[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 19, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 20288-20292]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-3693]



[[Page 20287]]

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Part IV





Department of Agriculture





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Agricultural Marketing Service



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7 CFR Part 56



Eligibility Requirements for USDA Graded Shell Eggs; Final Rule

  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 75 / Wednesday, April 19, 2006 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 20288]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 56

[Docket No. PY-98-006]
RIN 0581-AC50


Eligibility Requirements for USDA Graded Shell Eggs

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) amends the voluntary 
shell egg grading rules by providing that shell eggs must not have been 
previously shipped for retail sale in order to be officially identified 
with a USDA consumer grademark; by changing the definition of the term 
eggs of current production from 30 days to 21 days, thereby making eggs 
that were laid more than 21 days before the date of packing ineligible 
to be officially identified with a USDA-consumer grademark; and by 
adding a definition for the term shipped for retail sale. On April 27, 
1998, USDA prohibited the repackaging of eggs packed under USDA's 
voluntary grading program until the Department could review its 
policies regarding the repackaging and dating of eggs. Making certain 
types of eggs ineligible for grading will strengthen the integrity of 
the USDA grade shield.

DATES: This rule is effective June 19, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Bowden, Jr., Standardization 
Branch, (202) 720-3506.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    AMS administers a voluntary grading program for shell eggs under 
the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1621 et 
seq.). Any interested person, commercial firm, or government agency 
that applies for service must comply with the terms and conditions of 
the regulations and must pay for the services rendered. AMS graders 
monitor processing operations and verify the grade and size of eggs 
packaged into packages bearing the USDA-grade shield. Plants in which 
these grading services are performed are called official plants. 
Currently, about one-third of the nation's shell egg processors, that 
operate under the voluntary grading program, produce three-fourths of 
the nation's table eggs.
    Shell egg producers either pack their eggs at the site where the 
eggs are produced (an ``in-line'' operation), or ship their eggs to a 
processing facility or egg processor located elsewhere (an ``off-line'' 
operation). Egg processors also sell and ship eggs among themselves to 
accommodate imbalances in supply. Once eggs are washed, sized, and 
packaged for retail sale, they are shipped to retailers for 
distribution to the ultimate consumer.
    Occasionally, a retail store may have an excess inventory of eggs. 
They may have overstocked for a seasonal promotion (e.g., Easter or 
Christmas) or the expiration date printed on the cartons may be 
approaching. Retailers dispose of these eggs, give the eggs to local 
charitable feeding operations before the expiration date, or return the 
eggs to the processor. The processor may, in turn, repackage the eggs 
or process them into liquid, frozen, or dried egg products. If 
repackaged, the eggs are removed from their original package, such as a 
carton or open tray (known as a ``flat''). They are usually, but not 
always, intermixed with other unprocessed eggs. Then they are rewashed, 
regraded, and placed into a new package. The option of repackaging eggs 
has always been available to egg processors, there are no Federal 
regulations addressing the practice, and Agency personnel have observed 
very little of it in official plants.
    Four dates are associated with the marketing of shell eggs. They 
are, in order of occurrence, the date of lay, the date of packaging, 
the expiration or ``Sell by'' date, and the ``Use by'' date. Federal 
law does not require any of these dates to be present on shell egg 
packaging materials. However, if the processor uses the USDA grading 
program and places the USDA grade shield on packaging materials, the 
date of packaging is required and the expiration (``Sell by'') and 
``Use by'' dates have required time limits. If the expiration (``Sell 
by'') date is present, denoting stock rotation, it must be calculated 
from the date of packaging and may not exceed 30 days including the 
date of pack. If the ``Use by'' date is present, indicating the maximum 
time frame for expected quality, it must also be calculated from the 
date of packaging and may not exceed 45 days including the date of 
pack. Thus, repackaged eggs could either retain the original pack date 
and expiration (``Use by'') dates, or they could have the new date of 
repackaging and a new, extended expiration date. After April 27, 1998, 
however, repackaged eggs became ineligible for USDA-grade 
identification.
    On April 7, 1998, a report was televised about an egg processor's 
practice of repackaging eggs. The report questioned the food safety and 
quality implications of this practice. To address the quality aspect, 
USDA issued a written notice to the industry on April 17, 1998, 
announcing suspension of the repackaging of eggs packed under the 
voluntary grading program while the Department reviewed its policies on 
egg repackaging. The suspension, effective April 27, 1998, ensured that 
eggs previously shipped for retail sale and returned to the processor 
were specifically ineligible for USDA-grade identification. The Agency 
believed that this would strengthen the integrity of the USDA-grade 
shield by reducing unwanted variation in egg quality caused by the 
occasional blending of older, lower-quality eggs with more recently 
laid, higher-quality eggs.
    While reviewing egg repackaging, the Agency also looked at its 
definition of eggs of current production. Eggs are at their peak of 
quality when they are laid. Over time, quality will decline. The rate 
of decline varies according to a variety of factors, with the most 
important being elapsed time since lay, storage temperature, and 
storage humidity. To maintain the integrity of the quality standards 
and the grade shield, only eggs of current production may be officially 
graded. AMS has defined those eggs to be shell eggs that have moved 
through usual marketing channels since the time they were laid and have 
not been held in refrigerated storage in excess of 30 days. In 
practice, AMS requires eggs being officially identified with the USDA-
grade shield to be no older than 30 days on the day of packaging.
    The first definition for eggs of current production was added to 
the regulations March 1, 1955, and included a 60-day requirement. At 
that time, the definition allowed buyers and sellers to differentiate 
between relatively fresh eggs and cold storage or storage eggs. The 
commercial cold storage of eggs began in the U.S. around 1890, when egg 
production was seasonal. Cold storage could hold the spring and summer 
production surplus (about 50 percent of the annual production) for 
release during periods of relative scarcity in autumn and winter, thus 
avoiding drastic supply and price fluctuation. Until the 1950s, it was 
common for eggs to be held in refrigerated storage for up to 6 months. 
Modern breeding and flock management practices have virtually 
eliminated seasonal differences in egg production, so cold storage is 
no longer necessary or even practical. In addition, technological 
advances in the handling and marketing of shell eggs have reduced the 
time it takes for eggs to move through normal marketing

