[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 72 (Friday, April 16, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 20114]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-07819]
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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
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delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 72 / Friday, April 16, 2021 /
Notices
[[Page 20114]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-SC-19-0103, SC-20-326]
Termination of U.S. Consumer Standards
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Final notice.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of
Agriculture (USDA) is terminating the following 10 U.S. Consumer
Standards: The U.S. Consumer Standards for Italian Sprouting Broccoli,
U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh Carrots, U.S. Consumer Standards for
Celery Stalks, U.S. Consumer Standards for Husked Corn on the Cob, U.S.
Consumer Standards for Fresh Kale, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh
Spinach Leaves, U.S. Consumer Standards for Brussels Sprouts, U.S.
Consumer Standards for Fresh Parsnips, U.S. Consumer Standards for
Fresh Turnips, and U.S. Consumer Standards for Beet Greens. This action
is part of USDA's work to eliminate regulations that are outdated,
unnecessary, ineffective, or impose costs that exceed benefits.
DATES: Applicable May 17, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David G. Horner, USDA, Specialty Crops
Inspection Division, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg,
VA 22406; phone (540) 361-1120; fax (540) 361-1199; or, email
[email protected].
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 http://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards. AMS is terminating these 10 U.S. consumer standards
using the procedures that appear in part 36 of Title 7 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
Background
AMS continually reviews all fruit and vegetable grade standards to
ensure their usefulness to the industry, modernize language, and remove
duplicative terminology. AMS identified 10 U.S. consumer standards that
are not related to a current active marketing order, import regulation,
or export act and are obsolete. The consumer standards were originally
developed for re-packers and were never fully adopted by industry,
which instead uses U.S. grade standards, which are revised regularly to
reflect current industry practices. In September 2019, AMS sent letters
to the Food Marketing Institute, Grocery Manufacturers Association,
Produce Manufacturers Association, and United Fresh Produce Association
to ask if the U.S. Consumer Standards referenced above were still used
by their members. The response was unanimous in that these standards
were no longer in use.
On October 28, 2020, AMS published a proposed notice to remove the
referenced Consumer Standards in the Federal Register (85 FR 68285).
Four comments were submitted. Three concurred with the proposal. One
asked USDA to postpone the revision until after the new Administration
takes office.
AMS has determined these consumer standards cause confusion within
the industry due to their conflicting and outmoded grades and
terminology. They are ineffective, unnecessary, and have become a
burden to the U.S. and global produce industries. The comment presented
no compelling reason to postpone terminating these consumer standards.
Therefore, AMS is terminating the following 10 U.S. consumer
standards: U.S. Consumer Standards for Italian Sprouting Broccoli, U.S.
Consumer Standards for Fresh Carrots, U.S. Consumer Standards for
Celery Stalks, U.S. Consumer Standards for Husked Corn on the Cob, U.S.
Consumer Standards for Fresh Kale, U.S. Consumer Standards for Fresh
Spinach Leaves, U.S. Consumer Standards for Brussels Sprouts, U.S.
Consumer Standards for Fresh Parsnips, U.S. Consumer Standards for
Fresh Turnips, and U.S. Consumer Standards for Beet Greens. The
elimination of these U.S. Consumer Standards will reduce obsolete
information, lessen confusion in interpreting grade standards, and
promote consistency within the industry.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-07819 Filed 4-15-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P