[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Page 3818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-781]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket Number FV-05-301]


United States Standards for Grades of Strawberries

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 Strawberries. AMS received a request from an industry group to 
modify the standards to allow that percentages be determined by count 
and not volume. The change will make tolerance determination more 
objective and more uniform.

DATES: Effective Date: February 23, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheri L. Emery, Standardization 
Section, Fresh Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, 
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 1661 South Building, STOP 0240, 
Washington, DC 20250-0240, Fax (202) 720-8871 or call (202) 720-2185; 
E-mail [email protected]. The revised United States Standards for 
Grades of Strawberries will be available either through the address 
cited above 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 USDA/AMS/Fruit and Vegetable 
Programs.
    AMS is revising the voluntary United States Standards for Grades of 
Strawberries using procedures that appear in Part 36, Title 7 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).

Background

    Prior to undertaking detailed work to develop a proposed revision 
to the standard, AMS published a notice on March 11, 2005, in the 
Federal Register (70 FR 12175) soliciting comments on a possible 
revision to the United States Standards for Grades of Strawberries. 
After receiving comments, a second notice was published in the 
September 7, 2005, Federal Register (70 FR 53148-9) concerning the 
proposed percentage determination. In response to this notice, AMS 
received one comment from a state agricultural representative opposing 
the proposed revision. The comment is available by accessing the AMS, 
Fresh Products Branch Web site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/fpbdocketlist.htm.
    The comment stated that the size variance is too great to make a 
count-based inspection an accurate representation of the lot and that 
maybe the commodity should be inspected by weight. However, AMS 
believes that allowing percentages to be determined by count and not 
volume would establish a uniform procedure for determining the 
percentages, thereby providing more objectivity to an inspection.
    Additionally, AMS is eliminating the unclassified category. This 
section is being removed in all standards, when they are revised. This 
category is not a grade and only serves to show that no grade has been 
applied to the lot. It is no longer considered necessary.
    The official grade of a lot of strawberries covered by these 
standards is 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 Strawberries will become 
effective 30 days after the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register.

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

    Dated: January 18, 2006.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-781 Filed 1-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P