[[Page 20289]]

channels and provide optimum conditions for maintaining egg quality. 
The time requirement was reduced to 30 days August 1, 1963.

Proposed Rule and Comments

    Following a review of the repackaging issue and the definition for 
eggs of current production, a proposed rule was published in the 
Federal Register (64 FR 40522, July 27, 1999). It prohibited the USDA 
grade identification of eggs previously shipped for retail sale or eggs 
laid more than 15 days before date of packing. Comments were 
specifically requested regarding periods of time that might be more 
appropriate than 15 days. During the 60-day comment period that ended 
September 27, 1999, the Agency received three comments; one each from 
organizations representing egg producers, State departments of 
agriculture, and consumers.
    All three organizations supported the decision to make retail-
returned eggs ineligible for official identification. They also 
supported changing the definition of eggs of current production, but 
had differing recommendations.
    The organization representing consumers supported the 15-day 
definition because it would increase the overall quality of USDA-graded 
eggs, would increase consumer confidence in the USDA grademark, and 
would be commercially feasible.
    The organization representing egg producers recommended 21 days to 
allow for disruptions that could occur during distribution, such as the 
additional time required to transfer eggs between processors trying to 
balance overall supply and demand. Producers unable to meet the 15-day 
requirement would only recoup approximately 50 percent of the products' 
original value if the eggs were diverted to the production of egg 
products, a loss that could cause some official plants to drop grading 
service altogether.
    The organization representing State departments of agriculture 
questioned the feasibility of the resident grader monitoring the date 
of lay as well as preventing the repackaging of store returns. This 
organization did suggest an alternative action to prevent repackaging 
and to control the quality of officially-identified eggs: Change the 
tolerance for B quality interiors allowed in eggs identified with the 
Grade A or AA shield. Currently processors can have 13 percent B 
quality in eggs identified with the Grade A or AA shield.
    The Agency does not share the concerns about monitoring and 
verifying the age of shell eggs processed in official plants. The 
Agency has procedures to ensure compliance with the current definition 
for eggs of current production with its 30-day requirement. These 
procedures were strengthened in December 1999 and would be applicable 
if that requirement was reduced. Field personnel indicate that these 
procedures are adequate and verifiable. In regard to changing the 
tolerance for B quality interiors allowed in eggs identified with the 
Grade A or AA shield, the Agency does not feel that this would be an 
appropriate method for monitoring the age of the shell eggs. While 
research has demonstrated that there is a decrease in quality over 
time, it has also shown that there is no significant corresponding 
increase in the amount of B quality eggs within the first 21 days after 
lay when the eggs are properly processed, handled, and stored. The last 
major change in shell egg standards and grades occurred in 1981, while 
the egg industry has undergone major changes in production and 
processing since then. AMS believes that a continuing comprehensive 
nationwide review of the egg standards is appropriate. AMS continues to 
make changes to reflect current production and marketing practices. 
However, AMS believes that a monitoring and verification process to 
ensure compliance with any current production requirement would still 
be needed.
    AMS agrees with the egg producer organization that the proposed 15-
day requirement might be a burden in certain situations. Therefore, the 
Agency has decided to adopt the 21 days recommended by the industry 
organization.
    Comments received suggesting that these requirements should apply 
to all eggs and comments relating to food safety issues are beyond the 
scope of this rulemaking and/or the authority under the Act.

