[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 163 (Thursday, August 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52131-52132]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20480]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. Number AMS-FV-13-0018]


United States Standards for Grades of Creole Onions

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 52132]]

SUMMARY: This Notice would revise the United States Standards for 
Grades of Creole Onions, which were issued under the Agricultural 
Marketing Act of 1946. The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is 
proposing to amend the similar varietal characteristic requirement to 
allow mixed colors of onions when designated as a mixed or specialty 
pack. In addition, AMS would correct language and remove the 
``Unclassified'' category from the standards. This revision would 
update the standards to more accurately represent today's marketing 
practices and to provide the industry with greater flexibility.

DATES: Comments must be received by October 21, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
the Standardization Branch, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Fruit 
and Vegetable Program, 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: www.regulation.gov. 
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 as submitted, including any personal information you 
provide, on the www.regulations.gov Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Horner, Standardization Branch, 
Specialty Crops Inspection Division, (540) 361-1128. The current United 
States Standards for Grades of Creole Onions are available through the 
Specialty Crops Inspection Division Web site at www.ams.usda.gov/scihome.

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 
Program, and are available on the internet at www.ams.usda.gov/scihome.
    AMS is revising the voluntary United States Standards for Grades of 
Creole Onions using the procedures that appear in Part 36, Title 7 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).

Background and Proposed Notice

    AMS has observed that the industry is packing mixed colors of 
onions, primarily in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Texas. Currently, 
the Creole onion standards do not permit mixing white onions with 
yellow to brownish red onions in the same pack. The proposed revision 
will provide the flexibility for shippers and packers to do so. AMS 
believes that permitting mixed colors when designated as a specialty or 
mixed pack will facilitate the marketing of onions by aligning the 
standards with current marketing practices. Therefore, AMS proposes to 
amend the similar varietal characteristic requirement in the U.S. No. 1 
and U.S. No. 2 sections of the standards by adding ``except color when 
designated as a specialty or mixed pack.'' The U.S. Combination grade 
section also would be affected by this change.
    In addition, AMS would eliminate the ``Unclassified'' section. AMS 
is removing this section in standards, for all commodities, as 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.
    Furthermore, AMS would replace the capital ``S'' with a small ``s'' 
on the word ``Seedstems'' found in the U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2 
sections of the standards. The word ``seedstems'' was inadvertently 
capitalized when the Creole onion standards were reformatted.
    AMS believes the proposed revisions will benefit the industry by 
allowing onion marketing to be more competitive in an evolving U.S. 
economy. This notice provides for a 60 day comment period for 
interested parties to comment on the proposed revisions in the 
standards.

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

    Dated: August 16, 2013.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-20480 Filed 8-21-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P