[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53875-53879]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22117]


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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. 76, No. 168 / Tuesday, August 30, 2011 / 
Notices  

[[Page 53875]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. Number FV-09-0043]


United States Standards for Grades of Cultivated Ginseng

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA), is soliciting comments on the proposed voluntary 
United States Standards for Grades of Cultivated Ginseng. AMS received 
a request from the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin (GBW), to amend the 
standards to reflect current market values. To ensure the integrity of 
the standards, the proposed revisions would be based on quality and 
percentage defects. The new grades would replace the current ones and 
promote the orderly and efficient marketing of ginseng in an evolving 
global economy. Other changes would include adding tolerances, 
reclassifying sizes, removing table ``values,'' and amending 
definitions. These revisions are needed to determine and complement the 
new grades.

DATES: Comments must be received by September 29, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
the Standardization Branch, Fresh Products Division, Fruit and 
Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, National Training and Development Center, Riverside 
Business Park, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, VA 
22406: Fax (540) 361-1199, or on the Web at: http://www.regulation.gvo. 
Comments should make reference to the dates and page number of this 
issue of the Federal Register and will be made available for public 
inspection in the above office during regular business hours. Comments 
can also be viewed on the http://www.regulations.gov Web site. The 
current United States Standards for Cultivated Ginseng, along with the 
proposed changes, will be available either through the address cited 
above or by accessing the AMS, Fresh Products Division Web site at: 
http://www.ams.usda.gov/freshinspection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Carl Newell, at the above address 
or call (540) 361-1120.

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, and are available on the Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/freshinspection.
    AMS is proposing to revise the voluntary United States Standards 
for Grades of Cultivated Ginseng using procedures that appear in part 
36, Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).

Background

    AMS received a request from the GBW on June 8, 2009, to revise the 
United States Standards for Grades of Cultivated Ginseng. The GBW 
represents shippers, processors and all the cultivated ginseng growers 
in Wisconsin. The initial inquiry requested AMS to add ``unless 
otherwise specified'' to the size table to accommodate changing market 
values. AMS believed that by allowing any specified value would 
undermine the integrity of the standards. To resolve the issue, AMS met 
with members of the GBW to revise the standards and develop new grades 
based solely on quality and percentage defects. The proposal would 
remove the current grades and replace them with seven new grades: U.S. 
No. 1 through U.S. No. 7, including tolerances for each grade. Further, 
the following size classifications would be created: Premium, Select, 
and Standard. In addition, the ``values'' would be removed from the 
size table in Sec.  .1330.
    Other revisions would include redefining ``Wrinkle'' as 
``Texture,'' removing ``similar varietal characteristics,'' adding a 
definition for ``Length,'' and rewriting most of the definitions. The 
grade determination section would also be amended to reflect new 
calculations without ``values.'' Further, an illustrated ginseng root 
would be included at the end of the standards.
    The revisions are such that the section numbers in the proposed 
standards do not match the section numbers in the current standards. In 
an effort to clearly outline these proposed changes, the first column 
of the following chart shows the section as it currently reads. The 
second column shows the proposed change and the third column states why 
the change is being proposed.

[[Page 53876]]



