G/TBT/N/USA/1652  
16 October 2020  
(20-7158) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) [1678]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [   ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other  [X]:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Split peas; 
Fresh or chilled peas "Pisum sativum", shelled or unshelled (HS 070810); Quality 
(ICS 03.120), Fruits. Vegetables (ICS 67.080)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  United States 
Standards for Split Peas (2 page( s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Notice and request for comments - The United States 
Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing a 
revision to the method of interpretation for determining "whole peas", in  the Pea and 
Lentil Inspection Handbook, as it pertains to the class "Split Peas," in the U.S. Standards 
for Split Peas under the United States Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA). Stakeholders in 
the pea processing/ handling industry requested AMS to amend t he interpretation of 
whole peas in the Split Pea inspection instructions by increasing the percent requirement 
for the factor whole peas. To ensure that the Split Pea class standard remains relevant, 
AMS invites interested parties to comment on whether rev ising the inspection instruction 
facilitates the marketing of Split Peas. This action does not revise or amend the Grade 
and Grade Requirements for the class Split Peas in the U.S. Standard for Split Peas.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Consumer information, labelling; Quality requirements  G/TBT/N/USA/1652  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
• 85 Federal Register (FR) 60955, 29 September 2020:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2020-09-29/html/2020 -21434.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2020-09-29/pdf/2020 -21434.pdf  
This notice and request for comments is identified by Docket Number AMS -FGIS-20-0067.  
The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=AMS -FGIS-20-0067 and provides access to 
primary documents as well as comments received. Documents are also accessible from 
Regulations.gov by searching the Docket Number. WTO Mem bers and their stakeholders 
are asked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point . Comments received by the 
USA TBT Enquiry Point from WTO Members and their stakeholders will be shared with the 
regulator and wil l also be submitted to the Docket  on Regulations.gov if received within 
the comment period.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  29 October 2020  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/TBT/USA/20_6195_00_e.pdf