[Federal Register: July 25, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 142)]
[Notices]
[Page 40825]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25jy07-30]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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[[Page 40825]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Docket AMS-FV-2006-0205; FV-06-317]
United States Standards for Grades of Cantaloups
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is soliciting
comments on its proposal to revise the voluntary United States
Standards for Grades of Cantaloups. AMS is proposing revisions to the
``Application of Tolerances'' section in the cantaloup standards.
Additionally, AMS is removing the ``Unclassified'' category from the
standards. The proposed revisions will update the cantaloup grade
standards and better reflect current marketing practices.
DATES: Comments must be received by September 24, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on
the Internet at http://www.regulations.gov or to the Standardization
Section, Fresh Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs,
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., Room 1661 South Building, Stop 0240, Washington,
DC 20250-0240; Fax (202) 720-8871. Comments should make reference to
the dates and page number of this issue of the Federal Register and
will be made available for public inspection in the above office during
regular business hours.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vincent J. Fusaro, Standardization
Section, Fresh Products Branch, (202) 720-2185. The United States
Standards for Grades of Cantaloups are available by accessing the Fresh
Products Branch Web site at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/standards/stanfrfv.htm
.
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. AMS makes copies of official standards
available upon request. The United States Standards for Grades of
Fruits and Vegetables not connected with Federal Marketing Orders or
U.S. Import Requirements no longer appear in the Code of Federal
Regulations, but are maintained by USDA, AMS, Fruit and Vegetable
Programs.
AMS is proposing to revise the United States Standards for Grades
of Cantaloups using the procedures that appear in Part 36, Title 7 of
the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36). These standards were
last revised in 1968.
Background
On December 28, 2006, AMS published a notice in the Federal
Register (71 FR 78128-78129) soliciting comments for possible revisions
for the United States Standards for Grades of Cantaloups. In response
to the notice, AMS received one comment on the proposed revisions. The
comment received was from an agricultural trade association and is
available by accessing http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main or the AMS, Fresh Products Branch Web site at: http://
http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/fpbdocketlist.htm. Based on the comment received
and information gathered, AMS developed revised grade standards for
cantaloups.
The agricultural trade association favored changing the wording in
section 51.480, ``Application of Tolerances'' of the United States
Standards for Grades of Cantaloups. Accordingly, AMS will make
revisions to section 51.480 so that the tolerances may be applied to:
Either samples of the entire contents of melons in cartons or to
samples consisting of at least twenty five melons for cantaloups packed
in bulk bins or other packaging. Specifically within the section, ``The
contents of individual packages* * *'' will be modified to ``Samples* *
*'' and ``(a) A package may contain* * *'' will be modified to ``(a)
Samples may contain* * *''. These revisions will make the Application
of Tolerances applicable to cantaloups shipped in larger containers,
such as bulk bins, which may contain several hundred melons, as well as
those shipped in smaller containers.
AMS will also eliminate the unclassified category. This category is
being removed from all standards when they are revised. This category
is not a grade and only serves to show that no grade has been applied
to the lot. It is no longer considered necessary.
AMS is also seeking comments regarding how this revision will
affect the marketing of cantaloups. Additionally, AMS is interested in
learning the costs and/or benefits to the industry by revising the
United States Standards for Grades of Cantaloups.
The official grades of cantaloups covered by these standards are
determined by the procedures set forth in the Regulations Governing
Inspection, Certification, and Standards of Fresh Fruits, Vegetables
and Other Products (7 CFR 51.1 to 51.62).
This notice provides for a 60-day comment period for interested
parties to comment on the proposed revisions to the standards.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Dated: July 19, 2007.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E7-14337 Filed 7-24-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P