[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 215 (Monday, November 8, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64713-64714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24826]


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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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 215 / Monday, November 8, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 64713]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket  FV-04-334]


United States Standards for Grades of Olive Oil

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), prior to undertaking 
research and other work associated with revising an official grade 
standard, is soliciting comments on the petition to change the United 
States Standards for Grades of Olive Oil. AMS received a petition from 
olive oil producers asking USDA to consider revising the current U.S. 
grade standard to conform to current industry standards commonly 
accepted in the United States and abroad.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 8, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments 
concerning this notice. Comments must be sent to Chere L. Shorter, 
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; telephone (202) 720-4693; fax (202) 
690-1527, e-mail [email protected]. The United States Standards 
for Grades of Olive Oil is available either through the address cited 
above or by accessing the AMS Web site on the Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html. Any comments received regarding the 
notice will be posted at that site. Comments also will be available for 
public inspection in the above office during regular business hours.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chere L. Shorter, telephone (202) 720-
4693.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    AMS received a petition from California Olive Oil Council, an 
association of olive oil producers, requesting the revision of the 
United States Standards for Grades of Olive Oil. These standards are 
issued under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621 
etc.).
    The petitioners are requesting the USDA to revise the terminology 
employed in connection with grades of olive oil. The current standard, 
effective since March 22, 1948, uses grades of ``fancy,'' ``choice,'' 
and ``substandard.'' These terms are not consistent with today's 
terminology for the olive oil industry. The petitioners are requesting 
that the new proposed standard, which would be first published as a 
proposal with a request for public comment, employ the terms used 
commercially in the marketplace.
    These terms are divided into two major groups: ``olive oil,'' and 
``olive-pomace oil.'' ``Olive oil,'' is defined as oil obtained 
exclusively from the fruit of the olive tree, produced without solvents 
or re-esterification processes. The broad term olive oil includes 
``virgin olive oil,'' ``refined olive oil,'' and ``blended olive oil.'' 
Virgin olive oil is further delineated into two more categories: 
``virgin oils fit for consumption as they are'' and ``virgin olive oil 
not fit for human consumption.'' ``Virgin oils fit for consumption as 
they are,'' include ``extra virgin olive oil,'' ``virgin olive oil,'' 
and ``ordinary olive oil.'' ``Virgin olive oil not fit for human 
consumption,'' is caused by ``rancidity,'' and is intended to be 
refined or used for other technical purposes.
    The second major group of olive oil is Olive pomace oil and 
includes ``crude olive-pomace oil,'' ``refined olive-pomace oil,'' and 
``olive pomace oil.'' Olive pomace oil is obtained by treating olive 
pomace with solvents or other physical treatments, excluding oils of 
other kinds or oils obtained by re-esterification.
    The petitioners have detailed identity characteristics comprising 
purity criteria applicable to olive oils and olive-pomace oil based on 
internationally accepted standards.
    Domestic olive oil production occurs primarily in California 
(approximately 99%), with lesser amounts produced in Texas and Arizona. 
U.S. olive oil production in 1998 was 325,000 gallons (approx. 
2,400,000 pounds). The U.S. share of world production is 0.1 percent. 
In 2003, the U.S. domestic consumption of olive oil was 454 million 
pounds. The U.S. imports more than 360 million pounds a year \1\. 
According to the petitioner, there are more than 400 producers and 
growers of olive oil domestically.
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    \1\ Foreign Trade Division, U.S. Bureau. Office of Trade and 
Analysis (OTEA), International Trade Administration, U.S. Department 
of Commerce.
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    The petitioners believe that changing the standard would enhance 
the ability of U.S. olive oil producers to compete domestically and 
internationally. A copy of the petitioners' request is located on the 
AMS Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html along with the 
current U.S. Standards for Grades of Olive Oil.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Prior to undertaking detailed work to develop a proposed revised 
standard, AMS is soliciting comments on the petition requesting the 
revision of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Olive Oil. In particular, 
AMS would welcome comments and information regarding the likely utility 
of revised terminology to include types of olive oil, namely ``Extra-
Virgin Olive Oil,'' ``Virgin Olive Oil,'' ``Refined Olive Oil,'' 
``Olive Oil,'' and ``Olive-Pomace Oil'' and the probable impact on 
processors, and growers. AMS is requesting comments on the petitioners 
proposed standard regarding the quality, purity, and identity 
characteristics, i.e., color, defects, flavor, methods of analysis, 
fatty acid composition, or any other pertinent criteria. Further 
details of the proposed standard are provided in the petition and are 
available from Chere L. Shorter at the previously mentioned address in 
the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section or can be found on the AMS 
Web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html under the ``Federal 
Register Notices'' link.
    This notice provides for a 30-day comment period for interested 
parties to comment on the petition to develop a proposed revision of 
the standard.

[[Page 64714]]

Should AMS conclude that there is a need for changes to the standard, 
detailed work would be undertaken and the eventual proposed standard 
would be published in the Federal Register with a request for comments 
in accordance with 7 CFR part 36.

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

    Dated: November 2, 2004.
A.J. Yates,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 04-24826 Filed 11-5-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P