[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 171 (Wednesday, September 4, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56527-56528]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-22521]


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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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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 171 / Wednesday, September 4, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 56527]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[PY00004]


Voluntary Grade Standards for Rabbits and U.S. Grade C-Quality 
Poultry

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is changing the 
voluntary United States Grade Standards for Rabbits. Specifically, the 
changes will add stewer rabbits to the roaster and mature rabbit class; 
update and clarify the tolerances for conformation, fleshing, 
disjointed and broken bones, and freezing; and provide new tolerances 
for cuts and tears and discolorations. The standards are being updated 
to provide more specific grade factors for increasing accuracy of grade 
determination. Additionally, AMS is updating the voluntary United 
States Grade Standards for Grade C-quality ready-to-cook poultry for 
consistency with existing U.S. Grade A and B standards.

EFFECTIVE DATE: September 5, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Rex A. Barnes at (202) 
7203271.

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. 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, 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.
    On December 4, 1995, the Voluntary United States Grade Standards 
for Rabbits and Poultry were removed from the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) as part of the National Performance Review program. 
AMS continues to administer the voluntary standards, maintaining their 
existing numbering system, and copies of the official standards are 
available upon request.

Background and Comments

    The U.S. Grade Standards for Rabbits have not been revised since 
developed on July 15, 1979. Since that time, rabbit producers and 
processors have requested that AMS clarify the rabbit standards by 
developing detailed defect tolerances for cuts and tears, 
discolorations, and freezing defects to reflect developing processing 
technology.
    Additionally, the U.S. Grade Standards for Rabbits and Poultry were 
last revised on April 29, 1998. AMS is updating the current 
requirements for U.S. Grade C-quality ready-to-cook poultry to be 
consistent with requirements for Grades A- and B-quality poultry to 
facilitate application of the grades by the Agency and the industry.
    On August 16, 2001, a Notice announcing the proposed changes was 
published in the Federal Register (66 FR 42988). No comments were 
received during the 60-day comment period.
    The Agency expects the changes to assist in the marketing of graded 
rabbit and poultry products, and is, therefore, revising the subject 
standards as proposed. Copies of the revised United States Grade 
Standards for Poultry and Rabbits are available at www.ams.usda.gov/poultry/standards, or write to David Bowden, Jr., Chief, 
Standardization Branch, Poultry Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW, STOP 0259, Washington, DC, 202500259; fax (202) 6900941; or 
phone (202) 7203506. The changes are summarized as follows:

Stewer Rabbits

    AMS is adding stewer rabbits to the class of roaster and mature 
rabbits and decreasing the age requirement for these rabbits to 6 
months of age. This change is consistent with actual rabbit grower and 
breeding terminology.

Grades A-, B-, and C-quality Rabbits

    (1) Information provided for conformation and fleshing has been 
updated. Current grade criteria describe hip and back characterizations 
that are not applicable to meat-yielding rabbit breeds today.
    (2) Disjointed and broken bone criteria is updated to reflect 
processing techniques, including the presence of broken bones due to 
the removal of head and feet. Descriptions are added to indicate points 
at which a bone may be broken in relation to the presence of meat 
tissue.
    (3) The term ``pockmarks'' has been removed from the freezing 
defects section and replaced with ``drying out of the outer layer of 
flesh.'' AMS has found that the pockmarks traditionally found on skin-
on poultry are not applicable to rabbits. The drying out of the outer 
layer of flesh (freezer burn) is a more descriptive explanation for 
freezing defects that occur on rabbit products during frozen storage.
    (4) New tolerances are established for cuts and tears. Current 
standards do not provide for hand and mechanical cuts needed to start 
the hide or pelt removal process. Processors have said that since the 
hide or pelt must be removed from all rabbits, a provision for the 
normal processing cuts is needed. AMS agrees and worked with the 
industry to develop a tolerance for the cuts and tears to reflect 
industry-processing techniques.
    (5) New discoloration tolerances include definitions to indicate 
whether slight, lightly shaded, or moderately shaded discolorations, 
blood clots, or incomplete bleeding will be allowed for each U.S. 
grade. Current standards do not indicate the dimensions for 
discolorations making the grade establishment of rabbit carcasses and 
parts more difficult.

U.S. Grade C-quality Standards for Poultry

    AMS is clearly defining current U.S. Grade C-quality requirements 
in the same format that is used for Grades A- and B-quality poultry. 
Subject headings, text, and tables are added for poultry conformation, 
fleshing, fat covering, defeathering, exposed flesh, discolorations, 
trimming, and freezing defects.
    The current C-quality requirements have been utilized by AMS 
grading staff

[[Page 56528]]

for many years, and are already defined and printed in the Grade C-
quality standard table and the Poultry Graders Handbook. No new 
requirements are imposed on industry with this format change.
    Other miscellaneous changes are being made to remove obsolete 
material, clarify, and simplify the standards.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621.

    Dated: August 27, 2002.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 02-22521 Filed 9302; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 341002P