                                  United States Standards of Cultivated Ginseng
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Current Standard                          Proposed                             Discussion
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1325 General.                 Sec.   .1325 General.                 The information reported in the
The standards apply to cultivated     The standards apply to cultivated      current General Section would best
 ginseng of similar characteristics,   ginseng, such as American ginseng     be given in the Grade Section. The
 which is clean, well cured, free      (Panax quinquefolius) and Asian       proposed General Section would
 from external and internal defects,   ginseng (Panax ginseng). Ginseng      provide an introduction to what
 mold, rust and decay. The origin of   that grows wild or naturally,         type of ginseng is covered under
 the ginseng, color and/or wrinkle     rather than being planted and         the standards.
 may be specified with the grade.      cultivated domestically or
                                       commercially, is not covered under
                                       these standards.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1326 U.S. Premium.            Sec.   .1326 Grades.                  The current grades are partially
``U.S. Premium'' consists of ginseng  All grades, U.S. No. 1 through U.S.    based on market values. Changing
 which has a graded value of 90 or     No. 7, consists of ginseng which      market values have caused the
 more.                                 are of one root type, clean and       standards to become noncompetitive
                                       well cured; which are free from       in the global market. New grades
                                       external and internal defects,        would be based solely on quality
                                       mold, and decay. The color and        and percentage of defects.
                                       texture of the ginseng shall be
                                       specified with the grade; whereas,
                                       the origin may be specified with
                                       the grade.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1327 U.S. Select.             Sec.   .1327 Tolerances.              The current grades have values
``U.S. Select'' consists of ginseng   In order to allow for variations       assigned to them, originally based
 which has a graded value of 75 to     incident to proper grading and        on market values. The values would
 98.                                   handling in each of the foregoing     be removed and replaced with grades
Sec.   .1328 U.S. Medium.              grades, the following tolerances,     determined by percentage of
``U.S. Medium'' consists of ginseng    by weight, reported to the nearest    defects. The tolerance section
 which has a graded value of 60 to     tenth of a percent, are provided as   would be added to define the
 74.                                   specified:                            percentage of defects allowed in
Sec.   .1329 U.S. Standard.           (a) U.S. No. 1. 1 percent allowed      each grade.
``U.S. Standard'' consists of          for defects.
 ginseng which has a graded value of  (b) U.S. No. 2. More than 1 but not
 0 to 59.                              more than 5 percent allowed for
                                       defects.
                                      (c) U.S. No. 3. More than 5 but not
                                       more than 10 percent allowed for
                                       defects.
                                      (d) U.S. No. 4. More than 10 but not
                                       more than 25 percent allowed for
                                       defects.
                                      (e) U.S. No. 5. More than 25 but not
                                       more than 50 percent allowed for
                                       defects.
                                      (f) U.S. No. 6. More than 50 but not
                                       more than 75 percent allowed for
                                       defects.
                                      (g) U.S. No. 7. More than 75 percent
                                       allowed for defects.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1330 Size.                    Sec.   .1328 Size Classifications.    In the proposed standards, the terms
Size is a factor in determining the   Size shall be determined in inches     ``Premium,'' ``Select,'' and
 grade. Size shall be in inches and    and fractions thereof, in diameter    ``Standard'' would no longer be
 fractions thereof, in minimum         and length for the following Whole    grades but become size
 diameter, maximum diameter, minimum   Root Size Categories listed in        classifications reported in
 length, maximum length in the         Table I.                              connection with the grade. The term
 following categories:                [Table I--Whole Root Size              ``Medium'' would be dropped since
[table]                                Categories]                           it may be confused with medium
                                      The following Size Classifications     sized roots defined in Table I. The
                                       shall be reported in connection       industry agreed that each grade
                                       with the grade:                       would be qualified by a size
                                      (a) ``Premium'' is a lot consisting    category. The size categories would
                                       of more than 50 percent short         provide a more accurate description
                                       ginseng of any category.              of the lot.
                                      (b) ``Select'' is a lot consisting    The proposed ``Table I--Whole Root
                                       of more than 70 percent short and     Categories,'' replacing the
                                       medium ginseng of any category.       original table, would remove the
                                      (c) ``Standard'' is a lot consisting   ``Value'' column, ``Fiber/Prong''
                                       of more than 80 percent short,        row, and the ``Culls/Foreign
                                       medium, and long ginseng of any       Material'' row. The ``Value''
                                       category.                             column would be removed since the
                                                                             grades would no longer be based on
                                                                             values. The ``Fiber/Prong'' and
                                                                             ``Culls/Foreign Material'' rows
                                                                             would be removed since they were
                                                                             only defined by values and not by
                                                                             diameter or length. Also, ``Long''
                                                                             would replace ``Large'' printed in
                                                                             error under ``Small'' ``Length
                                                                             (inches)'' in Table I.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 53877]]

