82_FR_7796 82 FR 7783 - U.S. Standards for Grades of Catfish and Catfish Products

82 FR 7783 - U.S. Standards for Grades of Catfish and Catfish Products

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 13 (January 23, 2017)

Page Range7783-7784
FR Document2017-01413

This Notice informs the public that the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will not proceed with the development of voluntary U.S. Standards for Grades of Catfish and Catfish Products at this time.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 13 (Monday, January 23, 2017)
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7783-7784]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01413]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. AMS-LPS-16-0114]


U.S. Standards for Grades of Catfish and Catfish Products

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice informs the public that the Agricultural Marketing 
Service (AMS) will not proceed with the development of voluntary U.S. 
Standards for Grades of Catfish and Catfish Products at this time.

DATES: January 23, 2017.

ADDRESSES: USDA, AMS, Quality Assessment Division (QAD); 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Stop 0258, Room 3932-S, Washington, DC 20250.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Bowden, Chief, Standardization 
Branch; USDA, AMS, QAD; 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 0258, Room 
3932-S, Washington, DC 20250; phone (202) 690-3148; or via email at 
[email protected]. Alternately, Bucky Gwartney, Marketing 
Specialist, Standardization Branch; USDA, AMS, QAD; 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Stop 0258, Room 3932-S, Washington, DC 20250; phone (202) 
720-1424; or via email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 203(c) of the Agricultural 
Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), the Secretary of 
Agriculture is directed 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.'' USDA is committed to carrying 
out this authority in a manner that facilitates the marketing of 
agricultural products. One method of achieving this objective is 
through the development and maintenance of standards by AMS. Currently, 
AMS maintains standards for a wide variety of commodities and in many 
cases applies those standards to commodities on a fee-for-service 
basis.
    The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) and 
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill) directed the Secretary of 
Agriculture to establish within USDA a voluntary, fee-based grading 
program for catfish. Since passage of the 2008 and 2014 Farm Bills, and 
particularly since the publication of the Food Safety and Inspection 
Service (FSIS) final rule, ``Mandatory Inspection of Fish of the Order 
Siluriformes and Products Derived From Such Fish,'' which defined 
catfish (80 FR 75589), AMS has engaged the U.S. catfish industry and 
other stakeholders to seek input on requirements for voluntary U.S. 
standards for grades of catfish. This culminated in a Notice published 
in the Federal Register (81 FR 45449) on July 14, 2016, inviting the 
public to submit information, background, comments, and data to assist 
in the development of voluntary U.S. Standards for Grades of Catfish 
and Catfish Products.
    During the 60-day comment period, four responses were submitted--
two from catfish importers, one from an industry institution, and one 
from a U.S. catfish producer/processor. One importer stated support for 
a USDA grading program if it included all Siluriformes species 
(currently, imported products of many varieties of Siluriformes are not 
eligible to be graded under the U.S. Department of Commerce's National 
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Standard). Two additional responses did 
not support USDA's development of voluntary U.S. standards or a grading 
program. One pointed out the duplicity of creating these under AMS when 
they already exist under NFMS, noting the unnecessary use of resources 
to develop a program ``and market to a consuming [public] that is not 
demanding a new U.S. Grade Standard;'' the other recommended the use of 
the NMFS standards and grading program, as these are already familiar 
to the industry and their customers. The final response was outside the 
scope of the Notice, as it objected to the mandatory inspection of fish 
of the order Siluriformes by FSIS but did not address development by 
USDA of voluntary U.S. standards or a grading program. These comments 
are available at the following Web site: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=AMS-LPS-16-0006.
    Based on the responses received from the Notice as well as 
additional feedback from stakeholders through other avenues, including 
two industry workshops coordinated by AMS and academia and an industry-
wide conference call held by AMS in May 2016, AMS has concluded that 
there is not sufficient interest in USDA-AMS standards for catfish or 
an AMS-administered grading program at this time.
    It is important to note that a standard for catfish, and associated 
voluntary grading services, are currently available to the industry 
through NMFS. NMFS maintains the ``United States Standards for Grades 
of North American Freshwater Catfish and Products Made Therefrom'' and 
provides grading and certification services on a fee-for-service basis. 
Graded catfish and catfish products may bear official marks, including 
`U.S. Grade A,' `Processed

[[Page 7784]]

Under Federal Inspection,' and `Lot Inspection.' Additional services 
provided by NMFS include system and process audits, product inspection, 
and export certification.
    In light of the response from industry stakeholders indicating 
there is no current need for USDA-AMS standards nor a subsequent AMS-
administered grading program for catfish, AMS will discontinue the 
initiative to establish either at this time. AMS stands ready to assist 
agricultural industries in establishing voluntary standards and grading 
programs for commodities for which it has authority to do so; the 
catfish industry retains this option should the need arise.

