[Federal Register: July 2, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 127)] [Notices] [Page 36201-36202] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr02jy98-35] ======================================================================== 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. ======================================================================== [[Page 36201]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [FV-97-329N] United States Standards for Grades of Canned Beets, United States Standards for Grades of Canned Carrots and the United States Standards for Grades of Canned White Potatoes AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising standards for grades of canned beets, carrots, and white potatoes (canned root crop vegetables). Specifically, USDA is modifying the Recommended Minimum Drained Weight Averages (RMDWA's) for all styles packed in No. 300 size cans to be equivalent to the percent water capacity corresponding to the closest sized container, the No. 303 can, i.e., reduced by 9.02 percent. These changes were requested by industry in order to improve the usability of the U.S. standards for these canned root crop vegetables. In addition, USDA will further improve the standards and promote consistency by changing the format of the tables to incorporate a column for the water capacity of each container size and add metric system tables to the canned beets and canned carrots standards. EFFECTIVE DATE: August 3, 1998. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chere L. Shorter, Processed Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 0709, South Building; STOP 0247, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; Telephone (202) 720-4693, fax (202) 690-1087; or e-mail chere__l__shorter@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, 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 United States Standards for Grades of Canned Beets, the United States Standards for Grades of Canned Carrots, and the United States Standards for Grades of Canned White Potatoes (canned root crop vegetables) do not appear in the Code of Federal Regulations but are maintained by USDA. The current U.S. grade standards for these canned root crop vegetables, along with the changes, are available either through the above addresses or by accessing the Internet at the following site: www.ams.usda.gov/ standards/vegcan.htm. Procedures for revising, suspending, or terminating voluntary official grades standards were published in August 13, 1997, (62 FR 43439). In November 1993, USDA received a request to review the RMDWA's for these canned root crops in No. 300 size containers from the National Food Processors Association's (NFPA)'s Grade Standards Review Subcommittee. NFPA requested the changes in the United States Standards for Grades of Canned Beets; Canned Carrots; and Canned White Potatoes. NFPA requested that the recommended drained weight of the No. 300 size container be reviewed for all styles of canned root crop vegetables. Within the last few years the canning industry has been replacing production of the No. 303 container size with the No. 300 container. The total water capacity for the No. 300 container is less than the total water capacity for a No. 303 container. The percentage water capacity, on which the recommended minimum drained weight average is based, is calculated by dividing the RMDWA for a particular style of canned root crop vegetable by the total water capacity of the container. Studies done by the USDA have found that for every style of canned root crop vegetable under consideration, in the current U.S. standards, the drained weight as a percentage of the water capacity is significantly more for the No. 300 container than for No. 303 containers, even though the available capacity of the No. 300 container is 9.02 percent less than that of the No. 303 container. NFPA stated that several companies were noting difficulty in meeting the RMDWA requirements for these products in the No. 300 cans. The remedies recommended by NFPA proposed that the RMDWA's in the U.S. grade standards for canned beets; canned carrots; and canned white potatoes be reduced to the same percentage water capacity offered in the No. 303 container size, i.e., lowered by 9.02 percent. The No. 303 can size was chosen because the size relationship is closest to the No. 300 can. USDA published a notice in the Federal Register January 15, 1998, (63 FR 2356). Five comments were received from industry members. All comments received indicated that the affected industry members were in favor of the revision to base the RMDWA on the percent water capacity of the No. 303 container. Accordingly, AMS agrees with the recommendations to improve the United States Standards for Grades of Canned Beets; Canned Carrots; and Canned White Potatoes and is making changes to and adding the following tables: Canned Beets, Table I, adding Table IA, Canned Carrots, Table I, adding Table IA, and Canned White Potatoes, Table I and Table IA. Specifically, the changes will: (1) Adjust the RMDWA's for No. 300 containers which were calculated using the percentage water capacity corresponding to No. 303 containers and lowered accordingly by 9.02 percent of the RMDWA of the 303 size container; and further improve the standards and promote consistency by (2) changing the format to include tables that will incorporate the water capacity of each container size; and (3) adding metric system tables to the canned beet and canned carrot standards. The changes will become effective 30 days after the publication of this notice in the Federal Register. These changes will improve the grade standards by making RMDWA's proportional for the No. 300 can size, enhance safety of the product, and help to facilitate the [[Page 36202]] marketing of canned beets, carrots and white potatoes. This will allow for a more equitable marketing environment for the canning industry. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627. Dated: June 24, 1998. Robert C. Keeney, Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable Programs. [FR Doc. 98-17563 Filed 7-1-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-02-P