[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 129 (Friday, July 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31550-31551]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14308]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration


United States Standards for Lentils

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

ACTION: Final Notice.

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SUMMARY: This action is being taken under the authority of the 
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended, (AMA). The Department 
of Agriculture's (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 
Administration (GIPSA) is revising the United States Standards for 
Lentils to establish an additional grading factor, definition, grade 
requirements, and visual reference images for ``wrinkled lentils,'' and 
establish a special grade, definition, special grade requirements, 
designation, and visual reference images for ``green lentils.'' GIPSA 
believes these revisions will improve the application of standards and 
facilitate the marketing of lentils.

DATES: Effective Date: August 1, 2017.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the AMA (7 U.S.C. Sec.  
1622(c)), 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 and maintains 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 U.S. Dry Pea 
and Lentil Trade Association (USPLTA), a national association 
representing processors, traders, handlers and merchandisers, and 
transporters in the pea, lentil and chickpea industry; and, other 
handlers and merchandisers.
    The United States Standards for Lentils are available on GIPSA's 
public Web site at: https://www.gipsa.usda.gov/fgis/standards/lentils.pdf. USADPLC and USPLTA reviewed the United States 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 GIPSA's public Web site 
at: http://www.gipsa.usda.gov/Publications/fgis/handbooks/pealentil_insphb.html.

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 United States 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 the stakeholders worked 
collaboratively to develop a visual reference image that best reflects 
the ``wrinkled lentil'' condition. Additionally, stakeholders endorsed 
the following definition: Wrinkled lentils are sound lentils that are 
substantially wrinkled on at least 50 percent of one side.

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 the stakeholders worked collaboratively to 
develop a visual reference image that best reflects the ``green 
lentils'' condition. Additionally, stakeholders endorsed the following 
definition: Green lentils are clear seeded (non-mottled) and possess a 
natural, uniformly green color.

Comment Review

    GIPSA published a Notice in the Federal Register on May 15, 2017 
(82 FR 22305), inviting interested parties to comment on the proposed 
revisions to the United States Standards for Lentils. Two comments were 
received from industry associations, supporting the proposed revisions. 
No adverse comments were received. Accordingly, the lentil standards 
are being revised as proposed in the May 15, 2017, notice. GIPSA 
believes that these revisions will facilitate use of the standards and 
better reflect current marketing practices. The revisions to the 
standards become effective August 1, 2017, and the Pea and Lentil 
Handbook will be revised to incorporate the revisions to the standards.

Final Action

    GIPSA is revising the lentil standards to (1) establish a new 
grading 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, 
the following sections of the United States Standards for Lentils under 
the AMA are amended: Section 601, Definitions, is amended to include 
the following definition: Wrinkled lentils are sound lentils that are 
substantially wrinkled on at least 50% of one side. Section 607, Grades 
and grade requirements for dockage-free lentils, is amended as follows:

[[Page 31551]]



                           607 Grades and Grade Requirements for Dockage-Free Lentils
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                                                                                 Grades U.S. Nos.
                         Grading factors                         -----------------------------------------------
                                                                         1               2               3
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  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
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U.S. Sample grade are lentils that:
(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.
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\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 shall grade no higher than U.S. No. 3.
\4\ Lentils with more than 4.0 percent contrasting lentils shall grade no higher than U.S. No. 3.

    Section 609, Special grades and requirements, is amended to include 
the following definition:
    Green lentils are clear seeded (non-mottled) lentils possessing a 
natural, uniformly green color.

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

Randall D. Jones,
Acting Administrator, Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2017-14308 Filed 7-6-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-KD-P