[Federal Register: January 21, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 13)]
[Notices]
[Page 2885]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr21ja04-21]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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[[Page 2885]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. FV-04-329]
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Pears
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; request for public comment.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), prior to undertaking
research and other work associated with revising an official grade
standard, is soliciting comments on the petition to change the United
States Standards for Grades of Canned Pears. AMS received two
petitions, one from a grower cooperative, the other from a processor,
requesting that USDA change the character classification for Grade
``B'', slices, and diced, to read ``the units are reasonably tender or
tenderness may be variable within the unit.''
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 22, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. Comments must be sent to Karen L. Kaufman,
Standardization Section, Processed Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable
Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.; Room 0709, South Building;
STOP 0247, Washington, DC 20250; Fax (202) 690-1527, e-mail
Karen.Kaufman@usda.gov. The United States Standards for Grades of
Canned Pears is available either through the address cited above or by
accessing the AMS Home page on the Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/standards/frutcan.htm
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
AMS received two petitions, one from a grower cooperative and the
other from a processor, requesting the revision of the United States
Standards for Grades of Canned Pears. The standards are established
under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C.
1621-1627). The petitioners represent growers from Washington State,
Oregon and parts of California.
The petitioners are requesting that USDA change the character
classification for Grade ``B'', slices, and diced, to include the
following: ``the units are reasonably tender or the tenderness may be
variable within the unit.'' The current standard contains this wording
for character classifications for halves, quarters, pieces or irregular
pieces and whole pears. The petitioners believe the change in the
standard will improve the economic position of domestic growers of
pears.
Agricultural Marketing Service
Prior to undertaking detailed work to develop a revision to the
standard, AMS is soliciting for comments on the petitions submitted to
change the United States Standards for Grades of Canned Pears.
This notice provides a 60 day comment period for interested parties
to comment on changes to the standard. Should AMS conclude that there
is an interest in the proposal, the Agency will develop a proposed
revised standard that will be published in the Federal Register with a
request for comments in accordance with 7 CFR part 36.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627
Dated: January 14, 2004.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 04-1207 Filed 1-20-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-M