[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 52266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-25095]


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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. 64, No. 187 / Tuesday, September 28, 1999 / 
Notices  

[[Page 52266]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[FV-99-328]


United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Okra

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 its proposal to change the 
United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Okra. Specifically, USDA 
is proposing to provide for the ``individual attributes'' procedure for 
product grading with sample sizes, acceptable quality levels (AQL's), 
tolerances and acceptance numbers (number of allowable defects); 
replace dual grade nomenclature with single letter grade designations; 
and make minor editorial changes. These changes have been requested by 
the industry in order to improve use of the standards.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before November 29, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to Harold A. Machias, 
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 20090-4693; faxed 
to (202) 690-1087; or e-mailed to Harold.M[email protected].
    Comments should reference the date and page number of this issue of 
the Federal Register and will be made available for public inspection 
in the Office of the Branch Chief during regular business hours (8:00 
a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and on the Internet.
    The current U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Okra, along with 
the proposed changes, are available either through the above address or 
by accessing the AMS website on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/
standards. The United States Standards for Grades do not appear in the 
Code of Federal Regulations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Harold A. Machias at (202) 720-5021 or 
www.Harold.M[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.
    AMS is proposing to change the United States 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). The grade standards 
were last revised in September 1996.
    AMS received a petition from the American Frozen Food Institute to 
change the U.S. grade standards for frozen okra to a new grading 
system. The current standards are based on cumulative scorepoints. It 
is proposed that the standards be modified to convert them to a 
statistically-based individual attribute grading system, similar to the 
U.S. grade standards for canned green and wax beans (58 FR 4295; 
January 14, 1993). This change would bring the standards in line with 
current marketing practices and innovations in processing techniques.
    This change would replace dual grade nomenclature with single 
letter 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 revision also includes minor 
editorial changes. These changes provide a uniform format consistent 
with recent revisions of other U.S. grade standards. This format has 
been designed to provide industry personnel and agricultural commodity 
graders with simpler and more comprehensive standards. Definitions of 
terms and easy-to-read tables have been incorporated to assure a better 
understanding and uniform application of the standards.
    AMS is publishing this notice with a 60-day comment period which 
will provide a sufficient amount of time for interested persons to 
comment on the changes.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

    Dated: September 21, 1999.
Robert C. Keeney,
Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable Programs.
[FR Doc. 99-25095 Filed 9-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P