Summary of Changes

    The definition for Eggs of current production (Sec.  56.1) is 
changed. It will specify that the term denotes eggs that are no more 
than 21 days old on the day of packaging instead of the present 30-day 
limit. Additionally, the reference to ``Refrigerator or storage eggs'' 
is removed because it is obsolete.
    A definition for the term Shipped for retail sale (Sec.  56.1) is 
added. This term would mean shell eggs that are forwarded from the 
processing facility for distribution to the ultimate consumer. This 
includes eggs forwarded for retail sale to wholesalers, brokers, 
retailer warehouses, retailer stores, or other distribution points in 
the retail marketing chain.
    Another requirement for shell eggs to be identified with consumer 
grademarks (Sec.  56.40) is added. It specifies that these eggs must 
not have previously been shipped for retail sale.

Executive Order 12866

    Although not economically significant, this rule has been 
determined to be significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866 and, 
therefore, has been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB). AMS has prepared a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) consisting 
of a statement of the need for the proposed action, an examination of 
alternative approaches, and an analysis of the benefits and costs.
    Need for Proposed Action. As stated in the background section, on 
April 7, 1998, a report was televised about an egg processor's practice 
of repackaging eggs. The report questioned the food safety and quality 
implications of this practice. However, there was no evidence that 
repackaged eggs posed a food safety risk.
    To address the quality aspect, and to ensure the strong brand image 
of graded eggs, USDA issued a written notice to the industry on April 
17, 1998, announcing suspension of the repackaging of eggs packed under 
the voluntary grading program while the Department reviewed its 
policies on egg repackaging. The suspension, effective April 27, 1998, 
ensured that eggs previously shipped for retail sale and returned to 
the processor were specifically ineligible for USDA-grade 
identification. AMS believes that the occasional blending of older, 
lower-quality eggs with more recently laid, higher-quality eggs could 
result in unwanted variation in egg quality. Prohibiting the 
repackaging of eggs packed under USDA's voluntary grading program would 
reduce this possibility and would strengthen the integrity of the USDA-
grade shield.
    Currently, the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 
U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) authorizes a voluntary grading program for shell 
eggs. Shell egg processors that apply for service must pay for the 
services rendered. These user fees are proportional to the volume of 
shell eggs graded, so that costs are shared by all users. Shell egg 
processors are entitled to pack their eggs in packages bearing the 
USDA-grade shield when AMS graders are present to certify that the eggs 
meet the grade requirements as labeled. Plants in which these grading 
services are performed are called official plants. Shell egg processors 
who do not use USDA's

[[Page 20290]]

grading service may not use the USDA-grade shield.
    Shell egg processors with 3,000 or more laying hens are required by 
the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) to register with the Department. 
Currently, there are about 533 such processors, of which 185 (34.7 
percent) are official plants that are responsible for 74 percent of 
total shell egg production. Most official plants have resident service, 
where graders work a regular tour of duty. In the remaining plants, 
graders work on an intermittent, as needed, basis. Official plants that 
use USDA's grading service and identify their egg cartons with the 
official USDA-grade shield are affected by this rule. Plants that do 
not use USDA's grading service or identify their egg cartons with the 
USDA-grade shield are not affected by this rule.
    Alternatives. The repackaging of eggs packed under USDA's voluntary 
grading program was suspended by the Department. The only alternative 
would be to rescind the suspension. The Department continues to support 
the suspension. All commenters supported the suspension. AMS agrees.
    The proposed rule called for changing the definition of eggs of 
current production from 30 days to 15 days. Comments were specifically 
requested regarding other periods of time that might be more 
appropriate. A comment received from an organization representing egg 
producers supported 21 days to allow for occasional disruptions that 
occur during distribution, such as the additional time required to 
transfer eggs between processors trying to balance their supply with 
demand. AMS agrees that this alternative has merit and would change the 
definition from 30 days to 21 days.
    Summary of Benefits. This rule would potentially enhance the 
quality and marketability of USDA graded eggs by strengthening the 
integrity of the USDA grade shield. It would provide consumers with 
even greater assurance of receiving high quality shell eggs reliably 
and consistently, regardless of supplier.
    Summary of Costs. It should be noted that there are negligible, if 
any, additional costs associated with this final rule since USDA 
suspended repackaging in April 1998, and this rule only codifies that 
decision. The costs associated with changing repackaging policies have 
already been borne by the industry and are now common industry 
practice. Table 1 shows the current estimated production of the 533 
registered plants, both official and non-official, and the estimated 
value of eggs produced by these plants. Prices are the average annual 
daily New York wholesale price of Grade A, large eggs for 2004 as 
reported by the World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB). There is also 
a one cent differential between the price of eggs at official plants 
which use the shield versus non-official plants which do not use the 
shield. The difference covers the cost of grading.

