[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60955-60956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21434]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 189 / Tuesday, September 29, 2020 /
Notices
[[Page 60955]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc No. AMS-FGIS-20-0067]
United States Standards for Split Peas
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA
ACTION: Notice and request for comments
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing a revision to the
method of interpretation for determining ``whole peas,'' in the Pea and
Lentil Inspection Handbook, as it pertains to the class ``Split Peas,''
in the U.S. Standards for Split Peas under the United States
Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA). Stakeholders in the pea processing/
handling industry requested AMS to amend the interpretation of whole
peas in the Split Pea inspection instructions by increasing the percent
requirement for the factor whole peas. To ensure that the Split Pea
class standard remains relevant, AMS invites interested parties to
comment on whether revising the inspection instruction facilitates the
marketing of Split Peas. This action does not revise or amend the Grade
and Grade Requirements for the class Split Peas in the U.S. Standard
for Split Peas.
DATES: We will consider comments we receive by October 29, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments or notice of intent to submit comments by
any of the following methods:
To submit Comments: Go to Regulations.gov (http://www.regulations.gov). Instructions for submitting and reading comments
are detailed on the site. Interested persons are invited to submit
written comments concerning this notice. All comments must be submitted
through the Federal e-rulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov
and should reference the document number and the date and page number
of this issue of the Federal Register. All comments submitted in
response to this notice will be included in the record and will be made
available to the public. Please be advised that the identity of the
individuals or entities submitting comments will be made public on the
internet at the address provided above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Loren Almond, USDA AMS; Telephone:
(816) 891-0422; Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the AMA (7 U.S.C.
1621-1627), as amended, AMS establishes and maintains a variety of
quality and grade standards for agricultural commodities that serve as
a fundamental starting point to define commodity quality in the
domestic and global marketplace. Standards developed under the AMA
include those for rice, whole dry peas, split peas, feed peas, lentils,
and beans. The U.S. standards for whole dry peas, split peas, feed
peas, lentils and beans no longer appear in the Code of Federal
Regulations but are now maintained by USDA-AMS-Federal Grain Inspection
Service. The U.S. standards for split peas are voluntary and widely
used in private contracts, government procurement, marketing
communication, and for some commodities, consumer information.
The split pea standards facilitate pea marketing and define U.S.
pea quality in the domestic and global marketplace. The standards
define commonly used industry terms; contain basic principles governing
the application of standards such as the type of sample used for a
particular quality analysis; the basis of determination; and specify
grades and grade requirements. Official procedures for determining
grading factors are provided in the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook.
Together, the grading standards and testing procedures allow buyers and
sellers to communicate quality requirements, compare pea quality using
equivalent forms of measurement, and assist in price discovery.
AMS engages in outreach with stakeholders to ensure commodity
standards maintain relevance to the modern market. Stakeholders,
including the U.S. Dry Pea and Lentil Council (USDPLC), requested AMS
to revise the split pea criteria for whole peas in the class Split
Peas. Whole Peas are dry peas which are not split. The current
definition of a ``whole pea'' is any pea which is 55 percent or more of
a whole pea. The current tolerances for whole peas in split peas are
determined on approximately 250 grams. AMS-FGIS proposes to revise the
split pea inspection criteria in the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook
by amending the definition for whole peas in the Split Pea class from
55 percent or more, to 60 percent or more.
Split Pea Tolerances for Whole Peas
Representatives of pea industry stakeholders contacted AMS-FGIS to
discuss ongoing issues with Split Peas, which grow predominately in
Montana and North Dakota. Stakeholders told AMS that customers are
looking for improved grading tools to measure the quality of products.
Further, pea stakeholders told AMS that in 2019 shipments of split peas
grading Number 1 at the processor subsequently graded less than Number
1, after packaging for Section 32/Food Distribution Programs.
Stakeholders stated the current whole pea factor tolerance makes
meeting contract specifications difficult due to the interpretation of
a whole pea. During meetings and discussions, pea stakeholders
communicated the need to revise the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook
by revising the whole pea definition.
The current tolerances for whole peas in split peas are determined
on a percent basis of 55 percent or more of a whole pea in 250 grams.
Pea industry stakeholders recommended the tolerance be increased to 60
percent or more of a whole pea. This would assist in moving the U.S.
Split Pea market towards fewer quality complaints and serve to ensure
consistent grading results across the nation. AMS views this action as
noncontroversial and anticipates no adverse public comment.
AMS grading and inspection services, provided through a network of
federal, state, and private laboratories, conduct tests to determine
the quality and condition of Split Peas. These tests are conducted in
accordance with applicable standards using approved methodologies and
can be applied at any point in the marketing chain. Furthermore, the
tests yield rapid, reliable, and consistent results. The U.S.
[[Page 60956]]
Standards for Split Peas and the affiliated grading and testing
services offered by AMS verify that a seller's Split Peas meet
specified requirements and ensure that customers receive the quality
purchased.
In order for U.S. standards and grading procedures for split peas
to remain relevant, AMS is issuing this request for information to
invite interested parties to submit comments on the proposal to amend
the whole pea interpretation for the class Split Peas. These changes do
not revise or amend the Grade and Grade Requirements for the class
Split Peas in the U.S. Standard for Split Peas.
Proposed AMS Action
Based on input from stakeholder organizations in the pea industry,
AMS proposes to amend the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook to revise
the definition of whole peas, by increasing the percent needed to
consider a split pea to be a whole pea from 55 percent or more to 60
percent or more.
AMS will solicit comments for 30 days. All comments received within
the comment period will be made part of the public record maintained by
AMS, will be available to the public for review, and will be considered
by AMS before a final action is taken on this proposal.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-21434 Filed 9-28-20; 8:45 am]
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