[Federal Register: March 22, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 54)]
[Notices]
[Page 14436]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22mr05-15]
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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 14436]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. FV-04-302]
United States Standards for Grades of Sweet Potatoes
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of
Agriculture (USDA) is revising the United States Standards for Grades
of Sweet Potatoes. USDA had received a request from several industry
groups to add a new grade to the standards, U.S. No. 1 Petite. The
change will allow the packing and shipping of smaller size sweet
potatoes under the U.S. standards, thereby, improving the usefulness of
the standards in serving the industry.
DATES: Effective Date: April 21, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Priester, Standardization
Section, Fresh Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs,
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1661 South Building, STOP 0240,
Washington, DC 20250-0240, Fax (202) 720-8871 or call (202) 720-2185;
E-mail David.Priester@usda.gov. The final United States Standards for
Grades of Sweet Potatoes, will be available either through the address
cited above or by accessing the AMS Home Page on the web at http://www.ams.usda.gov/standards/vegfm.htm
.
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 standards
available upon request. The United States 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
Programs.
AMS is revising the voluntary U.S. Standards for Grades of Sweet
Potatoes using procedures that appear in Part 36 Title 7 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (7 CFR Part 36).
Background
On December 10, 2003, AMS published a notice in the Federal
Register (68 FR 237) soliciting comments on a possible revision to the
United States Standards for Grades of Sweet Potatoes. As a result, AMS
received five comments from industry groups requesting the addition of
a new grade entitled U.S. No. 1 Petite, with the same requirements as
the U.S. No. 1 grade currently in the standard, except for the size
requirements. The request specified that the size requirements for the
U.S. No. 1 Petite be: A minimum diameter of 1\1/2\ inches, a maximum
diameter of 2\1/4\ inches, a minimum length of 3 inches and a maximum
length of 7 inches.
A second notice was published in the October 29, 2004, Federal
Register (69 FR 209) based on comments received on the first notice.
AMS received seven comments from industry groups in response to the
second notice. Six comments were in favor of the revision to the
standard and one comment was opposed. The comments are available by
accessing AMS's Home Page on the Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/fpbdocketlist.htm
.
One comment opposing the revision stated the new grade is of
negative value to their members and will cause confusion. The commenter
stated the new grade may result in a lower overall return to their
growers as the size is similar to a medium size which is the cheapest
grade they market. The marketing of sweet potatoes using any size
within the U.S. standard is voluntary. AMS believes the addition of the
new grade will not cause confusion and will aid those producers whom
would like to market smaller size sweet potatoes using the U.S.
standards.
AMS received six comments in favor of the revision. Those in favor
of the new grade stated it would aid in the marketing of smaller size
sweet potatoes as the U.S. standards currently require sweet potatoes
to be a larger size in order to meet a grade. The change will allow the
packing and shipping of smaller size sweet potatoes under the U.S.
standards.
Based on comments received and information gathered, AMS believes
the addition of the U.S. No. 1 Petite grade will facilitate the
marketing of smaller size sweet potatoes and improve the standards
usefulness in serving the industry.
The official grade of a lot of sweet potatoes covered by these
standards are determined by the procedures set forth in the Regulations
Governing Inspection, Certification, and Standards of Fresh Fruits,
Vegetables and Other Products (Sec. 51.1 to 51.61).
Additionally, AMS is eliminating the unclassified category. This
section is being removed in all standards, when they are revised. This
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.
The United States Standards for Grades of Sweet Potatoes will
become effective 30 days after the publication of this notice in the
Federal Register.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Dated: March 16, 2005.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 05-5608 Filed 3-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P