Revision of Three U.S. Grade Standards for Carrots
Citation | 85 FR 37820 |
Record Number | 2020-12828 |
Published date | 24 June 2020 |
Section | Notices |
Court | Agricultural Marketing Service,Agriculture Department |
Federal Register, Volume 85 Issue 122 (Wednesday, June 24, 2020)
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 122 (Wednesday, June 24, 2020)] [Notices] [Pages 37820-37822] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2020-12828] ======================================================================== 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. ======================================================================== Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 122 / Wednesday, June 24, 2020 / Notices [[Page 37820]] DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Agricultural Marketing Service [Document Number AMS-SC-19-0036, SC-19-330] Revision of Three U.S. Grade Standards for Carrots AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is revising the U.S. Standards for Grades of Topped Carrots, U.S. Standards for Grades of Bunched Carrots, and U.S. Standards for Grades of Carrots with Short Trimmed Tops. AMS is adding more U.S. No. 1 grades to accommodate carrots of colors other than orange, orange red, and orange scarlet. The current U.S. No. 1 grades will remain unchanged. In addition, AMS is removing the Unclassified section and renumbering sections due to the additional grades. DATES: July 24, 2020. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David G. Horner, USDA, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, VA 22406, by phone (540) 361-1128; fax (540) 361-1199; or, email [email protected]. Copies of the revised U.S. Standards for Grades of Topped Carrots, U.S. Standards for Grades of Bunched Carrots, and U.S. Standards for Grades of Carrots with Short Trimmed Tops are available at http://www.regulations.gov or on the AMS website at www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/vegetables. 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 and makes copies of official standards available upon request. The U.S. Standards for Grades of Fruits and Vegetables that are voluntary and no longer appear in the Code of Federal Regulations (60 FR 62172, December 4, 1995) are maintained by AMS at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards. AMS is revising these U.S. Standards for Grades using the procedures that appear in part 36 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36). Background AMS continually reviews all fruit and vegetable grade standards to ensure their usefulness to the industry, modernize language, and remove duplicative terminology. On December 22, 2008, AMS published a notice in the Federal Register (73 FR 78286) regarding revising the three U.S. grade standards for carrots to accommodate colors other than orange, orange red, and orange scarlet. The notice proposed revising the color section to allow carrots of any color characteristic of the variety to be graded using the standards. Also, the similar varietal characteristic requirement would have been amended to allow mixed colors and/or types when designated as a mixed or specialty pack. The industry as a whole opposed these revisions on the basis that non- orange carrots include heirloom carrots that may not have been bred for uniformity and may not have the same type of characteristics of orange carrots. After gathering more feedback from the industry, AMS developed additional grades to accommodate other colors. For the Topped Carrots, the two new grades are U.S. No. 1 Color and U.S. No. 1 Jumbo Color. For the Bunched and Short Trimmed Carrots, the new grade is U.S. No. 1 Color. The current grades remain unchanged. The new grades are identical to the current grades except for the color requirement (the following tables summarize the revisions). AMS spoke with several major U.S. carrot growers by telephone and emailed them a discussion paper on the proposed revisions. One major U.S. carrot grower stated that they were in favor of establishing a U.S. grade for colored carrots. No one opposed the changes. On January 28, 2020, AMS published a notice in the Federal Register (85 FR 4913) proposing to revise the three U.S. carrot standards by adding more U.S. No. 1 grades to accommodate carrots of colors other than orange, orange red, and orange scarlet. In addition, AMS proposed to remove the Unclassified section and renumber sections due to the additional grades. The public submission period closed March 30, 2020, with 10 comments submitted. All of the comments were submitted by the general public. Six comments supported the proposed revisions; three were beyond the scope of the notice; and one individual did not support the proposed changes due to not understanding AMS' intentions. The following addresses those misunderstandings. The individual stated, ``The USDA already knows what constitutes a good quality carrot.'' From additional remarks, the individual did not understand that AMS is part of the USDA. It is the USDA that proposed these revisions. The individual stated, ``There are standards for carrots that are not orange, orange red, or orange scarlet.'' There were no U.S. grade standards for carrots unless they were orange, orange red, or orange scarlet. For example, a maroon colored carrot could not be certified to a U.S. grade. The individual stated, ``There are already provisions in place for color defects in carrots . . . Adding mixed colors to the standard could jeopardize the entire quality check system.'' This comment implies that the commenter believes ``mixed colors'' refers to an individual carrot of more than one color. ``Mixed colors'' refers to packing carrots of different solid colors in the same package. Individual carrots are not more than one color. The industry already markets mixed color packs; however, the package could not be assigned a U.S. grade. In addition to including the new U.S. No. 1 grades, AMS is removing the Unclassified section from the carrot standards. AMS is removing this section in all standards as they are revised because it is no longer considered necessary. The category was never a grade and only showed that no grade was applied to the lot. [[Page 37821]] Finally, some sections are renumbered due to the additional grades. The following tables summarize the revisions. