[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 22, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 39658-39659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17642]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 52

[Document Number AMS-FV-08-0076; SC-17-330]


United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final notification.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is establishing voluntary United States Standards 
for Grades of Frozen Onions. The grade standards provide a common 
language for trade, a means of measuring value in the marketing of 
frozen onions, and guidance on the effective use of frozen onions.

DATES: Effective Date: September 21, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Brian E. Griffin, Agricultural 
Marketing Specialist, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Specialty 
Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 1536, South Building; 
STOP 0240, Washington, DC 20250; telephone (202) 720-5021; fax (202) 
690-1527; or, email [email protected]. Copies of the new U.S. 
Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions are available at http://www.regulations.gov or http://www.ams.usda.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946 (Act) (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 grade standards available upon request. The United States 
Standards for Grades of Fruits and Vegetables unrelated to Federal 
Marketing Orders or U.S. Import Requirements no longer appear in the 
Code of Federal Regulations, but are maintained by USDA, AMS, Specialty 
Crops Program, and are available at https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards.
    AMS is establishing the U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions 
using the procedures in part 36, Title 7 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
    Background: The American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) petitioned 
AMS to develop new grade standards for frozen onions. AFFI is a 
national trade association representing the interests of U.S. frozen 
food processors and their suppliers in all frozen food sectors, 
including processors and packers of frozen onions. AFFI's more than 500 
member companies represent approximately 90 percent of all frozen food 
processed annually in the United States. The AFFI petition provided 
information on product styles, sample sizes, and a product description 
for use in the grade standards.
    AMS asked the petitioner for various styles of samples in order to 
determine grades of frozen onions. AMS distributed several discussion 
drafts of proposed standards to AFFI, instituted changes to the drafts 
once agreement was reached, then published several Federal Register 
documents in order to receive comments from all interested parties (see 
66 FR 21116, 68 FR 11801, 68 FR 27010, 76 FR 31575, 81 FR 84506, and 82 
FR 12424).

Comments

    In the most recent comments published November 23, 2016, in 81 FR 
84506, and extended comment period published March 3, 2017, in 82 FR 
12424, AMS received 19 comments. All comments received were from the 
general public. Three commenters stated they did not feel there was a 
need for Government grades of frozen onions. AMS developed the proposed 
U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions at the request of, and in 
cooperation with, the frozen food industry. The U.S.

[[Page 39659]]

Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions are voluntary standards for 
grades of quality and condition, and are not Government mandated for 
general use. The remaining 16 comments received were in agreement with 
the proposed standard. Comments may be viewed at www.regulations.gov.
    These standards establish the grade levels ``A,'' ``B,'' and 
``Substandard,'' as well as Acceptable Quality Levels (AQL) tolerances 
and acceptance numbers for each quality factor as defined for each 
grade level.
    AMS used the standard format for U.S. standards for grades using 
``individual attributes.'' Specifically, the grade standards provide 
tolerance limits for defects; acceptance numbers of allowable defects 
with single letter grade designation based on a specified number or 
weight of sample units; a product description for frozen onions; and, 
style designations for ``whole,'' ``strips,'' ``diced,'' and ``other'' 
styles. The standard also defines quality factors, AQLs, and tolerances 
for defects in frozen onions, and determines sample unit sizes for this 
commodity. The grade of a sample unit of frozen onions will be 
ascertained considering the factors of varietal characteristics, color, 
flavor and odor, appearance, absence of grit or dirt, defects, and 
character.
    The official grade of a lot of frozen onions covered by these 
standards will be determined by the procedures set forth in the 
Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Processed 
Products Thereof, and Certain Other Processed Food Products (7 CFR part 
52 through 52.83).
    The new U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Onions provide a common 
language for trade and reflect the current marketing of frozen onions. 
The standards will be effective 30 days after the date of publication 
in the Federal Register.

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

    Dated: August 16, 2017.
Bruce Summers,
Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-17642 Filed 8-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-02-P