[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]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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]
BILLING CODE P