    Dated: January 17, 2017.
Elanor Starmer,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-01413 Filed 1-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P



                                                                                                                                                                                                     7783

                                                  Notices                                                                                                        Federal Register
                                                                                                                                                                 Vol. 82, No. 13

                                                                                                                                                                 Monday, January 23, 2017



                                                  This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER                    ADDRESSES:   USDA, AMS, Quality                        voluntary U.S. Standards for Grades of
                                                  contains documents other than rules or                  Assessment Division (QAD); 1400                        Catfish and Catfish Products.
                                                  proposed rules that are applicable to the               Independence Avenue SW., Stop 0258,                       During the 60-day comment period,
                                                  public. Notices of hearings and investigations,         Room 3932–S, Washington, DC 20250.                     four responses were submitted—two
                                                  committee meetings, agency decisions and                                                                       from catfish importers, one from an
                                                                                                          FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                                  rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
                                                  petitions and applications and agency                   David Bowden, Chief, Standardization                   industry institution, and one from a U.S.
                                                  statements of organization and functions are            Branch; USDA, AMS, QAD; 1400                           catfish producer/processor. One
                                                  examples of documents appearing in this                 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 0258,                    importer stated support for a USDA
                                                  section.                                                Room 3932–S, Washington, DC 20250;                     grading program if it included all
                                                                                                          phone (202) 690–3148; or via email at                  Siluriformes species (currently,
                                                                                                          David.Bowden@ams.usda.gov.                             imported products of many varieties of
                                                  UNITED STATES AFRICAN                                   Alternately, Bucky Gwartney, Marketing                 Siluriformes are not eligible to be
                                                  DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION                                  Specialist, Standardization Branch;                    graded under the U.S. Department of
                                                                                                          USDA, AMS, QAD; 1400 Independence                      Commerce’s National Marine Fisheries
                                                  Public Quarterly Meeting of the Board                   Avenue SW., Stop 0258, Room 3932–S,                    Service (NMFS) Standard). Two
                                                  of Directors                                            Washington, DC 20250; phone (202)                      additional responses did not support
                                                  AGENCY: United States African                           720–1424; or via email at                              USDA’s development of voluntary U.S.
                                                  Development Foundation.                                 Bucky.Gwartney@ams.usda.gov.                           standards or a grading program. One
                                                                                                          SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under                       pointed out the duplicity of creating
                                                  ACTION: Notice of meeting.
                                                                                                          section 203(c) of the Agricultural                     these under AMS when they already
                                                  SUMMARY:   The U.S. African                             Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621–                  exist under NFMS, noting the
                                                  Development Foundation (USADF) will                     1627), the Secretary of Agriculture is                 unnecessary use of resources to develop
                                                  hold its quarterly meeting of the Board                 directed to ‘‘develop and improve                      a program ‘‘and market to a consuming
                                                  of Directors to discuss the agency’s                    standards of quality, condition,                       [public] that is not demanding a new
                                                  programs and administration.                            quantity, grade, and packaging, and                    U.S. Grade Standard;’’ the other
                                                                                                          recommend and demonstrate such                         recommended the use of the NMFS
                                                  DATES: The meeting date is Tuesday,
                                                                                                          standards in order to encourage                        standards and grading program, as these
                                                  January 31, 2017, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
                                                                                                          uniformity and consistency in                          are already familiar to the industry and
                                                  ADDRESSES: The meeting location is                                                                             their customers. The final response was
                                                                                                          commercial practices.’’ USDA is
                                                  1400 I St. NW., Suite 1000, Washington,                 committed to carrying out this authority               outside the scope of the Notice, as it
                                                  DC 20005.                                               in a manner that facilitates the                       objected to the mandatory inspection of
                                                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: June                   marketing of agricultural products. One                fish of the order Siluriformes by FSIS
                                                  Brown, 202–233–8882.                                    method of achieving this objective is                  but did not address development by
                                                    Authority: Public Law 96–533 (22 U.S.C.               through the development and                            USDA of voluntary U.S. standards or a
                                                  290h).                                                  maintenance of standards by AMS.                       grading program. These comments are
                                                    Dated: January 13, 2017.                              Currently, AMS maintains standards for                 available at the following Web site:
                                                                                                          a wide variety of commodities and in                   https://www.regulations.gov/
                                                  June Brown,
                                                                                                          many cases applies those standards to                  document?D=AMS-LPS-16-0006.
                                                  Interim General Counsel.                                                                                          Based on the responses received from
                                                                                                          commodities on a fee-for-service basis.
                                                  [FR Doc. 2017–01312 Filed 1–19–17; 8:45 am]               The Food, Conservation, and Energy                   the Notice as well as additional
                                                  BILLING CODE 6117–01–P                                  Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill) and the                   feedback from stakeholders through
                                                                                                          Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm                    other avenues, including two industry
                                                                                                          Bill) directed the Secretary of                        workshops coordinated by AMS and
                                                  DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE                               Agriculture to establish within USDA a                 academia and an industry-wide
                                                                                                          voluntary, fee-based grading program for               conference call held by AMS in May
                                                  Agricultural Marketing Service                          catfish. Since passage of the 2008 and                 2016, AMS has concluded that there is
                                                                                                          2014 Farm Bills, and particularly since                not sufficient interest in USDA–AMS
                                                  [Docket No. AMS–LPS–16–0114]
                                                                                                          the publication of the Food Safety and                 standards for catfish or an AMS-
                                                  U.S. Standards for Grades of Catfish                    Inspection Service (FSIS) final rule,                  administered grading program at this
                                                  and Catfish Products                                    ‘‘Mandatory Inspection of Fish of the                  time.
                                                                                                          Order Siluriformes and Products                           It is important to note that a standard
                                                  AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service,                 Derived From Such Fish,’’ which                        for catfish, and associated voluntary
                                                  USDA.                                                   defined catfish (80 FR 75589), AMS has                 grading services, are currently available
                                                  ACTION: Notice.                                         engaged the U.S. catfish industry and                  to the industry through NMFS. NMFS
                                                                                                          other stakeholders to seek input on                    maintains the ‘‘United States Standards
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                                                  SUMMARY:  This Notice informs the                       requirements for voluntary U.S.                        for Grades of North American
                                                  public that the Agricultural Marketing                  standards for grades of catfish. This                  Freshwater Catfish and Products Made
                                                  Service (AMS) will not proceed with the                 culminated in a Notice published in the                Therefrom’’ and provides grading and
                                                  development of voluntary U.S.                           Federal Register (81 FR 45449) on July                 certification services on a fee-for-service
                                                  Standards for Grades of Catfish and                     14, 2016, inviting the public to submit                basis. Graded catfish and catfish
                                                  Catfish Products at this time.                          information, background, comments,                     products may bear official marks,
                                                  DATES: January 23, 2017.                                and data to assist in the development of               including ‘U.S. Grade A,’ ‘Processed