 
Sec.   .1331 External Color.          Sec.   .1329 External Color.          Except for the section number and
(a) ``Light'' means the color         ``Color'' shall be applied to the      first line, this section would
 closest to ``Light'' on Visual Aid    lot as a whole using the following    remain the same. The first line
 GIN. CC-1.                            terms:                                would be added to clarify that
(b) ``Light Medium'' means the color  (a) ``Light'' means the color          color is applied to the lot as a
 closest to ``Light Medium'' on        closest to ``Light'' on Visual Aid    whole and not to individual roots.
 Visual Aid GIN. CC-1.                 GIN. CC-1.
(c) ``Medium'' means the color        (b) ``Light Medium'' means the color
 closest to ``Medium'' on Visual Aid   closest to ``Light Medium'' on
 GIN. CC-1.                            Visual Aid GIN. CC-1.
(d) ``Dark Medium'' means the color   (c) ``Medium'' means the color
 closest to ``Dark Medium'' on         closest to ``Medium'' on Visual Aid
 Visual Aid GIN. CC-1.                 GIN. CC-1.
(e) ``Dark'' means the color closest  (d) ``Dark Medium'' means the color
 to ``Dark'' on Visual Aid GIN. CC-    closest to ``Dark Medium'' on
 1.                                    Visual Aid GIN. CC-1.
                                      (e) ``Dark'' means the color closest
                                       to ``Dark'' on Visual Aid GIN. CC-
                                       1.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1332 Wrinkle.                 Sec.   .1330 Texture.                 Except for the section number,
(a) ``Smooth'' means the surface      ``Texture'' shall be applied to the    title, and first line, this section
 texture closest to ``Smooth'' on      lot as a whole using the following    would remain unchanged. The first
 Visual Aid GIN. IDENT-1.              terms:                                line would be added to clarify that
(b) ``Slight Wrinkle'' means surface  (a) ``Smooth'' means the surface       texture would be applied to the lot
 texture closest to ``Slight           texture closest to ``Smooth'' on      as a whole and not to the
 Wrinkle'' on Visual Aid GIN. IDENT-   Visual Aid GIN. IDENT-1.              individual root. In addition, the
 1.                                   (b) ``Slight Wrinkle'' means surface   title would be changed to
(c) ``Wrinkle'' means surface          texture closest to ``Slight           ``Texture'' to remove any confusion
 texture closest to ``Wrinkle'' on     Wrinkle'' on Visual Aid GIN. IDENT-   between the section and the term
 Visual Aid GIN. IDENT-1.              1.                                    ``wrinkle'' used in the
                                      (c) ``Wrinkle'' means surface          definitions.
                                       texture closest to ``Wrinkle'' on
                                       Visual Aid GIN. IDENT-1.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1533 Sample and Sample Size.  Sec.   .1331 Sample and Sample Size.  Except for the section number, this
* * * * *                             * * * * *                              section would remain unchanged.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1334 Grade Determination.     Sec.   .1332 Size Classification      The procedure for inspecting ginseng
(a) Whole Root Score. Separate and/    Determination. Separate whole roots   would remain unchanged. However,
 or break prongs and fiber from        from culls and foreign material,      the formula for determining the
 whole roots, weigh and record.        weigh and record. Clip or break off   grade would be different since the
 Separate and weigh the culls and      prongs and rootlets from whole        grade would not be based on values.
 foreign material. Sort the balance    roots, weigh and record. Sort whole   Size would be determined first,
 of the sample into whole root size    roots into size categories (See       followed by inspecting the ginseng
 categories (See Sec.   51.1330) and   Sec.   51.1327) by first separating   for defects. Culls and foreign
 weigh each category. Determine the    whole roots into diameter             material would be excluded from the
 score for each category by dividing   categories (Small, Medium, Large,     determination of size, whereas
 the category value by 450 (if         Extra Large). Further separate        prongs and rootlets would be
 grams) or 16 (if ounces) and          diameter categories into length       included. Prongs and rootlets would
 multiply the result by the weight     categories (Short, Medium, Long),     be excluded from the determination
 of the category. Add the scores for   weigh and record. Divide by the       of grade, whereas culls and foreign
 all the categories to determine the   total weight of the sample minus      material would be included.
 Whole Root Score.                     the culls and foreign material to
(b) Deductions. Weigh the External     calculate the percentage of each
 and Internal Defects and determine    length category. Add together the
 each percentage of the sample.        length category percentages using
 Divide the External Defects           the size classification definitions
 percentage by 2 (i.e., 6% would be    (See Sec.   51.1327 a, b, and c).
 recorded as 3) to determine the       Example: 19% Small Short, 23%
 External Defects deduction. The       Medium Short, and 10% Large Short
 Internal Defects percentage is        totals 52%, making a Premium size
 equal to the Internal Defects         lot.
 deduction. Add the External and      Sec.   .1332 Grade Determination.
 Internal Defects deductions to       Weigh and record the external and
 determine the Total Root              internal defects and divide each by
 Deductions.                           the total weight of the sample
(c) Graded Value. Subtract the Total   minus the prongs and rootlets to
 Root Deductions from 100 and          calculate the external defect
 multiply the results by the Whole     percentage and internal defect
 Root Score to determine the Graded    percentage. Divide the external
 Value. Locate the Graded Value in     defect percentage by 2 (i.e., 6%
 Sec.   51.1326 to 51.1328 to assign   would be recorded as 3%) to
 the grade.                            determine the External Defect
                                       Deduction. The internal deduction
                                       percentage is equal to the Internal
                                       Defects Deduction. Add the External
                                       and Internal Defects Deductions to
                                       calculate the Total Defect
                                       Percentage. The Total Defect
                                       Percentage will determine the grade
                                       of the lot (See Sec.   51.1326).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1335 Similar varietal         ....................................  This definition would be removed,
 characteristics.                                                            since it would not be a requirement
``Similar varietal characteristics''                                         of the grade. Inspectors would not
 means the ginseng is the same                                               be required to distinguish the
 variety and color.                                                          subtle differences between
                                                                             varieties. In addition, color would
                                                                             be applied to the lot, not on
                                                                             individual roots.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 53878]]

