[Federal Register: November 8, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 215)]
[Notices]
[Page 64713-64714]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08no04-27]
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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 64713]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket FV-04-334]
United States Standards for Grades of Olive Oil
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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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 Olive Oil. AMS received a petition from
olive oil producers asking USDA to consider revising the current U.S.
grade standard to conform to current industry standards commonly
accepted in the United States and abroad.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 8, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. Comments must be sent to Chere L. Shorter,
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; telephone (202) 720-4693; fax (202)
690-1527, e-mail Chere.Shorter@usda.gov. The United States Standards
for Grades of Olive Oil is available either through the address cited
above or by accessing the AMS Web site on the Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html.
Any comments received regarding the
notice will be posted at that site. Comments also will be available for
public inspection in the above office during regular business hours.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chere L. Shorter, telephone (202) 720-
4693.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
AMS received a petition from California Olive Oil Council, an
association of olive oil producers, requesting the revision of the
United States Standards for Grades of Olive Oil. These standards are
issued under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621
etc.).
The petitioners are requesting the USDA to revise the terminology
employed in connection with grades of olive oil. The current standard,
effective since March 22, 1948, uses grades of ``fancy,'' ``choice,''
and ``substandard.'' These terms are not consistent with today's
terminology for the olive oil industry. The petitioners are requesting
that the new proposed standard, which would be first published as a
proposal with a request for public comment, employ the terms used
commercially in the marketplace.
These terms are divided into two major groups: ``olive oil,'' and
``olive-pomace oil.'' ``Olive oil,'' is defined as oil obtained
exclusively from the fruit of the olive tree, produced without solvents
or re-esterification processes. The broad term olive oil includes
``virgin olive oil,'' ``refined olive oil,'' and ``blended olive oil.''
Virgin olive oil is further delineated into two more categories:
``virgin oils fit for consumption as they are'' and ``virgin olive oil
not fit for human consumption.'' ``Virgin oils fit for consumption as
they are,'' include ``extra virgin olive oil,'' ``virgin olive oil,''
and ``ordinary olive oil.'' ``Virgin olive oil not fit for human
consumption,'' is caused by ``rancidity,'' and is intended to be
refined or used for other technical purposes.
The second major group of olive oil is Olive pomace oil and
includes ``crude olive-pomace oil,'' ``refined olive-pomace oil,'' and
``olive pomace oil.'' Olive pomace oil is obtained by treating olive
pomace with solvents or other physical treatments, excluding oils of
other kinds or oils obtained by re-esterification.
The petitioners have detailed identity characteristics comprising
purity criteria applicable to olive oils and olive-pomace oil based on
internationally accepted standards.
Domestic olive oil production occurs primarily in California
(approximately 99%), with lesser amounts produced in Texas and Arizona.
U.S. olive oil production in 1998 was 325,000 gallons (approx.
2,400,000 pounds). The U.S. share of world production is 0.1 percent.
In 2003, the U.S. domestic consumption of olive oil was 454 million
pounds. The U.S. imports more than 360 million pounds a year \1\.
According to the petitioner, there are more than 400 producers and
growers of olive oil domestically.
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\1\ Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Bureau. Office of Trade and
Analysis (OTEA), International Trade Administration, U.S. Department
of Commerce.
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The petitioners believe that changing the standard would enhance
the ability of U.S. olive oil producers to compete domestically and
internationally. A copy of the petitioners' request is located on the
AMS Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html along with the
current U.S. Standards for Grades of Olive Oil.
Agricultural Marketing Service
Prior to undertaking detailed work to develop a proposed revised
standard, AMS is soliciting comments on the petition requesting the
revision of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Olive Oil. In particular,
AMS would welcome comments and information regarding the likely utility
of revised terminology to include types of olive oil, namely ``Extra-
Virgin Olive Oil,'' ``Virgin Olive Oil,'' ``Refined Olive Oil,''
``Olive Oil,'' and ``Olive-Pomace Oil'' and the probable impact on
processors, and growers. AMS is requesting comments on the petitioners
proposed standard regarding the quality, purity, and identity
characteristics, i.e., color, defects, flavor, methods of analysis,
fatty acid composition, or any other pertinent criteria. Further
details of the proposed standard are provided in the petition and are
available from Chere L. Shorter at the previously mentioned address in
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section or can be found on the AMS
Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html under the ``Federal
Register Notices'' link.
This notice provides for a 30-day comment period for interested
parties to comment on the petition to develop a proposed revision of
the standard.
[[Page 64714]]
Should AMS conclude that there is a need for changes to the standard,
detailed work would be undertaken and the eventual proposed standard
would 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: November 2, 2004.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 04-24826 Filed 11-5-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P