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                                                  7784                          Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 13 / Monday, January 23, 2017 / Notices

                                                  Under Federal Inspection,’ and ‘Lot                        Supporting documents and any                           The regulations in ‘‘Subpart–Plum
                                                  Inspection.’ Additional services                        comments we receive on this docket                     Pox’’ (7 CFR 301.74–301.74–5)
                                                  provided by NMFS include system and                     may be viewed at http://                               quarantine areas of the United States
                                                  process audits, product inspection, and                 www.regulations.gov/                                   where PPV has been detected, restrict
                                                  export certification.                                   #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0114 or                    the interstate movement of host material
                                                     In light of the response from industry               in our reading room, which is located in               from quarantined areas, and when the
                                                  stakeholders indicating there is no                     room 1141 of the USDA South Building,                  Secretary of Agriculture declares an
                                                  current need for USDA–AMS standards                     14th Street and Independence Avenue                    extraordinary emergency, provides for
                                                  nor a subsequent AMS-administered                       SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading                    compensation to owners of commercial
                                                  grading program for catfish, AMS will                   room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,                    stone fruit orchards and fruit tree
                                                  discontinue the initiative to establish                 Monday through Friday, except                          nurseries whose trees or nursery stock
                                                  either at this time. AMS stands ready to                holidays. To be sure someone is there to               were destroyed to eradicate PPV. The
                                                  assist agricultural industries in                       help you, please call (202) 799–7039                   regulations require applicants for the
                                                  establishing voluntary standards and                    before coming.                                         payment of compensation to complete
                                                  grading programs for commodities for                    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For                   required documentation.
                                                  which it has authority to do so; the                    information on the regulations for plum                   We are asking the Office of
                                                  catfish industry retains this option                    pox compensation, contact Dr. Robert                   Management and Budget (OMB) to
                                                  should the need arise.                                  Baca, Assistant Director, Permitting and               approve our use of this information
                                                    Dated: January 17, 2017.                              Compliance Coordination, Compliance                    collection activity for an additional 3
                                                  Elanor Starmer,                                         and Environmental Coordination                         years.
                                                  Administrator, Agricultural Marketing                   Branch, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road                       The purpose of this notice is to solicit
                                                  Service.                                                Unit 150, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301)                   comments from the public (as well as
                                                  [FR Doc. 2017–01413 Filed 1–19–17; 8:45 am]             851–2292. For copies of more detailed                  affected agencies) concerning our
                                                  BILLING CODE 3410–02–P
                                                                                                          information on the information                         information collection. These comments
                                                                                                          collection, contact Ms. Kimberly Hardy,                will help us:
                                                                                                          APHIS’ Information Collection                             (1) Evaluate whether the collection of
                                                  DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE                               Coordinator, at (301) 851–2483.                        information is necessary for the proper
                                                                                                          SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                             performance of the functions of the
                                                  Animal and Plant Health Inspection                         Title: Plum Pox Compensation.                       Agency, including whether the
                                                  Service                                                    OMB Control Number: 0579–0159.                      information will have practical utility;
                                                  [Docket No. APHIS–2016–0114]                               Type of Request: Extension of                          (2) Evaluate the accuracy of our
                                                                                                          approval of an information collection.                 estimate of the burden of the collection
                                                  Notice of Request for Extension of                         Abstract: The Plant Protection Act                  of information, including the validity of
                                                  Approval of an Information Collection;                  (PPA, 7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.) authorizes                the methodology and assumptions used;
                                                  Plum Pox Compensation                                   the Secretary of Agriculture, either                      (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and
                                                                                                          independently or in cooperation with                   clarity of the information to be
                                                  AGENCY:  Animal and Plant Health                        the States, to carry out operations or                 collected; and
                                                  Inspection Service, USDA.                               measures to detect, eradicate, suppress,                  (4) Minimize the burden of the
