[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 121 (Monday, June 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33968-33969]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-13631]
[[Page 33968]]
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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 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
``sample grade criteria'' in the Bean Inspection Handbook, pertaining
to the class ``Blackeye beans'' in the U.S. Standards for Beans.
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'' (IWOF) and removing ``Clean-Cut
Weevil-Bore'' (CCWB) as a sample grade factor. As a result of this
action Clean-Cut Weevil-Bore is considered a damage factor only.
DATES: Applicability date: July 1, 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 (FGIS). 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; provide 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. Bean industry
stakeholders include the US Dry Bean Council (USDBC), California Dry
Bean Advisory Board, California Bean Shippers Association, and Cal Bean
and Grain, among others.
The United States Standards for Beans and the official inspection
procedures for beans in the Bean Inspection Handbook are available on
the AMS public website. The United States Standards for Beans were last
revised in 2017. Currently, 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. Also, CCWB is considered a sample grade and damage
factor. This 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. Specifically, industry
stakeholders asked AMS to revise the sample grade tolerance for IWOF
and adjust CCWB to only be considered a damage factor, only in the
class Blackeye beans.
Revision of Blackeye Bean Sample Grade Tolerances for Insect Webbing or
Filth and Removal of Clean-Cut Weevil-Bore as a Sample Grade Factor
Stakeholders recommended AMS revise the Bean Inspection Handbook
criteria for Blackeye bean sample grade tolerances of IWOF from counts
to percentages, and change CCWB from a sample grade and damage factor
to a damage factor only. AMS and stakeholders worked collaboratively to
redefine the tolerances for IWOF and CCWB in Blackeye beans.
Additionally, these changes were recommended to AMS by the specifically
named stakeholder organizations identified above to facilitate the
current marketing practices.
Comment Review
AMS published a Notice in the Federal Register on September 29,
2020 (85 FR 60957), inviting interested parties to comment on the
proposed revisions to the U.S. Standards for Beans. AMS received ten
comments in response to the notice. Four comments strongly supported
the proposed revisions; one comment was non-committal but recommended
applying a similar limit to all beans; one comment posed a question on
the cost efficiency for the industry; and two comments opposed the
proposed revisions. AMS received two comments that were not germane to
the issue. One of the opposing comments stated that the quality of
Blackeye beans could be compromised by this change, leading to a
possible decrease in the consumption of these beans. The other opposing
comment questioned whether these changes would lead to increased fraud.
AMS does not foresee a decrease in consumption due to quality concerns
or hidden fraud. The demand for plant-based protein has increased the
consumption of pulses throughout the United States. Buyers of Blackeye
beans can specify a count limit or tighter percentage in their purchase
contract. The preponderance of comments suggest AMS should proceed with
the revision.
AMS believes these revisions will facilitate inspections, better
reflect current marketing practices, be cost efficient, and facilitate
purchasing and selling of Blackeye beans. Accordingly, AMS is making no
changes to the revised Blackeye bean inspection methods as proposed.
The revisions to Blackeye bean inspection are effective upon
publication in the Federal Register. The Bean Inspection Handbook will
be revised to incorporate the revisions.
Final Action
AMS-FGIS is revising 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 CCWB as a sample grade
factor.
[[Page 33969]]
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Erin Morris,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-13631 Filed 6-25-21; 8:45 am]
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