget and Web site at www.ams.usda.gov/ dewberries and blackberries, American Program Management Staff, George scistandardization. Comments should grapes, juice grapes, Persian limes, Washington Carver Center, 5601 reference the dates and page number of summer and fall pears, winter pears, Sunnyside Avenue, Room 4–1106, this issue of the Federal Register. and raspberries. Beltsville, Maryland 20705, telephone: Comments will be made available for The fresh fruit and vegetable for (301) 504–4494, email: jeff.kurtz@ public inspection in the above office processing grade standards covered by ars.usda.gov. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:00 Sep 01, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\02SEP1.SGM 02SEP1


Document Created: 2018-02-26 10:10:58
Document Modified: 2018-02-26 10:10:58
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionProposed Rules
ActionNotice.
DatesComments must be received by November 2, 2015.
ContactOlivia Vernon, Standardization Branch,
FR Citation80 FR 53021 
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