[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60957-60958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21436]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc No. AMS-FGIS-20-0065]


United States Standards for Beans

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 ``sample grade criteria,'' in 
the Bean Inspection Handbook, as it pertains to the class ``Blackeye 
beans,'' in the U.S. Standards for Beans under the United States 
Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA). Stakeholders in the dry bean 
processing/handling industry requested that AMS amend the definition of 
sample grade in the Blackeye bean inspection instructions by revising 
the unit of measurement for the factor Insect Webbing or Filth and 
removing clean-cut weevil-bore as a sample grade factor. Clean-cut 
weevil-bore will be considered a damage factor only. To ensure that the 
Blackeye bean class standard remains relevant, AMS invites interested 
parties to comment on whether revising the inspection instructions 
facilitate the marketing of Blackeye beans. This action does not revise 
or amend the Grade and Grade Requirements for the class Blackeye Beans 
in the U.S. Standard for Beans.

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 beans 
are voluntary and widely used in private contracts, government 
procurement, marketing communication, and for some commodities, 
consumer information.
    The bean standards facilitate bean marketing and define U.S. bean 
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 Bean Inspection Handbook. Together, 
the grading standards and testing procedures allow buyers and sellers 
to communicate quality requirements, compare bean 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 Bean Council (USDBC); California Dry Bean 
Advisory Board; California Bean Shippers Association; and Cal Bean and 
Grain requested AMS to revise the sample grade tolerance for Insect 
Webbing or Filth (IWOF), only in the class Blackeye beans, to align 
with the CODEX Standard for Certain Pulses (CODEX Standard 171-1989). 
The current sample grade tolerances for IWOF in all classes of beans 
are determined on a count basis of two or more beans in 1,000 grams. 
AMS-FGIS

[[Page 60958]]

proposes to revise the Blackeye bean inspection criteria by amending 
the Bean Inspection Handbook to change the sample grade tolerance for 
IWOF in the Blackeye bean class only, from a count of two or more beans 
in 1,000 grams, to more than 0.10 percent on the basis of the 
representative sample as a whole, and remove clean-cut weevil-bore as a 
sample grade factor.

Blackeye Bean Sample Grade Tolerances for Insect Webbing or Filth

    Representatives of dry bean industry stakeholders contacted AMS-
FGIS to discuss ongoing issues with Blackeye beans, which grow 
predominately in California and Texas. The bean stakeholders told AMS 
the type of insect filth found in the Blackeye bean is not due to 
storage practices, but originates in the field, brought on by years of 
drought, and is the result of challenges associated with applying 
aerial pesticides. These elements have contributed to an increase of 
IWOF (beans and pieces of beans which contain webbing, refuse, excreta, 
dead insects, larvae, or eggs) in the Blackeye bean crops for years. 
With the current sample grade factor tolerance, difficulty in meeting 
contract specifications is problematic. During meetings and 
discussions, bean stakeholders communicated the need to revise the Bean 
Inspection Handbook by changing Blackeye bean sample grade tolerances 
for IWOF from count to percent. This would assist in moving the U.S. 
Blackeye bean market towards fewer quality complaints. The current 
sample grade tolerances for IWOF in all classes of beans are determined 
on a count basis of two or more beans in 1,000 grams. This change will 
increase the actual count to at least three beans, and in some cases 
possibly four beans, depending on the variety size. These changes were 
recommended to AMS by the stakeholder organizations identified in the 
background section of this notice to facilitate the current marketing 
practices. AMS views this action as noncontroversial and anticipates no 
adverse public comment.

Removing Clean Cut Weevil Bore as a Sample Grade Factor

    Dry bean representatives also discussed issues with the Blackeye 
bean determination of clean-cut weevil-bore (CCWB) beans as a sample 
grade factor. Currently, two or more clean-cut weevil-bored (beans and 
pieces of beans from which weevils have emerged, leaving a clean-cut 
open cavity free from any webbing, refuse, excreta, dead insect, 
larvae, or eggs) are considered sample grade/weevily in 1,000 grams. 
AMS proposes to remove clean-cut weevil-bored as a sample grade 
criteria. This results in clean-cut weevil-bored beans considered only 
for damage and removes the weevily and sample grade determination based 
on the count of clean-cut weevil-bored beans for blackeye beans.
    AMS grading and inspection services are provided through a network 
of federal, state, and private laboratories that conduct tests to 
determine the quality and condition of Blackeye beans. 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 Beans and the affiliated grading and testing 
services offered by AMS verify that a seller's Blackeye beans meet 
specified requirements and ensure that customers receive the quality 
purchased.
    In order for U.S. standards and grading procedures for Blackeye 
beans to remain relevant, AMS is issuing this request for information 
to invite interested parties to submit comments on the proposal to 
amend the sample grade interpretation for the class Blackeye beans. 
These changes do not revise or amend the Grade and Grade Requirements 
for the class Blackeye Beans in the U.S. Standard for Beans.

Proposed AMS Action

    Based on input from stakeholder organizations in the Blackeye bean 
industry, AMS proposes to amend the Bean Inspection Handbook by 
revising the sample grade tolerances for Blackeye beans such that clean 
cut weevil bore is no longer a sample grade determining factor, and 
changing the Insect Webbing or Filth determination from a count to a 
percent basis.
    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. 2020-21436 Filed 9-28-20; 8:45 am]
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