                Table I.--Current Estimated Annual Production of Plants Registered Under the EPIA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                        Plants registered         Estimated annual           Estimated value
                                   --------------------------        production        -------------------------
                                                             --------------------------
                                     Number of    Percentage                Percentage   Value per
                                       plants      of total    Dozen eggs    of total      dozen     Total value
                                                    plants     (billion)      dozen
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total plants......................          533  ...........         4.27  ...........  ...........    \2\ $3.49
Official plants with shield.......          185           35         3.16           74       \1\ 82     \2\ 2.59
Non-official plants without shield          348           65         1.11           26       \1\ 81       899,10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Cents.
\2\ In billions.

    The egg market changes daily due to changes in the supply, demand, 
and other factors. Egg markets are also cyclical with increases in 
demand occurring during some holiday periods. As long as these cycles 
continue, retailers will continue to return eggs to processors. In 
turn, processors will continue to repackage eggs into cartons without 
the official-grade shield, divert them to egg breakers, or use them in 
products other than human food. When there is a favorable market for 
table eggs, most will be repackaged into cartons without the official 
grade shield. Processors usually receive a greater return for cartoned 
eggs than eggs sent to breakers.
    When this rule was originally proposed, there were 169 official 
plants with resident grading service. The estimated number of eggs 
returned to them annually was 6.2 million dozen with an estimated value 
of $4.712 million. AMS surveyed those 169 plants to determine the 
extent to which they had previously repackaged eggs into USDA-grade-
shielded cartons.
    Only eight of the 169 official plants reported having repackaged 
small quantities of eggs in USDA-shielded cartons at least weekly. 
Table II shows the estimated value of eggs returned to those eight 
surveyed plants before 1998 (when repackaging in USDA-shielded cartons 
was suspended) and 2004. At that time, the projected value of the eggs 
returned following suspension of repackaging was less than the 
projected value before suspension. This was due in part because of the 
increased value of eggs marketed with the USDA shield.

  Table II.--Annual Estimated Number and Value of Eggs Returned to Eight Official Surveyed Plants Before 1998 (When Repackaging in USDA-Grade-Shielded
                                                             Cartons Was Suspended) and 2004
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                                                                                Before repackaging was suspended       After repackaging was suspended
                                                                   Value per ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     dozen    Percent of                            Percentage
                                                                                 total     Dozen eggs  Total value   of total    Dozen eggs  Total value
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eggs returned to 8 surveyed plants that repackaged..............       Yr 98  ..........      669,300      483,034  ..........      669,300     $477,680
                                                                       Yr 04  ..........      669,300      522,790  ..........      669,300      517,436

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Repackaged in USDA shielded carton..............................    76[cent]          80      535,440      406,934  ..........  ...........  ...........
                                                                    82[cent]          80      535,440      439,061  ..........  ...........  ...........
Repackaged in non-shielded carton...............................    75[cent]          10       66,930       50,198          90      602,370      451,778
                                                                    81[cent]          10       66,930       54,213          90      602,370      487,920
Diverted to egg breaker \1\.....................................    43[cent]           9       60,237       25,902           9       60,237       25,902
                                                                    49[cent]           9       60,237       29,516           9       60,237       29,516
Other \2\.......................................................  ..........           1        6,693  ...........           1        6,693  ...........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Value per dozen may be less to reflect additional handling cost.
\2\ Diverted to use other than human food.

