[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 139 (Wednesday, July 21, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 43559]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-16486]


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 Notices
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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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 139 / Wednesday, July 21, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 43559]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service


United States Standards For Grades of Canned Pears

[Docket No. FV-04-333]

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on the proposal to revise the 
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Pears. AMS received two 
petitions, one from a grower cooperative, the other from a processor, 
requesting that USDA change the character classification for Grade 
``B'', slices, and diced, to read ``the units are reasonably tender or 
tenderness may be variable within the unit.'' This change was requested 
by the industry in order to bring the standards for canned pears in 
line with the present quality levels being marketed today and provide 
guidance in the effective utilization of canned pears.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before September 20, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
concerning this notice. Comments should reference the date and page of 
this issue of the Federal Register. All comments received will be made 
available for public inspection at the address listed below during 
regular business hours and on the Internet. Please submit comments to 
Karen L. Kaufman, Standardization Section, Processed Products Branch, 
Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW.; Room 0709, 
South Building; STOP 0247, Washington, DC 20250; Fax (202) 690-1527, e-
mail [email protected] or http://www.regulations.gov. The current 
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Pears, along with the 
proposed changes, will be available either through the address cited 
above or by accessing the AMS Home Page on the Web at http://www.ams.usda.gov/standards/frutcan.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen L. Kaufman at (202) 720-5021 or 
e-mail at [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. Those United States Standards for Grades of Fruits and 
Vegetables no longer appear in the Code of Federal Regulations but are 
maintained by USDA/AMS/Fruit and Vegetable Programs.
    AMS is proposing to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned 
Pears using the procedures that appear in Part 36 of Title 7 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR Part 36).

Proposed by the petitioner

    AMS received two petitions, one from a grower cooperative and the 
other from a processor, requesting the revision of the United States 
Standards for Grades of Canned Pears. The standards are established 
under the authority of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 
1621-1627). The petitioners represent growers from Washington State, 
Oregon and parts of California.
    The petitioners are requesting that USDA change the character 
classification for Grade ``B'', slices, and diced, canned pears. The 
petitioners believe the change in the standard will improve the 
economic position of domestic growers of pears.
    Prior to undertaking research and other work associated with 
revising the grade standards, AMS decided to seek public comments on 
the petition. A notice requesting comments on the petition to revise 
the United States Standards for Grades of Canned Pears was published in 
the January 21, 2004, Federal Register (69 FR 2885).
    In response to our request for comments, AMS received two comments 
both from pear processors. The comments favored the proposed revision 
of the standard.
    Based on the submitted information, AMS is proposing to revise the 
standard for canned pears following the standard format for U.S. Grade 
Standards. The proposed revision will change the character 
classification for Grade ``B'', slices, and diced, style canned pears 
by including the following: ``the units are reasonably tender or the 
tenderness may be variable within the unit.'' The current standard 
contains this wording for character classifications for halves, 
quarters, pieces or irregular pieces and whole pears.
    This proposal will provide a common language for trade, a means of 
measuring value in the marketing of canned pears, and provide guidance 
in the effective utilization of canned pears. The official grade of a 
lot of canned pears covered by these standards will be determined by 
the procedures set forth in the Regulations Governing Inspection and 
Certification of Processed Products Thereof, and Certain Other 
Processed Food Products (Sec.  52.1 to 52.83).
    This notice provides for a 60 day comment period for interested 
parties to comment on changes to the standards.

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

    Dated: July 14, 2004.
A. J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 04-16486 Filed 7-20-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P