United States Standards for Grades of Potatoes
Federal Register: November 21, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 226)
Rules and Regulations
Page 70585-70587
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
DOCID:fr21no08-1
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Page 70585
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service 7 CFR Part 51
Docket AMS-FV-2006-0136; FV-06-303-C
United States Standards for Grades of Potatoes
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Correcting amendments.
SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published a final rule in the Federal Register on March 21, 2008 (FR Doc. 08-1058), revising the United States Standards of Grades of Potatoes. As published, the final regulations contain errors in Sec. Sec. 51.1545, 51.1546, 51.1664, and 51.1565 that are misleading and are in need of clarification. This document corrects those errors.
DATES: Effective Date: November 21, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Vincent J. Fusaro, Standardization
Section, Fresh Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs (202) 720- 2185.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document provides correcting amendments to the U.S. Grade Standards for Grades of Potatoes, found respectively at 7 CFR part 51.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 51
Agricultural commodities, Food grades and standards, Fruits, Nuts,
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Trees, Vegetables.
PART 51--[CORRECTED] 0 1. The authority citation for part 51 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627. 0 3. In Sec. 51.1545, Table 1 is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 51.1545 Size.
* * * * *
Table 1
Minimum diameter \1\ or weight Maximum diameter \1\ or weight
Size designation
------------------------------------------------------------------
Inches
Ounces
Inches
Ounces
Creamer......................................
\3/4\
(\3\)
1\5/8\
(\3\)
Chef.........................................
2\3/4\
8
4\1/2\
28
Size A\2\....................................
1\7/8\
(\3\)
(\3\)
(\3\)
Size B.......................................
1\1/2\
(\3\)
2\1/4\
(\3\)
Small........................................
1\3/4\
(\3\)
2\1/2\
6
Medium.......................................
2\1/4\
5
3\1/4\
10
Large........................................
3
10
4\1/2\
28
\1\ Diameter means the greatest dimension at right angles to the longitudinal axis, without regard to the position of the stem end.
\2\ In addition to the minimum size specified, a lot of potatoes designated as Size A shall contain at least 40 percent of potatoes which are 2\1/2\ inches in diameter or larger or 6 ounces in weight or larger.
\3\ No requirement.
* * * * * 0 3. In Sec. 51.1546, paragraph (a) is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 51.1546 Tolerances.
* * * * *
(a) For defects--(1) U.S. No. 1. (i) At Shipping Point. A total of 8 percent for potatoes in any lot which fail to meet the requirements for the grade: Provided, that included in this tolerance not more than the following percentages shall be allowed for the defects listed:
(A) 5 percent for external defects;
(B) 5 percent for internal defects;
(C) Including therein not more than 1 percent for potatoes which are frozen or affected by soft rot or wet breakdown. See Sec. 51.1547.
(ii) En route or at Destination. A total of 10 percent for potatoes in any lot which fail to meet the requirements for the grade: Provided, that included in this tolerance not more than the following percentages shall be allowed for the defects listed:
(A) 7 percent for external defects;
(B) 7 percent for internal defects;
(C) Including therein not more than 2 percent for potatoes which are frozen or affected by soft rot or wet breakdown. See Sec. 51.1547.
(2) U.S. Commercial. A total of 20 percent for potatoes in any lot which fail to meet the requirements for the grade: Provided, that included in this tolerance not more than the following percentages shall be allowed for the defects listed:
(i) 10 percent for potatoes which fail to meet the requirements for
U.S. No. 2 grade, including therein not more than:
(ii) 6 percent for external defects;
(iii) 6 percent for internal defects; or,
(iv) Including therein not more than 1 percent for potatoes which are frozen or affected by soft rot or wet breakdown. See Sec. 51.1547.
(3) U.S. No. 2. (i) At Shipping Point: A total of 10 percent for potatoes in any lot which fail to meet the requirements for the grade:
Provided, that included in this tolerance not more than the following percentages shall be allowed for the defects listed:
(A) 6 percent for external defects;
Page 70586
(B) 6 percent for internal defects;
(C) Including therein not more than 1 percent for potatoes which are frozen or affected by soft rot or wet breakdown. See Sec. 51.1547.
(ii) En route or at Destination: A total of 12 percent for potatoes in any lot which fail to meet the requirements for the grade: Provided, that included in this tolerance not more than the following percentages shall be allowed for the defects listed:
(A) 8 percent for external defects;
(B) 8 percent for internal defects;
(C) Including therein not more than 2 percent for potatoes which are frozen or affected by soft rot or wet breakdown. See Sec. 51.1547.
* * * * * 0 4. In Sec. 51.1564, Table III, the entries ``Bruises (Not including pressure bruise and sunken discolored areas)''; ``Growth Cracks''; and
``Sprouts'' are revised to read as follows:
Sec. 51.1564 External Defects.
* * * * *
Table III--External Defects
* * * * * * *
Defect
Damage
Serious
* * * * * * *
Bruises (Not including
When removal causes When the removal pressure bruise and sunken a loss of more than causes a loss of discolored areas).
5 percent of the
more than 10 total weight of the percent of the potato or when the total weight of the area affected is
potato or when the more than 5 percent area affected is of the surface in
more than 10 the aggregate
percent of the
(i.e., \3/4\ inch
surface in the on a 6 oz. potato). aggregate (i.e.,
Correspondingly
1\1/4\ inches on a lesser or greater
2\1/2\ inch or 6 areas in smaller or oz. potato). larger areas.
Correspondingly lesser or greater areas in smaller or larger potatoes.
* * * * * * *
Growth Cracks............... When the growth
When the growth crack(s) affects
crack(s) affects more than \1/2\ the more than \3/4\ the length of the
length of the potato in the
potato in the aggregate on round aggregate or when varieties or more
the depth is than \1/3\ the
greater than that length in the
as outlined in aggregate on long
Table V. (See Table varieties; or, when V.). the depth is greater than that as outlined in
Table V. (See Table
V.).
* * * * * * *
Sprouts..................... When more than 5
When more than 10 percent of the
percent of the potatoes in a lot
potatoes in a lot have sprouts in
have sprouts in clusters or any
clusters or any individual sprout
individual sprout more than \1/4\
more than \1/2\ inch in length at
inch in length at shipping point and shipping point and
\1/2\ inch in
1 inch in length at length at
destination. destination.
* * * * * * *
* * * * * 0 5. In Sec. 51.1565, the heading of Table I is revised and the entry
``Light Brown Discoloration (Brown Center)'' is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 51.1565 [Amended]
Table VII--Internal Defects
* * * * * * *
Damage
Serious
Defects
-------------------------------------------
Maximum allowed
Maximum allowed
* * * * * * *
Light Brown Discoloration
Area affected not to Area affected not to
(Brown Center).
exceed that of a
exceed that of a circle \1/2\ inch
circle \3/4\ inch in diameter in a
in diameter in a potato 2\1/2\
potato 2\1/2\ inches in diameter inches in diameter or 6 ounces in
or 6 ounces in weight.\1\
weight.\1\
* * * * * *
Page 70587
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Dated: November 12, 2008.
David R. Shipman,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
FR Doc. E8-27288 Filed 11-20-08; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
