[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2013-2014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-281]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 8 / Thursday, January 12, 2006 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket Number FV-04-304]


United States Standards for Grades of Mangos

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is establishing voluntary United States Standards 
for Grades of Mangos. The standards are intended to provide industry 
with a common language and uniform basis for trading, thus promoting 
orderly and efficient marketing of fresh mangos.

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 13, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheri Emery, 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, call (202) 720-2185, or e-mail 
[email protected]. The United States Standards for Grades of Mangos 
is available at the above address or by accessing the AMS, Fresh 
Products Branch Web site at: http://www.ams.usda. gov/standards/
stanfrfv.htm.

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 the USDA/AMS/Fruit and Vegetable 
Programs.
    AMS is establishing United States Standards for Grades of Mangos 
using procedures that appear in Part 36, Title 7 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (7 CFR part 36).

Background

    On December 16, 2003, AMS published a notice in the Federal 
Register (68 FR 69984) soliciting comments for the possible development 
of United States Standards for Grades of Mangos. Based on the comments 
received and information gathered, AMS developed proposed grade 
standards for Mangos. A notice was then published in the March 11, 
2005, Federal Register (70 FR 12173) requesting comments on the 
proposed United States Standards for Grades of Mangos. The proposed 
standards contained sections pertaining to grades, sizes, tolerances, 
application of tolerances, definitions, and a table of defects. The 
following grades as well as a tolerance for each grade would be 
established: U.S. Fancy, U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2. In addition, 
``Application of Tolerances'' section and ``Size Requirements'' section 
with a table listing size designations would also be established. The 
standards defined ``Injury,'' ``Damage,'' ``Serious damage,'' along 
with specific basic requirements and other defects. Also included was a 
``Classification of Defects'' section, in a table format, which would 
list some of the various defects affecting mangos and scoring guides 
for the particular grade involved. In response to this notice a request 
was received from a national trade association representing produce 
receivers for an extension of the comment period. Following a review of 
the request, AMS published a notice in the July 1, 2005, Federal 
Register (38091) extending the comment period. AMS received eighteen 
comments from the mango industry on the proposed standards. The 
comments are available by accessing the AMS, Fresh Products Branch Web 
site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/fpbdocketlist.htm.
    AMS received fourteen comments opposing the size proposed in the 
table because it did not include some of the currently marketed sizes. 
The commenters stated that the table was limiting because it did not 
take into account different varieties. Some felt the table was too 
inconsistent by suggesting a four ounce and a six ounce difference 
between the top and the bottom of the size. In addition, three of those 
commenters stated that the customer base and the existing packing house 
technology would prevent the industry from implementing the size 
requirement. The comments suggesting that the table be removed have 
merit. Accordingly, the size section of the standards is removed.
    The proposed standard provided that ``soft'' would be scored as a 
defect. AMS received three comments that stated that the word ``soft'' 
was not a negative attribute and therefore should not be used as a term 
which may cause confusion in the mango industry. They went on further 
to state that consumers are taught that mangos are ripe when they yield 
to gentle pressure or are soft and that ``overripe'' was a negative 
attribute. In addition, two commenters referred to the defect as 
overripe in their table of classification of defects with their scoring 
guides in the comments which were submitted in the form of quality 
assurance standards. Therefore, based on the comments received, the 
references to ``soft'' are removed and replaced with the word 
``overripe.'' The term overripe will now also be defined in the 
standard as follows: ``Overripe'' means that flesh of the mango yields 
to slight pressure and is beginning to disintegrate and is past 
commercial utility. Also, one commenter stated there was some confusion 
over the term ``Soft nose.'' Upon further review, we believe that use 
of the term would be confusing; therefore, this term has been 
eliminated from the requirements of the grades and from the 
classification of defects table.
    Three commenters expressed the concern that the scoring guide for 
the classification of skin defects such as external (surface) 
discoloration and sunken discolored areas were too tight. One commenter 
believed that a majority of the fruit being shipped today would not 
even pass the U.S. No. 2 grade due

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to skin defects such as sap burn, abrasions, freckling, pitting, or 
other discolorations that do not affect the eating quality of the 
fruit. The commenter went on to state, ``At the same time, we must not 
allow normal levels of minor skin defects to cause the fruit to fall 
completely out of grade and destroy any commercial value the fruit 
would otherwise have without the grade standard.'' Another commenter 
stated, ``In the Ataulfo variety, some resin spots on the skin vanish 
while reaching yellow color.'' However, one commenter felt that the 
scoring guides were too loose. Based upon the comments received, AMS 
believes it is appropriate to increase the percentage of the surface 
affected before scoring of certain skin defects. Therefore, external 
(surface) discoloration was increased from ten and fifteen percent to 
aggregate areas of more than fifteen and twenty-five percent for damage 
and serious damage respectively in the classification of defects table. 
The skin defect shriveling was changed from scored when present in any 
amount, when affecting an aggregate are more than five percent of the 
surface, and when affecting an aggregate area more than ten percent of 
the surface to five, fifteen, and twenty-five percent respectively for 
injury, damage, and serious damage in the classification of defects 
table. AMS believes that the sunken discolored areas category does not 
need adjustment because it is a combination defect and combination 
defects affect the marketing of mangos more than surface discoloration 
or sunken areas alone.
    Additionally, AMS believes the defect Anthracnose should also be 
removed from the classification of defects table. There may be 
difficulty in identifying this defect. This defect has various symptoms 
such as superficial black spots and streaks or fruit staining that then 
may become sunken and eventually lead to fruit rot. However, this 
defect will be scored according to the general definitions of injury, 
damage, and serious damage.
    The adoption of these standards will provide the rapidly growing 
mango industry with grade standards similar to those extensively in use 
by the fresh produce industry to assist in orderly marketing of other 
commodities.
    The official grade of a lot of mangos 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. 51.1 to 51.61).
    The United States Standards for Grades of Mangos will become 
effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

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

    Dated: January 6, 2006.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 06-281 Filed 1-11-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P