[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10002-10003]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2770]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Docket No: FV-06-331]


United States Standards for Grades of Processed Raisins

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), prior to undertaking 
research and other work associated with revising official grade 
standards, is soliciting comments on the petition to change the United 
States Standards for Grades of Processed Raisins. AMS received a 
petition from the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC) requesting that 
USDA revise the current grade standards to add to and also modify the 
wording for ``TYPE I--Seedless Raisins. The petitioner believes that 
revising the standards will provide for common language presently used 
by the industry.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 1, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments

[[Page 10003]]

concerning this notice. Comments must be sent to Karen L. Kaufman, 
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 Processed Raisins 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: Karen L. Kaufman, Telephone (202) 720-
4693.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    AMS received a petition from the Raisin Administrative Committee 
(RAC), requesting the revision of the United States Standards for 
Grades of Processed Raisins. These standards are issued under the 
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621--1627)
    The petitioner is requesting that USDA revise the grade standards 
for section 52.1843 Summary of types (varieties) of processed raisins 
for Type-I Seedless Raisins. The revision would add the processed 
raisin type, ``Vine-dried (without the application of drying chemicals 
or materials)'' to the current summary as well as modify the type for 
``Dipped, Vine-dried, or similarly processed raisins'' to ``Dipped, 
Vine-dried, treated with drying chemicals or materials or similarly 
processed raisins.''
    Prior to undertaking detailed work to develop a proposal, AMS is 
soliciting comments on the petition to revise the U.S. Standards for 
Grades of Processed Raisins.
    This notice provides for a 60-day comment period for interested 
parties to comment on the petition to develop a proposed revision of 
the standards. Should AMS conclude that there is a need for changes to 
the standards, detailed work could be undertaken as soon as possible 
and the eventual proposed revised 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: February 23, 2006.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-2770 Filed 2-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P