[Federal Register: December 12, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 238)]
[Notices]
[Page 70565-70566]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12de07-18]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket No. AMS-FV-07-0100; FV-06-334]
United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Okra
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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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 Frozen Okra. AMS received a
petition from the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) requesting that
USDA revise the standards for frozen okra from a ``score point''
grading system to an ``individual attribute'' grading system. The
individual attribute grading system uses sample sizes and acceptable
quality levels (AQL's), along with tolerances and acceptance numbers
(number of allowable defects), to determine the quality level of a lot.
This change was requested to bring the standards for frozen okra in
line with the present quality levels being marketed today and to
provide guidance in the effective utilization of frozen okra.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 11, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. Comments may be sent to Gabriel W. Mangino,
[[Page 70566]]
Inspection and Standardization Section, Processed Products Branch,
Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, STOP 0247, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
http://www.regulations.gov. The United States Standards for Grades of Frozen
Okra are available either through the address cited above, or by
accessing the AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Programs Web site on the
Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv or http://www.regulations.gov.
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. Most of
the 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 Frozen
Okra using the procedures that appear in Part 36 of Title 7 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (7 CFR Part 36).
Background
AMS received a petition from the American Frozen Food Institute
(AFFI), requesting the revision of the standards for frozen okra. The
petitioner represents AFFI's Western Technical Advisory Committee,
which includes among its members almost all of the processors of frozen
okra in the United States.
The petitioner requested that USDA change the grading system for
frozen okra from a score point grading system to an individual
attribute system. The petitioner believes that the change will bring
the grading of frozen okra in line with current marketing practices and
innovations with processing techniques.
The petitioner also specifically requested that AMS revise the
definitions of the following terms: Extraneous vegetable material,
small piece in whole style, and small piece or damaged piece in cut
style. It proposes that extraneous vegetable material would be modified
to include ``detached stems of any length.'' ``Small piece in whole
style'' would be modified and no longer include ``very small tip ends''
as part of the definition. The term ``small or damaged piece in cut
style,'' would be changed and separated into two unique definitions.
The suggestion for the new terms to be used are ``small piece in cut
style'' and ``mechanical damage'' respectively. The proposed revisions
to the grade standards for frozen okra, including the changes to the
definitions of terms, are available by accessing the AMS Fruit and
Vegetable Programs Home Page on the Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv or http://www.regulations.gov. AMS confirmed the
revision at AFFI's annual conference in Monterey, CA, during a meeting
on February, 24, 2007.
In addition to the requested changes by the petitioner, AMS is
requesting comments on replacing the dual grade nomenclature with
single letter grade designations. ``U.S. Grade A'' (or ``U.S. Fancy'')
and ``U.S. Grade B'' (or ``U.S. Extra Standard'') would become ``U.S.
Grade A'' and ``U.S. Grade B'' respectively. This would conform to
recent changes in other grade standards. AMS is also proposing minor
editorial changes to the standards for frozen okra that would provide a
format consistent with recent revisions of other U.S. grade standards.
This format is intended to provide industry personnel and agricultural
commodity graders with simpler and more comprehensive standards.
Definitions of terms and easy to read tables would be incorporated to
facilitate a better understanding and uniform application of the
standards.
The proposed revisions to the frozen okra standards would provide
both a common language for trade and a means of measuring value in the
marketing of frozen okra. The standards would also provide guidance in
determining whether frozen okra should be utilized in its present
state, or subject to reprocessing. The official grade of a lot of
frozen okra covered by these standards is determined by the procedures
set forth in the ``Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification
of Processed Products Thereof, and Certain Other Processed Food
Products (Sec. 52.1 to 52.83).''
This notice provides for a 60-day comment period for interested
parties to comment on undertaking this revision.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Dated: December 6, 2007.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E7-24058 Filed 12-11-07; 8:45 am]
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