    Table II uses two sets of carton egg prices--the annual average 
Daily New York Wholesale Price of Grade A, Large Eggs for 1998 and 2004 
as reported by USDA's World Agricultural Outlook Board. At both price 
levels, the total economic impact (revenue loss) on the eight 
processors was approximately $5,354 ($483,034-$477,680 or $522,790-
$517,436) or approximately $670 per processor who repackaged eggs using 
a USDA shielded carton.
    The following assumptions were used to calculate this impact. 
First, there is a one cent value differential between the value of a 
dozen eggs packed in a USDA shielded carton versus an unshielded carton 
which reflects the cost of grading eggs. This is based on a report, the 
``Estimated Cost to Produce, Process, and Market One Dozen Grade A 
Large White Eggs,'' developed by AMS Poultry Market News. Second, all 
the returned eggs that had been packed in USDA shielded cartons were 
above the minimum quality standards for the cartoned egg market, thus 
all are repacked in non-shielded cartons. Third, no total value for the 
``Other'' category was calculated because prices and quantities did not 
change after repackaging was suspended.
    As noted above, there is very little economic impact as a result of 
the repackaging suspension given these assumptions. Relaxing these 
assumptions increases the impact at various levels of significance. 
Increasing the one cent differential between a shielded and non-
shielded carton (cost of the grading function) will result in a 
proportional increase in the economic impact. For example, if the 
differential is doubled to two cents, the economic impact will double 
from $5,354 to $10,708. If the differential is tripled to three cents, 
the economic impact triples to $16,062. (Note: These results are the 
same using either the 1998 price data or the 2004 price data.)
    A slightly larger impact results when the second assumption is 
relaxed. If 10 percent of the eggs that were being repacked in USDA 
shielded cartons before suspension were diverted to the breaker market 
after suspension, rather than to the fresh market in non-shielded 
cartons, the revenue loss to the eight egg processors would increase to 
$24,630 (using the 1998 carton price). (The change in the second 
assumption is that after repackaging was suspended, 81 percent (instead 
of 90 percent) is repacked in non-shielded cartons and 18 percent 
(instead of 9 percent) is diverted to the breaker market.) A yet larger 
impact would be expected to occur if the third assumption is relaxed 
and additional eggs were to move into the ``Other'' market which has 
much lower prices.
    However, it is most reasonable to expect that the eight processors 
will continue to move table quality returned eggs in non-shielded 
cartons after the suspension if they were moving returned eggs in 
shielded cartons before the suspension.
    While the benefits of prohibiting the repackaging of eggs in 
shielded cartons are difficult to quantify, this action will better 
facilitate the marketing of eggs under the voluntary grading program. 
Consumers will benefit with even greater assurance of receiving high 
quality shell eggs reliably and consistently, regardless of supplier. 
More generally, this action will enhance the consistent quality and 
marketability of USDA graded eggs and strengthen the integrity of the 
USDA grade shield.
    An April 7, 1998, televised report also raised questions about the 
related issue of egg dating. Processors using the USDA grading service 
must put the date of packaging on the carton. Eggs laid more than 30 
days before the date of packaging are currently ineligible to be 
officially identified with a USDA grade shield. This is the definition 
of eggs of current production that has been in effect since August 
1963.
    Technological advances in the handling and marketing of shell eggs 
have reduced the time it takes for eggs to move through normal 
marketing channels and provide optimum conditions for maintaining egg 
quality. The 21-day period implemented by this rule would still allow 
for normal disruptions in the marketplace, such as transfers to balance 
supplies, without a significant impact on quality. Reducing the time 
between date of lay and date of packaging from 30 days to 21 days would 
also enhance quality consistency of USDA-consumer-graded eggs and would 
strengthen the integrity of the USDA-grade shield.
    AMS expects the 21-day limit to have little or no economic impact 
on shell egg producers or processors. Processors supported, through a 
comment on the proposed rule, a 21-day after-lay period. Most of the 
shell egg processors that participate in the grade labeling program 
operate in-line facilities with eggs moving directly from laying houses 
to packaging. Shell egg processors can also market eggs that are not of 
current production by packaging them without USDA-grade identification. 
Because the difference in economic return to processors between USDA 
graded versus non-USDA graded eggs is about one cent per dozen, the 
economic impact is minimal, as discussed above.
    If as many as 5 percent of the 3.16 billion shell eggs processed in 
official plants (see Table I) had to be diverted to non-shield cartons 
because of handling problems, the loss in revenue would only be 
$1,580,000. (0.05 * 3,160,000,000 dozen = 158,000,000 dozen * $0.01 = 
$1,580,000.) This is approximately 0.06 percent of the total value of 
eggs ($2.59 billion) handled by official plants. (See table 1.) If 
there was a two cent differential between the values of a shielded 
carton versus a non-

