[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 209 (Friday, October 29, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 63132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24161]


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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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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 209 / Friday, October 29, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 63132]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. FV-05-333]


United States Standards for Grades of Canned Pears

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is revising 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 29, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen L. Kaufman, Processed Products 
Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 0247, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-0247; fax (202) 690-1087 or e-mail at 
[email protected]. The final United States Standards for Grades of 
Canned Pears, 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.''

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 revising 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). A second notice 
was published in the July 21, 2004, Federal Register (69 FR 139) based 
on comments received from the first notice. AMS received one comment in 
response to the second notice. The comment favored the revision to the 
standard. These comments are available by accessing AMS's Home Page on 
the Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html.
    Based on the comments, AMS is revising the standard for canned 
pears following the standard format for U.S. Grade Standards. The 
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 revision 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).
    The U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Pears will become effective 
30 days after publication of this notice in the Federal Register.

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

    Dated: October 25, 2004.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 04-24161 Filed 10-28-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P