[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 15, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 7486]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3423]


 ========================================================================
 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.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 31 / Tuesday, February 15, 2000 / 
Notices  

[[Page 7486]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[FV-99-330]


United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Field Peas and 
Frozen Black-Eye Peas

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on its proposal to revise the 
United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Field Peas and Frozen 
Black-Eye Peas. 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) to be included in the standards; 
and provide a uniform format consistent with other recently revised 
U.S. grade standards by adopting definitions for terms and replacing 
textual descriptions with easy-to-read tables. These changes have been 
requested by the industry in order to improve use of the standards.

DATES: Written comments may be submitted on or before April 17, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to Randle A. Macon, 
Processed Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, STOP 0247, 
P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; faxed to (202) 690-1527; or 
e-mailed to Randle. [email protected]. Comments should reference the date 
and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. All comments 
received will be made available for public inspection at the above 
address during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). And on 
the Internet.
    The current United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Field Peas 
and Frozen Black-Eye Peas, along with the proposed changes, are 
available either through the above address or by accessing AMS's 
website on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/standards/. The United 
States Standards for Grades of Frozen Field Peas and Frozen Black-Eye 
Peas do not appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randle A. Macon at (202) 720-5021 or 
e-mailed to Randle. [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 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 Field Peas & Frozen Black-Eye Peas 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.
    The Western Technical Advisory Committee of the American Frozen 
Food Institute petitioned the USDA to revise the U.S. grade standards 
for frozen field peas and frozen black-eye peas in 1997. It was 
requested that the ``individual attributes'' system of grading, be 
incorporated into the revision. ``Individual attributes'' provide 
statistically derived acceptable quality levels (AQL's) based on the 
tolerances in the grade standards.
    The current standards are based on an older ``attributes'' model. 
It is proposed that the standards be modified to convert them to the 
improved ``individual attributes'' grading system, similar to the U.S. 
grade standards for canned green and wax beans (58 FR4295; January 14, 
1993). This change would bring the standards in line with current 
marketing practices and innovations in processing techniques. In 
addition to these changes, the revision would modify the standards to 
present them in a simplified easy-to-use format. Consistent with recent 
revisions of other U.S. grade standards, definitions of terms and easy-
to-read tables would replace the textual descriptions. These changes 
are intended to facilitate better understanding and more uniform 
application of the grade 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 revision of the standard.

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

    Dated: February 9, 2000.
Robert C. Keeney,
Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable Programs.
[FR Doc. 00-3423 Filed 2-14-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P