[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60956-60957]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21435]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc No. AMS-FGIS-20-0066]


United States Standards for Lentils

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 the determining the special grade 
``Green,'' in the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook, as it pertains to 
the class ``Lentils,'' in the U.S. Standards for Lentils under the 
United States Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA). Stakeholders in the 
lentil processing/handling industry requested AMS to amend the 
definition of the special grade ``Green'' to allow for the inclusion of 
mottled lentils. To ensure that the Lentil standards remain relevant, 
AMS invites interested parties to comment on whether revising the 
inspection instructions facilitate the marketing of Lentils. This 
action will revise or amend the Grade and Grade Requirements for 
Lentils in the U.S. Standard for Lentils.

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 lentils are voluntary and 
widely used in private contracts, government procurement, marketing 
communication, and for some commodities, consumer information. The 
lentil standards were last revised in 2017 (82 FR 31550).
    The lentil standards facilitate lentil marketing and define U.S. 
lentil 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 lentil 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 lentil criteria for the special grade ``Green'' in the 
class Lentils. Currently, Green Lentils are clear seeded (Non-Mottled) 
lentils possessing a natural, uniformly green color. This criteria for 
``Green'' Lentils is determined on the sample as a whole, after the 
removal of dockage, but before the removal of defects and must be equal 
to or better than the depiction on the Interpretive Line Print (ILP) to 
quality for the special grade ``Green Lentils''. AMS-FGIS proposes to 
revise the lentil inspection criteria in the U.S. Standards for Lentils 
and the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook by amending the definition 
and criteria requirements for ``Green'' in lentils.

Special Grade ``Green'' Criteria in Lentils

    When special grade ``Green'' was added to the lentil standard in 
2017, stakeholders did not intend the interpretation of the definition 
to exclude all mottled lentils. Representatives of lentil industry 
stakeholders contacted AMS-FGIS to discuss ongoing issues with Lentils, 
which are predominately grown in Montana and North Dakota. Stakeholders 
stated in 2019 that most shipments of lentils did not achieve the 
special grade ``Green'' as the current definition and interpretation 
make it difficult to meet the special grade criteria. During meetings 
and discussions, lentil stakeholders communicated the need to revise 
the standard by changing definition of special grade ``Green'' and 
changing the inspection criteria in the Pea and Lentil Inspection 
Handbook to include a percentage of allowable mottled lentils.
    Stakeholders recommended the definition of ``Green'' be revised in 
the lentil standard to read ``Clear seeded (green) lentils possessing a 
natural,

[[Page 60957]]

uniformly green color''. Further, stakeholders recommended the 
instruction in the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook be amended to 
read: ``The portion size of, approximately 60 grams for small seeded 
lentils and 125 grams for large seeded lentils, must contain less than 
0.5 percent mottled lentils before the removal of defects, and must be 
equal to or better than depicted on the interpretive line print after 
the removal of dockage.'' AMS regards 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 Lentils. 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. Standards 
for Lentils and the affiliated grading and testing services offered by 
AMS verify that a seller's Lentils meet specified requirements and 
ensure that customers receive the quality purchased.
    In order for U.S. standards and grading procedures for lentils to 
remain relevant, AMS is issuing this request for information to invite 
interested parties to submit comments on the proposal to amend the 
definition and inspection instruction of special grade ``Green'' in the 
class Lentils.

Proposed AMS Action

    Based on input from stakeholder organizations in the lentil 
industry, AMS proposes to amend U.S. Standards for Lentils by revising 
the definition of the special grade ``Green'' in Section 609 to read:

609 Special grades and requirements.

    * * *
    (c) Green lentils. Clear seeded (green) lentils possessing a 
natural, uniformly green color.
* * * * *
    AMS will amend the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook by revising 
the inspection instruction for determining the special grade ``Green'', 
as stated above.
    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. 2020-21435 Filed 9-28-20; 8:45 am]
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