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Previous Revised Summary ------------------------------------------------------------------------ U.S. Topped Carrot Standards ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sec. 51.2360 U.S. Extra Sec. 51.2360 U.S. All remain No. 1. Extra No. 1. unchanged. Sec. 51.2361 U.S. No. 1... Sec. 51.2361 U.S. No. 1. Sec. 51.2362 U.S. No. 1 Sec. 51.2362 U.S. Jumbo. No. 1 Jumbo. Sec. 51.2363 U.S. U.S. No. 1 Color and No. 1 Color and U.S. No. 1 Jumbo U.S. No. 1 Jumbo Color grades are Color. added to ``U.S. No. 1 Color'' accommodate other or ``U.S. No. 1 colors. The U.S. Jumbo Color'' No. 1 Color and consists of carrots U.S. No. 1 Jumbo which meet the Color grades are requirements of the identical to the U.S. No. 1 or U.S. U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 1 Jumbo grades No. 1 Jumbo grades, except for fairly except for the well colored. All color requirement. roots must show The new grades good characteristic ensure all grades color, which means are premium the root has a quality, provide uniform greater characteristic flexibility, and color for the bring the standards variety over in line with practically the current marketing entire surface. trends. Roots may be comingled with varieties of different colors, provided roots are of the same type. (See Sec. 51.2365.). Sec. 51.2363 U.S. No. 2... Sec. 51.2364 U.S. Remains the same No. 2. except section number changes from 51.2363 to 51.2364. The U.S. No. 2 grade does not have any color requirements. Sec. 51.2364 Unclassified. Removed............. AMS is removing this ``Unclassified''' consists section in all of carrots which have not standards as they been classified in are revised as it accordance with any of the is no longer foregoing grades. The term considered ``unclassified'' is not a necessary. The grade within the meaning of category was never these standards, but is a grade and only provided as a designation showed that no to show that no grade has grade was applied been applied to the lot. to the lot. Sec. 51.2365 Tolerances . Sec. 51.2365 The revised U.S. No. . . (a) Defects . . . (2) Tolerances . . . 1 Color and U.S. U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 1 (a) Defects . . . No. 1 Jumbo Color Jumbo grades. Ten percent (2) U.S. No. 1, grades have the for carrots in any lot U.S. No. 1 Jumbo, same tolerances as which fail to meet the U.S. No. 1 Color, the other grades in requirements of the grade: and U.S. No. 1 this section, which Provided, That not more Jumbo Color grades. all remain than one-half of this Ten percent for unchanged. amount, or 5 percent, shall carrots in any lot be allowed for defects which fail to meet causing serious damage, the requirements of including therein not more the grade: than 2 percent for carrots Provided, That not affected by soft rot. more than one-half of this amount, or 5 percent, shall be allowed for defects causing serious damage, including therein not more than 2 percent for carrots affected by soft rot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ U.S. Bunched Carrot Standards ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sec. 51.2455 U.S. No. 1... Sec. 51.2455 U.S. Remains unchanged. No. 1. Sec. 51.2456 U.S. U.S. No. 1 Color No. 1 Color. grade is added to ``U.S. No. 1 Color'' accommodate other consists of carrots colors. The U.S. which meet the No. 1 Color is requirements of identical to the U.S. No. 1 except U.S. No. 1 grade, for fairly well except for the colored. All roots color requirement. must show good The new grade characteristic ensures all grades color, which means are premium the root has a quality, provides uniform greater characteristic flexibility, and color for the brings the variety over standards in line practically the with current entire surface. marketing trends. Roots may be comingled with varieties of different colors, provided roots are of the same type. Sec. 51.2456 U.S. Sec. 51.2457 U.S. Remains the same Commercial. Commercial. except section number changes from 51.2456 to 51.2457. Sec. 51.2457 Unclassified. Removed............. AMS is removing this ``Unclassified'' consists of section in all carrots which have not been standards as they classified in accordance are revised as it with either of the is no longer foregoing grades. The term considered ``unclassified'' is not a necessary. The grade within the meaning of category was never these standards, but is a grade and only provided as a designation showed that no to show that no grade has grade was applied been applied to the lot. to the lot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ U.S. Short Trimmed Carrot Standards ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sec. 51.2485 U.S. No. 1... Sec. 51.2485 U.S. Remains unchanged. No. 1. [[Page 37822]] Sec. 51.2486 U.S. U.S. No. 1 Color No. 1 Color. grade is added to ``U.S. No. 1 Color'' accommodate other consists of carrots colors. The U.S. which meet the No. 1 Color grade requirements of is identical to the U.S. No. 1 except U.S. No. 1 grade, for fairly well except for the colored. All roots color requirement. must show good The new grade characteristic ensures all grades color, which means are premium the root has a quality, provides uniform greater characteristic flexibility, and color for the brings the variety over standards in line practically the with current entire surface. marketing trends. Roots may be comingled with varieties of different colors, provided roots are of the same type. Sec. 51.2486 U.S. Sec. 51.2487 U.S. Remains the same Commercial. Commercial. except section number changes from 51.2486 to 51.2487. Sec. 51.2487 Unclassified. Removed............. AMS is removing this ``Unclassified'' consists of section in all carrots which have not been standards as they classified in accordance are revised as it with either of the is no longer foregoing grades. The term considered ``unclassified'' is not a necessary. The grade within the meaning of category was never these standards, but is a grade and only provided as a designation showed that no to show that no grade has grade was applied been applied to the lot. to the lot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bruce Summers, Administrator,Agricultural Marketing Service. [FR Doc. 2020-12828 Filed 6-23-20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P