[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 119 (Tuesday, June 20, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38239-38240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15445]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[PY-99-005]


United States Grade Standards for Shell Eggs

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 Shell Eggs. Specifically, the changes 
delete the general term ``Inedible eggs'' and its definition, revise 
the definition of the general term ``Loss'' eggs by including examples 
of inedible eggs, revise the term descriptive of an A quality white, 
and delete specifications for packaging materials. These changes will 
simplify and clarify the terminology used and will remove information 
that is no longer of value to the industry.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 20, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth S. Crosby, Acting Chief, 
Standardization Branch, Poultry Program, Agricultural Marketing 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,

[[Page 38240]]

STOP 0259, room 3944-South, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, 
DC 20250-0259, (202) 720-3506.
    The updated United States Grade Standards for Shell Eggs are 
available through the above address or by calling (202) 720-3506, 
faxing (202) 690-0941, e-mailing [email protected], or by 
accessing the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/poultry/standards.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 
(AMA), as amended (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) authorizes the establishment 
of U.S. standards and grades for shell eggs. Section 203(c) of the AMA 
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 Grade Standards for 
Shell Eggs do not appear in the Code of Federal Regulations but are 
maintained by USDA as AMS 56.
    These standards and grades are maintained by AMS for use as a 
common language of trade among those buying and selling shell eggs. The 
standards are used by shell egg processors, wholesale traders, 
institutions, Federal and State governments, and retailers that sell 
eggs to the ultimate consumer. AMS is updating the United States 
Standards for Shell Eggs using the procedures that appear in Part 36 of 
Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
    AMS also administers a voluntary grading program for shell eggs 
under the AMA. Any interested person, commercial firm, or government 
agency can, for a fee, have AMS monitor processing operations and 
verify that the grade and size of eggs being packaged meet the 
requirements of the U.S. grade standards and weight classes. Eggs 
meeting the requirements can be packaged into cartons or other 
containers bearing the USDA grade shield. The grading program is 
implemented by the regulations in 7 CFR part 56.

Background and Comments

    A notice of proposed changes to the United States Grade Standards 
for Shell Eggs was published in the Federal Register (64 FR 34764) on 
June 29, 1999. Comments on the proposal were solicited from interested 
parties until August 30, 1999. Three comments were received during the 
60-day comment period.
    Comments from two State Departments of Agriculture supported the 
proposed changes, saying the changes would simplify and clarify the 
grade standards. The third commenter was a manufacturer of equipment 
that can print on egg cartons and directly onto an eggshell. The 
commenter objected to the proposed removal of provisions dealing with 
packaging materials, asking instead for stricter packaging requirements 
dealing with date coding, safe handling labels for consumers, and 
carton aeration. The provisions concerning packaging materials proposed 
for removal do not pertain to package labeling or date coding, but 
provide program users with suggested package specifications for 
strength and construction. Additionally, the action suggested by the 
commenter regarding mandatory requirements for package aeration could 
not be effectively implemented in the provisions proposed for removal. 
The majority of table eggs (those not packaged under USDA's grading 
program) are not subject to these provisions. Therefore, after a review 
of the comments the Agency concludes that the standards should be 
revised as proposed, with one technical clarification described below.
    Currently, the definition of ``Loss'' eggs includes inedible eggs. 
There is also a separate definition for ``Inedible eggs'' that includes 
examples of such eggs. When applying the grade tolerances of the 
standard, there is no need to separately identify inedible eggs from 
loss eggs. Therefore, AMS is deleting the general term ``Inedible 
eggs'' and is adding examples of inedible eggs to the definition of 
``Loss'' eggs. This clarifies that eggs with rots, green whites, stuck 
yolks, blood rings, or free yolk in the white are to be classed as 
``Loss'' eggs when applying grade tolerances.
    AMS is making one technical clarification to the revisions as 
proposed. One example of an inedible egg currently listed in the 
``inedible eggs'' definition was not included in the revised ``Loss'' 
definition. Therefore, to be clear that ``sour eggs,'' i.e., those eggs 
with an acid odor typically caused by microorganism growth within the 
egg, are to be classed as ``Loss'' eggs, this example has been added to 
the ``Loss'' definition.
    Candling is the process of using light to help determine the 
quality of an egg. Automated mass scanning equipment is used by most 
egg packers to detect eggs with cracked shells and interior defects. 
Hand-candling is done to spot-check and determine accuracy in grading. 
The breakout method of determining interior quality enables graders and 
students to calibrate their grading skills against an objective 
standard. In this method, a micrometer measures the height of the thick 
white of a broken-out egg and gives a direct reading in Haugh units. 
Currently, there is a Haugh unit range of ``60 to 72'' for A quality 
and ``72 or higher'' for AA quality. Because these values appear to 
overlap, AMS is revising the description for A quality to read ``60 up 
to, but not including, 72.'' This clarifies the wording and makes it 
consistent with the intent of the description.
    Specifications for packaging materials are provided in the 
standards as examples of quality packaging. Since they would not have 
any recognized value to today's industry, AMS is deleting this section 
entirely.

    Authority: 7 USC 1621-1627.

    Dated: June 14, 2000.
Kathleen A. Merrigan,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 00-15445 Filed 6-19-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P