[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 60 (Monday, March 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15174-15175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8176]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 60 / Monday, March 30, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 15174]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[PY-97-007]


United States Grade Standards for Poultry and Rabbits

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is changing the 
United States Grade Standards for Poultry. Specifically, the changes 
will revise the existing grade standards for boneless parts, skinless 
carcasses and parts, and boneless, skinless parts. New grade standards 
will be added for ready-to-cook (raw), boneless, skinless drumsticks 
and legs; and raw size-reduced boneless, skinless products. Existing 
standards for defeathering will be clarified by detailing specific 
feather tolerances for Grades A-, B-, and C-quality carcasses and 
parts. Additionally, the authority to grade-identify boneless, skinless 
products under three tentative standards that were used to develop the 
new grade standards will be terminated. The standards are being updated 
to reflect changes in poultry processing technology and marketing.

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 29, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Rex A. Barnes at (202) 720-
3271.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Poultry grading is a voluntary program 
provided under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended, 7 
U.S.C. 1621 et seq., and is offered on a fee-for-service basis.
    On December 4, 1995, the Voluntary United States Grade Standards 
for Poultry and Rabbits were removed from the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) as part of the National Performance Review program to 
eliminate unnecessary regulations and to improve those that remain in 
force. AMS continues to administer the official standards and makes 
copies available on the Internet or upon request. The United States 
Grade Standards for Poultry are now referred to as AMS 70.200 et seq. 
and the United States Grade Standards for Rabbits are now referred to 
as AMS 70.300 et seq.

Background and Comments

    A notice of proposed changes to the United States Grade Standards 
for Poultry and Rabbits was published in the Federal Register (62 FR 
51079) on September 30, 1997. Comments on the proposal were solicited 
from interested parties until December 1, 1997.
    During the 90-day comment period, the Agency received two comments, 
both from State Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Services. One 
comment was in agreement with the proposed changes.
    The other comment did not oppose the proposed changes, but 
questioned the Agency's position regarding skin as a defect on skinless 
carcasses and parts, and boneless, skinless products. As a result of 
this comment, the Agency is conducting a review of its policy and 
practices regarding skin on skinless products. If changes or 
clarifications to the standards appear warranted as a result of this 
review, a separate notice will be published in the Federal Register to 
advise the industry and public.
    The Agency expects the proposed changes to extend the value of the 
U.S. Grade Standards for Poultry, and will therefore revise the subject 
standards as proposed. Copies of the revised standards are available 
from the Standardization Branch, Poultry Programs, AMS, USDA, Room 
3944-South Bldg., STOP 0259, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, 
DC 20250-0259, (202) 720-3506; or on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/
poultry/standards/. The changes are summarized as follows:

Boneless Parts

    The standards for boneless parts will be revised to include 
drumsticks and legs; address boneless, skin-on parts only; and exclude 
tenderloins. Tenderloins and other boneless, skinless parts and their 
respective requirements will be covered under a new section. This 
change will organize requirements for each product type by section and 
make the standards clearer and more ``user friendly.''

Boneless, Skinless Parts

    A new section for Grade A-quality tenderloins and other whole 
muscle boneless, skinless parts will be added and the criteria updated 
by: (1) Including all parts (previously boneless, skinless drumsticks 
and legs could not be grade identified); (2) allowing only slight 
discolorations on the flesh; and (3) requiring parts to be free of 
cartilage, blood clots, bruises, cuts, tears, and holes.
    For trimming of boneless, skinless poultry drumsticks and legs, the 
standard will require at least one-half of the drumstick and leg remain 
intact, and the part need no longer retain the meat yield of the 
original part. This change from the tentative standard is based on the 
Agency's long-standing policy that parts must be in recognizable 
portions for identification purposes and that the ``one-half'' 
requirement provides a minimum relationship to the meat yield.

Size-Reduced Poultry Products

    Standards for size-reduced poultry products will be established by 
the following:
    (1) Requirements for Grade A-quality raw size-reduced boneless, 
skinless products in the form of sliced, diced, and other similarly cut 
poultry products will be added to the standards.
    (2) The section title under the tentative standard will be revised 
from ``Ready-to-Cook, Boneless-Skinless Poultry Products, Without Added 
Ingredients'' to ``Size-Reduced Poultry Products.'' This change 
clarifies that this section covers size-reduced poultry products 
exclusively.
    (3) The requirements for the ``size-reduced'' section will be 
revised from the tentative standard to require uniformity in product 
size and shape to be dictated by the size-reduction process. This 
change is necessary because it is improbable that all products of this 
nature would be uniform, especially since new technology, including 
slicing and dicing procedures, will constantly be improved, modified, 
and refined.
    (4) Requirements for products labeled ``sliced (part)'' will be 
added to the standards. The product, such as breast, thigh, etc., 
shall: (a) Originate from the slicing of the boneless, skinless part; 
and (b) collectively approximate the

[[Page 15175]]

shape of the original part prior to slicing. Further, the slices need 
not come from the same part. These requirements are consistent with 
current guidelines for poultry labeled ``whole chicken, cut-up,'' where 
all parts need not come from the same chicken.

Feather Criteria

    The feather criteria in Grade A-, B-, and C-quality poultry 
carcasses and parts and Grade A-quality poultry roasts will be updated. 
Existing standards require that poultry either be ``free of feathers'' 
or possess only a few feathers when examined at normal grading speeds. 
The standards will be revised to specify the number and length of 
protruding feathers allowed on poultry for each grade, and limit the 
length of hair and/or down permitted on ducks and geese. These 
additions reflect the Agency's actual grading interpretation and 
practices, and do not require a change in existing procedures.

Tentative Grade Standards

    The authority for the use of the three tentative grade standards 
will be terminated for: (1) Ready-to-cook boneless, skinless legs and 
drumsticks; (2) ready-to-cook boneless, skinless products without added 
ingredients; and (3) cooked boneless, skinless products, without added 
ingredients published in the Federal Register on March 30, 1995 (60 FR 
16428), June 12, 1995 (60 FR 3083), and February 15, 1996 (61 FR 5975), 
respectively.

Miscellaneous Changes

    Additionally AMS will:
    (1) Add poultry tenderloins and wing portions to the standards to 
make each eligible for grade identification. Tenderloins may be 
identified as Grade A-quality; and wing portions may be identified as 
Grade A-, B-, or C-quality parts.
    (2) Allow the use of clear to semi-clear marinades and sauces for 
grade-identified products, provided the ingredients do not alter the 
applicable grade factors or detract from the appearance of the product;
    (3) Revise standards for skinless carcasses and parts to include 
specific labeling options; and
    (4) Make additional miscellaneous changes to remove obsolete 
material and otherwise clarify, update, simplify, and technically 
correct the standards. These changes are editorial or housekeeping in 
nature and impose no new requirements.

    Dated: March 24, 1998.
Enrique E. Figueroa,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 98-8176 Filed 3-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P