[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 209 (Friday, October 29, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63132-63133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24163]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No. FV-04-302]


United States Standards for Grades of Sweet Potatoes

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 it's proposal to revise 
the United States Standards for Grades of Sweet Potatoes. USDA has 
received a request from several industry groups to add a new grade to 
the standards, U.S. No. 1 Petite. The change being proposed would allow 
the packing and shipping of smaller size sweet potatoes under the U.S. 
standards, thereby, improving the usefulness of the standards in 
serving the industry.

[[Page 63133]]


DATES: Comments must be received by December 28, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
the Standardization Section, Fresh Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable 
Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 1661 South Building, Stop 
0240, Washington, DC 20250-0240; Fax (202) 720-8871, E-mail 
[email protected]. Comments should make reference to the dates 
and page number of this issue of the Federal Register and will be made 
available for public inspection in the above office during regular 
business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David L. Priester, at the above 
address or call (202) 720-2185; E-mail [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627), 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. The United States Standards for Grades of 
Fruits and Vegetables not connected with Federal Marketing Orders or 
U.S. Import Requirements, 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 voluntary U.S. Standards for Grades 
of Sweet Potatoes using procedures that appear in part 36 Title 7 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36). These standards were 
last revised in 1963.

Background

    On December 10, 2003, AMS published a notice soliciting comments on 
a possible revision to the United States Standards for Grades of Sweet 
Potatoes. As a result, AMS received five comments from industry groups 
requesting the addition of a new grade entitled U.S. No. 1 Petite, with 
the same requirements as the U.S. No. 1 grade currently in the 
standard, except for the size requirements. The request specified that 
the size requirements for the U.S. No. 1 Petite be: A minimum diameter 
of 1\1/2\ inches, a maximum diameter of 2\1/4\ inches, a minimum length 
of 3 inches and a maximum length of 7 inches. These industry groups 
stated this new grade would aid in the marketing of smaller size sweet 
potatoes as the U.S. standards currently require sweet potatoes to be a 
larger size in order to meet a grade. Therefore, the addition of the 
U.S. No. 1 Petite grade to the standards would improve its usefulness 
in serving the industry.
    The official grade of a lot of sweet potatoes covered by these 
standards will be determined by the procedures set forth in the 
Regulations Governing Inspection, Certification, and Standards of Fresh 
Fruits, Vegetables and Other Products (Sec. Sec.  51.1 to 51.61).
    This notice provides for a 60-day comment period for interested 
parties to comment on changes to the standard.

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

    Dated: October 25, 2004.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 04-24163 Filed 10-28-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P