[Federal Register: January 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 15)]
[Notices]
[Page 3816-3817]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24ja06-31]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket Number FV-06-301]
United States Standards for Grades of Mixed Commodities
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of
Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on the proposed voluntary
United States Standards for Grades of Mixed Commodities. This action is
being taken at the request of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory
Committee, which asked AMS to identify products that may be better
served if grade standards are developed. The proposed standards would
provide industry with a common language and uniform basis for trading,
thus promoting orderly and efficient marketing of fresh produce
shipments containing different commodities packaged in the same
container.
DATES: Comments must be received by March 27, 2006.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to
the Standardization Section, Fresh Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable
Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 1661, South Building,
Stop 0240, Washington, DC 20250-0240, fax (202) 720-8871, e-mail
FPB.DocketClerk@usda.gov. Comments should make reference to the dates
and page number of this issue of the Federal Register and will be made
available for public inspection in the above office during regular
business hours and on the Internet.
The draft of the proposed United States Standards for Grades of
Mixed Commodities is available by accessing AMS, Fresh Products Branch
Web site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/fpbdocketlist.htm.
[[Page 3817]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheri L. Emery, at the above address
or call (202) 720-2185, e-mail Cheri.Emery@usda.gov.
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 the USDA/AMS/Fruit and Vegetable
Programs.
AMS is proposing to establish voluntary United States Standards for
Grades of Mixed Commodities using the procedures that appear in Part
36, Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
Background
At a meeting of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry Advisory
Committee, AMS was asked to identify fresh fruit and vegetables that
may be better served if grade standards are developed. AMS identified
fresh produce that are uniformly packaged with different types of
commodities in the same container, as possibly in need of official
grade standards. Such standards are used by the fresh produce industry
to describe the products they are trading, thus facilitating the
marketing of those products.
AMS has developed proposed voluntary grade standards for shipments
of mixed commodities. These standards would establish a grade U.S.
Mixed as well as sections pertaining to sampling, tolerances,
application of tolerances, and definitions for Injury, Damage and
Serious Damage.
The adoption of these proposed standards would provide the ever
expanding mixed commodity industry with U.S. grade standards similar to
those extensively in use by the fresh produce industry to assist in
orderly marketing of other commodities.
The official grade of a lot of mixed commodities covered by these
standards will be 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).
This notice provides for a 60 day comment period for interested
parties to comment on the proposed United States Standards for Grades
of Mixed Commodities.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Dated: January 18, 2006.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E6-780 Filed 1-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P