 
Sec.   .1336 Clean.                   Sec.   .1334 Clean.                   Except for the section number, this
* * * * *                             * * * * *                              definition would remain unchanged.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1337 Well cured.              Sec.   .1335 Well cured.              Except for the section number, this
* * * * *                             * * * * *                              definition would remain unchanged.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1338 Prong.                   Sec.   .1336 Prong.                   The definition would be further
``Prong'' means a root or portion of  ``Prong'' means a root or portion of   qualified, so as not to confuse a
 a root growing off the main root.     a root growing off the main root. A   prong with a whole root.
                                       prong cannot exceed more than one
                                       half the diameter of the main root.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1339 Whole root.              Sec.   .1337 Whole root.              This definition would be slightly
``Whole root'' means the main root    ``Whole root'' means the main root     modified to remove any confusion
 or upper portion of the main root,    or upper portion of the main root,    between a prong and a whole root.
 and may or may not have prongs and/   including any portion growing off
 or fibers attached. Whole roots       the main root that is too large to
 must have a tapered top or crown.     be a prong. Whole roots must have a
                                       tapered top or crown.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1340 Fiber.                   Sec.   .1338 Rootlet.                 The term ``fiber'' has caused
``Fiber'' means small roots less      ``Rootlet'' means small slender        confusion. Therefore, ``Rootlet''
 than \1/8\ inch in diameter.          roots less than \1/8\ inch in         will be substituted for the term
                                       diameter.                             fiber to prevent further
                                                                             misidentification.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1341 Diameter.                Sec.   .1339 Diameter.                This definition would be slightly
``Diameter'' means the greatest       ``Diameter'' means the greatest        reworded for clarification.
 dimension at right angles to a line   dimension at right angles to a line
 from the root crown or the point of   from the top of the whole root to
 attachment of the prong to the tip.   the tip. Diameter shall not be
 Diameter shall be the greatest        measured at the point of attachment
 dimension, but not at the point of    of a prong or the area where a
 attachment of the prong.              prong was removed.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Sec.   .1340 Length.                  A definition for length is proposed.
                                      ``Length'' means the greatest          Length would be measured in a
                                       dimension of the whole root           straight line and would not follow
                                       measured in a straight line           the curve of the root.
                                       parallel to the longitudinal axis
                                       from the top of the whole root to
                                       the tip, not including any portion
                                       of the crown or rootlet, if
                                       present.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1342 Defects.                 Sec.   .1341 Defects.                 Rust would be removed from the
``Defects'' means any mechanical,     ``Defects'' means any mechanical,      definition since it is the same as
 pathological and/or physiological     pathological and/or physiological     discoloration. Further, at
 defect consisting of cuts, external   defect consisting of cuts, external   industry's request, a definition
 discoloration, internal green or      discoloration, internal green or      for an area left by clipped or
 red discoloration, insect, mold,      red discoloration, insect, mold,      removed prongs would be added.
 scab or other means that affect the   scab, or other means that affect
 appearance or marketing quality.      the appearance or marketing quality
                                       of the whole root. In addition,
                                       when the cut area left by a clipped
                                       or removed prong exceeds one half
                                       of the diameter of the root, it
                                       shall be a defect.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1343 Cull.                    Sec.   .1342 Cull.                    This definition would define
``Cull'' means any unusable portion.  ``Cull'' means more than 50 percent    ``unusable portion'' to provide a
                                       of the whole root is unusable.        clearer guide as to what is a cull.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec.   .1344 Origin.                  Sec.   .1343 Origin.                  Except for the section number, this
* * * * *                             * * * * *                              definition remains unchanged.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Sec.   .1344 [Reserved]               This section would be reserved if
                                                                             needed at a later time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      Illustration Ginseng 1                An illustration of a ginseng root
                                                                             would be added at the end of the
                                                                             standards, which defines the parts
                                                                             of the root, what should be
                                                                             clipped, and the correct
                                                                             determination for length and
                                                                             diameter.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The proposed revisions will benefit the industry by allowing the 
marketing of ginseng in the U.S. to be competitive in a changing and 
demanding global market. A 30-day period is provided for interested 
persons to comment. This period is deemed appropriate in order to 
implement these changes, if adopted, as soon as possible to reflect 
current marketing practices.

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


[[Page 53879]]


    Dated: August 19, 2011.
David R. Shipman,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-22117 Filed 8-29-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P