                                                  ACTION: Extension of approval of an                     control, prevent, or retard the spread of              collection of information on those who
                                                  information collection; comment                         plant pests, such as plum pox virus                    are to respond, through use, as
                                                  request.                                                (PPV), that are new to or not widely                   appropriate, of automated, electronic,
                                                                                                          distributed within the United States.                  mechanical, and other collection
                                                  SUMMARY:    In accordance with the                         Plum pox is an extremely serious viral
                                                  Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this                                                                          technologies; e.g., permitting electronic
                                                                                                          disease of plants that can affect many                 submission of responses.
                                                  notice announces the Animal and Plant                   Prunus (stone fruit) species, including
                                                  Health Inspection Service’s intention to                                                                          Estimate of burden: The public
                                                                                                          plum, peach, apricot, almond, nectarine,
                                                  request an extension of approval of an                                                                         reporting burden for this collection of
                                                                                                          and sweet and tart cherry. A number of
                                                  information collection associated with                                                                         information is estimated to average 0.04
                                                                                                          wild and ornamental Prunus species
                                                  the regulations that provide for the                                                                           hours per response.
                                                                                                          may also be susceptible to this disease.
                                                  payment of compensation to owners of                                                                              Respondents: Owners and affiliates of
                                                                                                          Infection eventually results in severely
                                                  commercial stone fruit orchards and                                                                            stone fruit orchards and fruit tree
                                                                                                          reduced fruit production, and the fruit
                                                  fruit tree nurseries whose trees or                                                                            nurseries.
                                                                                                          that is produced is often misshapen and
                                                  nursery stock were destroyed to                         blemished. PPV is transmitted under                       Estimated annual number of
                                                  eradicate plum pox virus.                               natural conditions by several species of               respondents: 2,524.
                                                  DATES: We will consider all comments                    aphids. The long distance spread of PPV                   Estimated annual number of
                                                  that we receive on or before March 24,                  occurs by budding and grafting with                    responses per respondent: 1.
                                                  2017.                                                   infected plant material and by farm                       Estimated annual number of
                                                  ADDRESSES: You may submit comments                      tools/equipment, and through                           responses: 2,548.
                                                  by either of the following methods:                     movement of infected budwood, nursery                     Estimated total annual burden on
                                                    • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to                   stock, and other plant parts. There are                respondents: 107 hours. (Due to
                                                  http://www.regulations.gov/                             no known effective methods for treating                averaging, the total annual burden hours
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                                                  #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0114.                       trees or other plant material infected                 may not equal the product of the annual
                                                    • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:                    with PPV, nor are there any known                      number of responses multiplied by the
                                                  Send your comment to Docket No.                         effective preventive treatments. Without               reporting burden per response.)
                                                  APHIS–2016–0114, Regulatory Analysis                    effective treatments, the only option for                 All responses to this notice will be
                                                  and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station                    preventing the spread of the disease is                summarized and included in the request
                                                  3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118,                      the destruction of infected and exposed                for OMB approval. All comments will
                                                  Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.                               trees and other infected plant material.               also become a matter of public record.


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Document Created: 2017-01-20 01:29:46
Document Modified: 2017-01-20 01:29:46
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice.
DatesJanuary 23, 2017.
ContactDavid Bowden, Chief, Standardization Branch; USDA, AMS, QAD; 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 0258, Room 3932-S, Washington, DC 20250; phone (202) 690-3148; or via email at [email protected] Alternately, Bucky Gwartney, Marketing Specialist, Standardization Branch; USDA, AMS, QAD; 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 0258, Room 3932-S, Washington, DC 20250; phone (202) 720-1424; or via email at [email protected]
FR Citation82 FR 7783 

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