[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 113 (Tuesday, June 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31694-31695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12564]
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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, Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice of final action.
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SUMMARY: This action is being taken under the authority of the
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended, (AMA). The United
States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS) is revising the method of interpretation for the
determination of the special grade ``Green'' in the Pea and Lentil
Inspection Handbook pertaining to the class ``Lentils,'' in the U.S.
Standards for Lentils. Stakeholders in the lentil processing/handling
industry requested that AMS amend the interpretation of the special
grade ``Green'' in the Lentil inspection instructions by redefining the
definition and including criteria for the inclusion of mottled lentils.
DATES: Applicability date: June 15, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Loren Almond, USDA AMS; Telephone:
(816) 702-3925; 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 (AMS-FGIS). 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 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; explain 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. Lentil industry
stakeholders include the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council (USADPLC), a
national organization of producers, processors, and exporters of U.S.
dry peas, lentils, and chickpeas; the U.S. Pea and Lentil Trade
Association (USPLTA), a national association representing processors,
traders, handlers and merchandisers, and transporters in the pea,
lentil and chickpea industry; and, other handlers and merchandisers.
The United States Standards for Lentils and the official inspection
procedures for lentils in the Pea and Lentil Handbook are available on
the AMS public website. The United States Standards for Lentils were
last revised in 2017 with the establishment of a new grading factor
``wrinkled lentils,'' and the new special grade of ``Green'' in
lentils. With the current criteria, it is difficult to meet
specifications due to the strict standards required to achieve the
special grade ``Green'' in lentils. During meetings and discussions,
lentil
[[Page 31695]]
stakeholders communicated the need to revise the Standards and the Pea
and Lentil Inspection Handbook by changing the definition of Green
Lentils and the criteria to include a percentage of allowable mottled
lentils in the lentil sample.
Revision of Special Grade ``Green Lentils''
Stakeholders, including the USADPLC, recommended AMS revise the
lentil criteria for the special grade ``Green'' in the class
``Lentils.'' Stakeholders stated most shipments of lentils did not
achieve the special grade ``Green'' based on current criteria. AMS and
stakeholders worked collaboratively to redefine the special grade
``Green'' in lentils to best reflect the special grade condition.
Additionally, stakeholders endorsed the following definition: ``Green
Lentils. Clear seeded (green) lentils possessing a natural, uniformly
green color.'' The proposed inspection instruction in the Pea and
Lentil Handbook is being modified from what appeared in the notice and
request for comments, for greater clarity, to state: ``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 lentils with
mottling and be free of any lentils of contrasting color, before the
removal of defects, and must be equal to or better than depicted on the
Interpretive Line Print after the removal of dockage.''
Comment Review
AMS published a Notice in the Federal Register on September 29,
2020 (85 FR 60956), inviting interested parties to comment on the
proposed revisions to the United States Standards for Lentils. AMS
received one comment strongly supporting the proposed revision. AMS
received no comments opposing the proposed revision. AMS believes that
these revisions will facilitate the marketing of lentils and better
reflect current marketing practices. Accordingly, AMS is implementing
the revisions as proposed. The revisions to the standards become
effective upon publication in the Federal Register, and the Pea and
Lentil Inspection Handbook will be revised to incorporate the revisions
to the standards.
Final Action
AMS-FGIS is revising the lentil standards to revise the definition
for the special grade ``Green'' in lentils. Accordingly, the following
section of the United States Standards for Lentils under the AMA is
amended as follows: Section 609: Special grades and requirements, is
amended to include the following definition: Green Lentils. Clear
seeded (green) lentils possessing a natural, uniformly green color.
AMS-FGIS is revising lentil inspection criteria in the Pea and
Lentil Inspection Handbook by including the following instruction
pertaining to special grade ``Green'': 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 lentils with mottling
and be free of any lentils of contrasting color, before the removal of
defects, and must be equal to or better than depicted on the
Interpretive Line Print after the removal of dockage.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Erin Morris,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-12564 Filed 6-14-21; 8:45 am]
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