[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 93 (Monday, May 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25804-25805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9695]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[No. FV-05-329]


United States Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on the proposed revision to 
the United States Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes. AMS 
received two petitions from food processors asking USDA to consider 
revising the current definition for the style of ``Whole'' in the 
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes. The change 
was requested to reflect newer varieties, new sorting techniques, and 
canning processes.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 15, 2005.

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; fax (202) 690-1527, e-mail 
[email protected]. The United States Standards for Grades of 
Canned Sweetpotatoes 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.

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

[[Page 25805]]

Sweetpotatoes using the procedures that appear in part 36 of title 7 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).

Background

    AMS received two petitions from food processors through the Food 
Products Association (FPA), formerly the National Food Processors 
Association, requesting revision of the United States Standards for 
Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes. The petitioners requested the USDA to 
revise the definition of the style of ``Whole'' to reflect newer 
varieties, new sorting techniques, and canning processes. The 
``Beauregard'' variety, a new variety widely used in canned 
sweetpotatoes is oddly shaped and must be cut and trimmed to give the 
appearance of a whole sweet potato. This variety may or may not be 
tapered on one end and because of mechanical trimming may not meet the 
definition of whole.
    The current definition for the style of ``Whole'' states that, 
``Whole means the canned sweetpotatoes have the appearance of being 
essentially whole or almost whole in that the units retain the 
approximate shape of whole sweetpotatoes.''
    The petitioners wanted to revise the definition for canned whole 
sweetpotatoes to allow for those that are cylindrical in shape, two 
inches plus or minus 0.5 inches in length, by 1.5 inches plus or minus 
0.25 inches in diameter for 404 x 307 and 603 x 700 can sizes and 1.0 
inch plus or minus 0.25 inches in diameter for smaller can sizes.
    Prior to undertaking research and other work associated with 
revising the grade standards, AMS sought public comments on the 
petition. A notice requesting comments on the petition to revise the 
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes was 
published in March 12, 2003, Federal Register (68 FR 11802).
    In response to our request for comments, AMS received one comment 
from one of the processors that had requested the revision. The 
commenter did not favor the proposed revision of the standard, noting 
that the use of length and diameter requirement to describe a whole 
sweetpotato would be a severe disadvantage to canners. The commenter 
further suggested that the term ``Almost Whole'' be removed from the 
standard.
    AMS determined that the term ``Whole'' implies that the 
sweetpotatoes have not been cut into smaller pieces. An ``Almost 
whole'' sweetpotato unit should resemble a whole unit with one or both 
ends trimmed to remove fibrous ends. Larger sized sweetpotatoes would 
require excessive trimming to meet the suggested size requirements as 
stated in the petition. AMS decided that the best approach to revising 
the grade standards was to leave the style description for ``Whole'' 
unchanged without specific reference to length and size. AMS further 
decided to remove the style of ``Sections,'' which is not commercially 
packed, reducing the confusion between ``Sections'' and ``Pieces, cuts, 
or cut'' styles. The style ``Other'' was added to account for styles 
not specifically mentioned in the grade standard. These changes were 
suggested in order to more clearly delineate the difference between 
``whole'' and ``pieces, cuts, or cut'' styles, thereby promoting 
uniformity in grading canned sweetpotatoes.
    A discussion draft that included these changes was sent to FPA, in 
March 2004. In December 2004, the members of FPA agreed with the 
proposed changes to the grade standard. Therefore, AMS is proposing a 
change to the U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes that 
will accommodate the needs of the industry and promote uniformity in 
grading. A copy of the proposed grade standards is posted on the AMS 
Web site located at http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/ppb.html and is 
available at the address above.
    This proposal will provide a common language for trade, a means of 
measuring value in the marketing of canned sweetpotatoes, and provide 
guidance in the effective utilization of canned sweetpotatoes. The 
official grade of a lot of canned sweetpotatoes covered by these 
standards will be determined by the procedures set forth in the 
Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Processed Fruits 
and Vegetables, Processed Products Thereof, and Certain Other Processed 
Food Products (7 CFR 52.1-52.83).
    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: May 11, 2005.
Kenneth C. Clayton,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 05-9695 Filed 5-13-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P