[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 127 (Thursday, July 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36201-36202]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-17563]
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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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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 127 / Thursday, July 2, 1998 /
Notices
[[Page 36201]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[FV-97-329N]
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Beets, United States
Standards for Grades of Canned Carrots and the United States Standards
for Grades of Canned White Potatoes
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising standards
for grades of canned beets, carrots, and white potatoes (canned root
crop vegetables). Specifically, USDA is modifying the Recommended
Minimum Drained Weight Averages (RMDWA's) for all styles packed in No.
300 size cans to be equivalent to the percent water capacity
corresponding to the closest sized container, the No. 303 can, i.e.,
reduced by 9.02 percent. These changes were requested by industry in
order to improve the usability of the U.S. standards for these canned
root crop vegetables. In addition, USDA will further improve the
standards and promote consistency by changing the format of the tables
to incorporate a column for the water capacity of each container size
and add metric system tables to the canned beets and canned carrots
standards.
EFFECTIVE DATE: August 3, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chere L. Shorter, Processed Products
Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 0709, South Building; STOP 0247,
P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; Telephone (202) 720-4693,
fax (202) 690-1087; or e-mail [email protected].
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. The United States Standards for Grades of Canned Beets, the
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Carrots, and the United
States Standards for Grades of Canned White Potatoes (canned root crop
vegetables) do not appear in the Code of Federal Regulations but are
maintained by USDA.
The current U.S. grade standards for these canned root crop
vegetables, along with the changes, are available either through the
above addresses or by accessing the Internet at the following site:
www.ams.usda.gov/standards/vegcan.htm.
Procedures for revising, suspending, or terminating voluntary
official grades standards were published in August 13, 1997, (62 FR
43439).
In November 1993, USDA received a request to review the RMDWA's for
these canned root crops in No. 300 size containers from the National
Food Processors Association's (NFPA)'s Grade Standards Review
Subcommittee. NFPA requested the changes in the United States Standards
for Grades of Canned Beets; Canned Carrots; and Canned White Potatoes.
NFPA requested that the recommended drained weight of the No. 300
size container be reviewed for all styles of canned root crop
vegetables. Within the last few years the canning industry has been
replacing production of the No. 303 container size with the No. 300
container. The total water capacity for the No. 300 container is less
than the total water capacity for a No. 303 container. The percentage
water capacity, on which the recommended minimum drained weight average
is based, is calculated by dividing the RMDWA for a particular style of
canned root crop vegetable by the total water capacity of the
container. Studies done by the USDA have found that for every style of
canned root crop vegetable under consideration, in the current U.S.
standards, the drained weight as a percentage of the water capacity is
significantly more for the No. 300 container than for No. 303
containers, even though the available capacity of the No. 300 container
is 9.02 percent less than that of the No. 303 container.
NFPA stated that several companies were noting difficulty in
meeting the RMDWA requirements for these products in the No. 300 cans.
The remedies recommended by NFPA proposed that the RMDWA's in the U.S.
grade standards for canned beets; canned carrots; and canned white
potatoes be reduced to the same percentage water capacity offered in
the No. 303 container size, i.e., lowered by 9.02 percent. The No. 303
can size was chosen because the size relationship is closest to the No.
300 can.
USDA published a notice in the Federal Register January 15, 1998,
(63 FR 2356). Five comments were received from industry members. All
comments received indicated that the affected industry members were in
favor of the revision to base the RMDWA on the percent water capacity
of the No. 303 container.
Accordingly, AMS agrees with the recommendations to improve the
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Beets; Canned Carrots; and
Canned White Potatoes and is making changes to and adding the following
tables: Canned Beets, Table I, adding Table IA, Canned Carrots, Table
I, adding Table IA, and Canned White Potatoes, Table I and Table IA.
Specifically, the changes will: (1) Adjust the RMDWA's for No. 300
containers which were calculated using the percentage water capacity
corresponding to No. 303 containers and lowered accordingly by 9.02
percent of the RMDWA of the 303 size container; and further improve the
standards and promote consistency by (2) changing the format to include
tables that will incorporate the water capacity of each container size;
and (3) adding metric system tables to the canned beet and canned
carrot standards.
The changes will become effective 30 days after the publication of
this notice in the Federal Register. These changes will improve the
grade standards by making RMDWA's proportional for the No. 300 can
size, enhance safety of the product, and help to facilitate the
[[Page 36202]]
marketing of canned beets, carrots and white potatoes. This will allow
for a more equitable marketing environment for the canning industry.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Dated: June 24, 1998.
Robert C. Keeney,
Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable Programs.
[FR Doc. 98-17563 Filed 7-1-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P