[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 204 (Wednesday, October 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 66926]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23220]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 204 / Wednesday, October 21, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 66926]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Document Number AMS-SC-19-0058, SC-19-332]


United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Corn on the Cob

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on its proposal to revise the 
U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Corn on the Cob (July 27, 1970). 
AMS is proposing to replace the two-term grading system (dual 
nomenclature) with a single term to describe each quality level in the 
grade standards. Terms using the letter grade would be retained and the 
descriptive term would be eliminated. Editorial changes would also be 
made to the grade standards that conform to recent changes made in 
other grade standards, returning previously omitted headers and 
language, and adding language to bring the standards up to date with 
current industry practices. These changes would bring the grade 
standards in line with the present quality levels being marketed today 
and provide guidance in the effective use of these products.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before December 21, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
the USDA, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, 100 Riverside Parkway, 
Suite 101, Fredericksburg, VA 22406; by fax to (202) 690-1527; or at 
www.regulations.gov. Comments should reference the dates and page 
number of this issue of the Federal Register. Comments will be posted 
without change, including any personal information provided. All 
comments received within the comment period will become part of the 
public record maintained by the Agency and will be made available to 
the public via www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian E. Griffin, at the address 
above, by phone to (202) 748-2155; fax to (202) 690-1527; or email to 
[email protected]. Copies of the proposed revised U.S. Standards 
for Grades of Frozen Corn on the Cob are available at 
www.regulations.gov. Copies of the current U.S. Standards for Grades of 
Frozen Corn on the Cob are available on the Specialty Crops Inspection 
Division website at www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/vegetables.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946 (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 standards available upon request. The U.S. Standards for 
Grades of Fruits and Vegetables that no longer appear in the Code of 
Federal Regulations are maintained by AMS at: www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/vegetables. AMS is proposing revisions to these U.S. 
Standards for Grades using the procedures that appear in part 36 of 
Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
    Background: AMS periodically reviews the grade standards for 
usefulness in serving the industry. More recently developed grade 
standards use a single term, such as ``U.S. Grade A'' or ``U.S. Grade 
B,'' to describe each level of quality within a grade standard. Older 
grade standards used dual nomenclature, such as ``U.S. Grade A or U.S. 
Fancy'' and ``U.S. Grade B or U.S. Extra Standard'' to describe the 
same level of quality. The terms ``U.S. Fancy,'' and ``U.S. Extra 
Standard'' would be removed and the terms ``U.S. Grade A,'' U.S. Grade 
B,'' and ``Substandard (Sstd)'' would be used exclusively.
    AMS is also proposing editorial changes to these grade standards, 
i.e., updating section headings omitted in previous revisions, and the 
inclusion of language and allowances for mixed color varieties to align 
the standards with use of mixed color varieties by industry. The 
addition of language and allowances differentiating between 
conventional sweet and supersweet types incorporates language from USDA 
internal guidance documents A-412, September 1967 Frozen Whole Kernel 
Whole-Grain Corn Evaluation of Tenderness and Maturity, and A-493, 
October 1997, Interpretative Guide for Frozen Supersweet Whole Kernel 
Corn to Determine: Tenderness and Maturity; and Flavor. These internal 
USDA documents were created with the intention of incorporating them 
into the standards to reflect current industry practices. The proposed 
revisions to these grade standards would provide a common language for 
trade and better reflect the current marketing of frozen corn on the 
cob.
    A 60-day period is provided for interested persons to submit 
comments on the proposed grade standards. Copies of the proposed 
revised U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Corn on the Cob are 
available at www.regulations.gov. After the 60-day comment period, AMS 
will move forward in accordance with 7 CFR 36.3(a)(1-3).

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

Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-23220 Filed 10-20-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P