[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 92 (Monday, May 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22305-22306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-09720]


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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. 82, No. 92 / Monday, May 15, 2017 / Notices  

[[Page 22305]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


United States Standards for Lentils

AGENCY: Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for public comment.

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

SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Grain 
Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) is proposing 
a revision to the United States Standards for Lentils to (1) establish 
an additional grading factor, definition, grade requirements, and 
visual reference images for ``wrinkled lentils,'' and (2) establish a 
special grade, definition, special grade requirements, designation, and 
visual reference images for ``green lentils.'' These revisions are 
being proposed at the request of the lentil industry. GIPSA believes 
that this proposed revision of the United States Standards for Lentils 
would improve the application of the standards and facilitate the 
marketing of lentils.

DATES: GIPSA will consider comments received by June 14, 2017.

ADDRESSES: GIPSA invites all interested parties to submit comments on 
this Notice. You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Mail: M. Irene Omade, GIPSA, USDA, 1400 Independence 
Avenue SW., Room 2530-S, Washington, DC 20250-3613.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: M. Irene Omade, GIPSA, USDA, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 2530-S, Washington, DC 20250-3613.
     Internet: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line 
instructions for submitting comments.
    Instructions: All comments should make reference to the date and 
page number of this issue of the Federal Register. All documents and 
comments relating to this Notice are available for public inspection in 
Room 2530-S, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-3613 
during regular business hours (7 CFR 1.27(b)). All comments received 
will be included in the public docket without change, including any 
personal information provided. Please call the GIPSA Management and 
Budget Services support staff (202) 720-8479 for an appointment to view 
the comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly A. Whalen at GIPSA, USDA, 
10383 N. Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, MO 64153; Telephone: (816) 659-
8410; Fax: (816) 872-1258; [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946, as amended, (AMA), 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.'' GIPSA is committed to carrying out this 
authority in a manner that facilitates the marketing of agricultural 
commodities.
    Under the AMA, GIPSA establishes standards for graded commodities 
including rice, whole dry peas, split peas, feed peas, lentils, and 
beans. The AMA standards are voluntary and widely used in private 
contracts, government procurement, marketing communication, and/or 
consumer information. The standards serve as a common trading language 
to define commodity quality in the domestic and global marketplace.

Background

    GIPSA engages in regular outreach with stakeholders to ensure 
commodity standards maintain relevance with the modern market. Lentil 
industry stakeholders include the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council 
(USADPLC), a national organization of producers, processors, and 
exporters of U.S. dry peas, lentils, and chickpeas; the US Dry Pea and 
Lentil Trade Association (USPLTA), a national association representing 
processors, traders, and transporters in the pea, lentil and chickpea 
industry; and, other handlers and merchandisers.
    The United States Standards for Lentils are found on GIPSA's Web 
site at https://www.gipsa.usda.gov/fgis/standards/lentils.pdf. USADPLC 
and USPLTA reviewed the U.S. Standards for Lentils, which were last 
revised in 2008. The review resulted in those stakeholders jointly 
recommending that GIPSA revise the standards based on changing market 
trends. Specifically, these groups asked GIPSA to (1) establish a new 
grading factor of ``wrinkled lentils,'' and (2) establish a new special 
grade of ``green lentils.''
    GIPSA provides official inspection procedures for lentils in the 
Pea and Lentil Handbook, which is available on the GIPSA's public Web 
site at https://www.gipsa.usda.gov/fgis/handbook/PeaLentilHB/PeaLentil_2016-07-11.pdf.

Establishment of Grading Factor ``Wrinkled Lentils''

    USADPLC and USPLTA reported on a trend of an increasing percentage 
of fully developed lentils that possess a wrinkled seed coat. These 
lentils do not meet the definition for immature lentils. Under the 
current U.S. Standards for Lentils, these lentils would grade U.S. #1; 
however, the wrinkled appearance is considered undesirable. The 
stakeholders jointly recommended that GIPSA establish a new grade 
determining factor ``wrinkled lentil,'' and also recommended factor 
limits for grades No's. 1, 2, and 3. GIPSA and these stakeholders 
collaborated to develop a visual reference image that best reflects the 
``wrinkled lentil'' condition. Stakeholders endorsed the following 
definition:
    Wrinkled lentils are sound lentils that are substantially wrinkled 
on at least 50 percent of one side.
    The revised table of grade and grade requirements for dockage-free 
lentils would be as follows:

[[Page 22306]]



                           607 Grades and Grade Requirements for Dockage-Free Lentils
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Grades U.S. Nos.
                         Grading factors                         -----------------------------------------------
                                                                         1               2               3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Defective Lentils
    Total \1\...................................................             2.0             3.5             5.0
    Weevil-Damaged Lentils......................................             0.3             0.8             0.8
    Heat-Damaged Lentils........................................             0.2             0.5             1.0
Foreign Material
    Total \2\...................................................             0.2             0.5             0.5
    Stones......................................................             0.1             0.2             0.2
Skinned Lentils.................................................             4.0             7.0            10.0
Wrinkled Lentils \3\............................................             5.0            10.0           >10.0
Contrasting Lentils \4\.........................................             2.0             4.0            >4.0
Inconspicuous Admixture.........................................             0.5             0.8             1.0
Minimum Requirements for Color..................................            Good            Fair            Poor
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Sample grade lentils:
(a) Do not meet the requirements for the grades U.S. Nos. 1, 2, or 3; or
(b) Contain more than 14.0 percent moisture, live weevils, or other live insects, metal fragments, broken glass,
 or a commercially objectionable odor; or
(c) Are materially weathered, heating, or distinctly low quality.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Defective lentils total is weevil-damaged, heat-damaged, damaged, and split lentils combined.
\2\ Foreign material total includes stones.
\3\ Lentils with more than 10.0 percent wrinkled lentils must grade no higher than U.S. No. 3.
\4\ Lentils with more than 4.0 percent contrasting lentils must grade no higher than U.S. No. 3.

Establishment of Special Grade ``Green Lentils''

    The USPLTA Grades Committee members recommended that GIPSA 
establish a special grade, ``green lentils.'' Lentil stakeholders 
concurred on the need for a special grade to distinguish a desirable 
aesthetic feature. GIPSA and these stakeholders collaborated to develop 
a visual reference image that best reflects the ``green lentils'' 
condition. Stakeholder endorsed the following definition:
    Green lentils are clear seeded (non-mottled) and possess a natural, 
uniformly green color.

Proposed GIPSA Action

    Based on input from stakeholder organizations in the lentil 
industry that concurred on the need for revisions to the United States 
Standards for Lentils, GIPSA proposes to revise the lentil standards to 
(1) establish a new grade determining factor, definition, factor 
limits, and visual reference image for ``wrinkled lentils,'' and (2) 
establish a special grade, definition, designation, and visual 
reference image for ``green lentils.'' Accordingly, GIPSA proposes the 
following revisions:
    Section 601, Definitions, would be amended to include the 
definition of ``Wrinkled lentils.''
    Section 607, Grades and grade requirements for dockage-free 
lentils, would be amended to include grade limits for ``Wrinkled 
lentils.''
    Section 609, Special grades and requirements, would be amended to 
include the definition of ``Green lentils.''
    GIPSA will solicit comments for 30 days. All comments received 
within the comment period will be made part of the public record 
maintained by GIPSA, will be available to the public for review, and 
will be considered by GIPSA before final action is taken on the 
proposal.
    The Pea and Lentil Handbook would be revised to incorporate any 
revision to the standards.

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

Randall D. Jones,
Acting Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-09720 Filed 5-12-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-KD-P