[Federal Register: May 16, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 93)]
[Notices]
[Page 25804-25805]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16my05-25]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[No. FV-05-329]
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of
Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on the proposed revision to
the United States Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes. AMS
received two petitions from food processors asking USDA to consider
revising the current definition for the style of ``Whole'' in the
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes. The change
was requested to reflect newer varieties, new sorting techniques, and
canning processes.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 15, 2005.
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; fax (202) 690-1527, e-mail
Chere.Shorter@usda.gov. The United States Standards for Grades of
Canned Sweetpotatoes 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
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing
Act of 1946, 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. Those
United States Standards for Grades of Fruits and Vegetables no longer
appear in the Code of Federal Regulations but are maintained by USDA/
AMS/Fruit and Vegetable Programs.
AMS is proposing to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned
[[Page 25805]]
Sweetpotatoes using the procedures that appear in part 36 of title 7 of
the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
Background
AMS received two petitions from food processors through the Food
Products Association (FPA), formerly the National Food Processors
Association, requesting revision of the United States Standards for
Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes. The petitioners requested the USDA to
revise the definition of the style of ``Whole'' to reflect newer
varieties, new sorting techniques, and canning processes. The
``Beauregard'' variety, a new variety widely used in canned
sweetpotatoes is oddly shaped and must be cut and trimmed to give the
appearance of a whole sweet potato. This variety may or may not be
tapered on one end and because of mechanical trimming may not meet the
definition of whole.
The current definition for the style of ``Whole'' states that,
``Whole means the canned sweetpotatoes have the appearance of being
essentially whole or almost whole in that the units retain the
approximate shape of whole sweetpotatoes.''
The petitioners wanted to revise the definition for canned whole
sweetpotatoes to allow for those that are cylindrical in shape, two
inches plus or minus 0.5 inches in length, by 1.5 inches plus or minus
0.25 inches in diameter for 404 x 307 and 603 x 700 can sizes and 1.0
inch plus or minus 0.25 inches in diameter for smaller can sizes.
Prior to undertaking research and other work associated with
revising the grade standards, AMS sought public comments on the
petition. A notice requesting comments on the petition to revise the
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes was
published in March 12, 2003, Federal Register (68 FR 11802).
In response to our request for comments, AMS received one comment
from one of the processors that had requested the revision. The
commenter did not favor the proposed revision of the standard, noting
that the use of length and diameter requirement to describe a whole
sweetpotato would be a severe disadvantage to canners. The commenter
further suggested that the term ``Almost Whole'' be removed from the
standard.
AMS determined that the term ``Whole'' implies that the
sweetpotatoes have not been cut into smaller pieces. An ``Almost
whole'' sweetpotato unit should resemble a whole unit with one or both
ends trimmed to remove fibrous ends. Larger sized sweetpotatoes would
require excessive trimming to meet the suggested size requirements as
stated in the petition. AMS decided that the best approach to revising
the grade standards was to leave the style description for ``Whole''
unchanged without specific reference to length and size. AMS further
decided to remove the style of ``Sections,'' which is not commercially
packed, reducing the confusion between ``Sections'' and ``Pieces, cuts,
or cut'' styles. The style ``Other'' was added to account for styles
not specifically mentioned in the grade standard. These changes were
suggested in order to more clearly delineate the difference between
``whole'' and ``pieces, cuts, or cut'' styles, thereby promoting
uniformity in grading canned sweetpotatoes.
A discussion draft that included these changes was sent to FPA, in
March 2004. In December 2004, the members of FPA agreed with the
proposed changes to the grade standard. Therefore, AMS is proposing a
change to the U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes that
will accommodate the needs of the industry and promote uniformity in
grading. A copy of the proposed grade standards is posted on the AMS
Web site located at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html and is
available at the address above.
This proposal will provide a common language for trade, a means of
measuring value in the marketing of canned sweetpotatoes, and provide
guidance in the effective utilization of canned sweetpotatoes. The
official grade of a lot of canned sweetpotatoes covered by these
standards will be determined by the procedures set forth in the
Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Processed Fruits
and Vegetables, Processed Products Thereof, and Certain Other Processed
Food Products (7 CFR 52.1-52.83).
This notice provides for a 60 day comment period for interested
parties to comment on changes to the standards.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Dated: May 11, 2005.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 05-9695 Filed 5-13-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P