[[Page 20292]]

shielded carton, the impact would be $3,160,000.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Pursuant to requirements set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act (RFA) (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the AMS has considered the economic 
impact of this rule on small entities and has determined that its 
provisions would not have a significant economic impact on a 
substantial number of small entities.
    The purpose of the RFA is to fit regulatory actions to the scale of 
businesses subject to such actions in order that small businesses will 
not be unduly or disproportionately burdened. The Small Business 
Administration (SBA) (13 CFR 121.201) defines small entities that 
produce and process chicken eggs as those whose annual receipts are 
less than $9,000,000. Approximately 550,000 egg laying hens are needed 
to produce enough eggs to gross $9,000,000.
    Of the 185 official plants that would be subject to the rule, only 
14 meet the small business definition.
    Two of the 14 official plants that meet the definition for small 
businesses repackaged retail-returned eggs into USDA-grade-shielded 
cartons. The impact of making the repackaging suspension permanent will 
be the same as described above in the Regulatory Impact Assessment. 
Thus, average revenue loss of $670 calculated for the eight processors 
involved in repackaging would apply to the small businesses. This would 
not impose an undue or disproportionate burden on the two small 
businesses that had engaged in repackaging.
    Changing the definition of eggs of current production to eggs that 
were laid 21 or less days prior to packing is also not estimated to 
have a significant impact on the 14 official plants currently 
classified as small businesses. As noted above, even if 5 percent of 
shell eggs had to be diverted to non-shielded cartons, it would result 
in a relatively small loss in revenue on a percentage basis. Again, 
this would not be an undue or disproportionate burden on the two small 
businesses.

Executive Order 12988

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil 
Justice Reform. It is not intended to have retroactive effect. This 
rule will not preempt any State or local laws, regulations, or 
policies, unless they present an irreconcilable conflict with this 
rule. There are no administrative procedures that must be exhausted 
prior to any judicial challenge to the provisions of this rule.

Executive Order 12898

    Pursuant to Executive Order 12898, ``Federal Actions to Address 
Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low Income 
Populations,'' AMS has considered the potential civil rights 
implications of this rule on minorities, women, or persons with 
disabilities to ensure that no person or group shall be discriminated 
against on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, 
age, disability, or marital or familial status. This includes those 
persons who are employees, program beneficiaries, or applicants for 
employment or program benefits in the voluntary shell egg grading 
program. Adoption of the rule would not require official plants to 
relocate or alter their operations in ways that could adversely affect 
such persons or groups. Nor would it exclude any persons or groups from 
participation in the voluntary shell egg grading program, deny any 
persons or groups the benefits of the grading program, or subject any 
persons or groups to discrimination.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved 
the information collection and recordkeeping requirements included in 
this rule, and there are no new requirements. The assigned OMB control 
number is 0581-0128.
    AMS is committed to compliance with the GPEA, which require 
Government agencies in general to provide the public the option of 
submitting information or transacting business electronically to the 
maximum extent possible.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 56

    Eggs and egg products, Food grades and standards, Food labeling, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.


0
For reasons set forth in the preamble, Title 7, Code of Federal 
Regulations, part 56 is amended as follows:

PART 56--VOLUNTARY GRADING OF SHELL EGGS

0
1. The authority citation for part 56 continues to read as follows:

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


0
2. Amend Sec.  56.1 by revising the term Eggs of current production and 
adding a definition for the term Shipped for retail sale to read as 
follows:


Sec.  56.1  Meaning of words and terms defined.

* * * * *
    Eggs of current production means shell eggs that are no more than 
21 days old.
* * * * *
    Shipped for retail sale means shell eggs that are forwarded from 
the processing facility for distribution to the ultimate consumer.
* * * * *

0
3. Amend Sec.  56.40 by revising paragraph (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  56.40  Grading requirements of shell eggs identified with 
consumer grademarks.

* * * * *
    (c) In order to be officially identified with a USDA consumer 
grademark, shell eggs shall:
    (1) Be eggs of current production;
    (2) Not possess any undesirable odors or flavors; and
    (3) Not have previously been shipped for retail sale.

    Dated: April 13, 2006.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 06-3693 Filed 4-18-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P