Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 209 / Friday, October 29, 2004 / Notices 63133

DATES: Comments must be received by 

December 28, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments 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, E-mail 

FPB.DocketClerk@usda.gov. 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:

David L. Priester, at the above address 

or call (202) 720–2185; E-mail 

David.Priester@usda.gov.

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 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 

voluntary U.S. Standards for Grades of 

Sweet Potatoes using procedures that 

appear in part 36 Title 7 of the Code of 

Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36). 

These standards were last revised in 

1963. 

Background 

On December 10, 2003, AMS 

published a notice soliciting comments 

on a possible revision to the United 

States Standards for Grades of Sweet 

Potatoes. As a result, AMS received five 

comments from industry groups 

requesting the addition of a new grade 

entitled U.S. No. 1 Petite, with the same 

requirements as the U.S. No. 1 grade 

currently in the standard, except for the 

size requirements. The request specified 

that the size requirements for the U.S. 

No. 1 Petite be: A minimum diameter of 

11⁄2 inches, a maximum diameter of 21⁄4

inches, a minimum length of 3 inches 

and a maximum length of 7 inches. 

These industry groups stated this new 

grade would aid in the marketing of 

smaller size sweet potatoes as the U.S. 

standards currently require sweet 

potatoes to be a larger size in order to 

meet a grade. Therefore, the addition of 

the U.S. No. 1 Petite grade to the 

standards would improve its usefulness 

in serving the industry. 

The official grade of a lot of sweet 

potatoes covered by these standards will 

be determined by the procedures set 

forth in the Regulations Governing 

Inspection, Certification, and Standards 

of Fresh Fruits, Vegetables and Other 

Products (§§ 51.1 to 51.61). 

This notice provides for a 60-day 

comment period for interested parties to 

comment on changes to the standard.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627.

Dated: October 25, 2004. 

A.J. Yates, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service.

[FR Doc. 04–24163 Filed 10–28–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Docket No. FV–04–306] 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Watermelons

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA.

ACTION: Notice; request for public 

comment. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS), of the Department of 

Agriculture is soliciting comments on 

the proposal to revise the United States 

Standards for Grades of Watermelons. 

AMS has received a petition from the 

National Watermelon Association 

(NWA), requesting a definition for 

seedless watermelons be added to the 

standards. Additionally, the petition 

included a request to add a variance to 

the size requirements. This change was 

requested by the industry in order to 

bring the standards for watermelons in 

line with current marketing practices, 

thereby, improving the usefulness of the 

standards in serving the industry.

DATES: Comments must be received by 

December 28, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments 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, E-mail 

FPB.DocketClerk@usda.gov. 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. The 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Watermelons is available either through 

the address cited above or by accessing 

the AMS Home Page on the Web at 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/

fvstand.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David L. Priester, at the above address 

or call (202) 720–2185; E-mail 

David.Priester@usda.gov.

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 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 

voluntary United States Standards for 

Grades of Watermelons using 

procedures that appear in part 36 Title 

7 of the Code of Federal Regulations (7 

CFR part 36). These standards were last 

revised in 1978. 

Background 

AMS received a petition from the 

NWA requesting a revision to the 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Watermelons. The standards are 

established under the authority of the 

Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 

U.S.C. 1621–1627). The petitioner 

represents watermelon growers and 

distributors from 30 states as well as 

Canada and Mexico. 

The petitioner is requesting that 

USDA add the following definition: 

‘‘Seedless Watermelons’’ are 

watermelons which have 16 or less 

mature seeds, not to include pips/

caplets, on the face of the melon which 

63134 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 209 / Friday, October 29, 2004 / Notices 

has been cut into four equal sections 

(one lengthwise cut and one crosswise 

cut). Additionally, the petitioner is 

requesting the size requirements be 

revised. Currently the size requirements 

state, ‘‘When the size of the 

watermelons is stated in terms of 

average weight, unless otherwise 

specified, the melons in any lot 

averaging less than 30 pounds (13.6 

kgs.) shall not vary more than 3 pounds 

(1.4 kgs.) below the stated average, and 

the melons in any lot averaging 30 

pounds (13.6 kgs.) or more shall not 

vary more than 5 pounds (2.3 kgs.) 

below the stated average.’’ The 

petitioner is requesting the size 

requirements be revised to allow for 

watermelons to vary 3 pounds above or 

below the average. Therefore, the size 

requirements would state, ‘‘When the 

size of the watermelons is stated in 

terms of average weight, unless 

otherwise specified, the melons in any 

lot averaging less than 30 pounds (13.6 

kgs.) shall not vary more than 3 pounds 

(1.4 kgs.) above or below the stated 

average, and the melons in any lot 

averaging 30 pounds (13.6 kgs.) or more 

shall not vary more than 5 pounds (2.3 

kgs.) below the stated average.’’

Prior to undertaking research and 

other work associated with revision of 

the grade standards, AMS decided to 

seek public comments on the petition. A 

notice requesting comments on the 

petition to revise the United States 

Standards for Grades of Watermelons 

was published in the April 22, 2004, 

Federal Register (69 FR 21812). 

In response to our request for 

comments, AMS received one comment 

from an industry group. The comment 

was in favor of the proposed revision of 

the standards. 

Based on the submitted information, 

AMS is proposing to revise the 

standards for watermelons following the 

standard format for U.S. Grade 

Standards. Specifically, the proposed 

revision will define seedless 

watermelons by including the following 

definition: ‘‘Seedless Watermelons’’ are 

watermelons which have 16 or less 

mature seeds, not to include pips/

caplets, on the face of the melon which 

has been cut into four equal sections 

(one lengthwise cut and one crosswise 

cut). AMS is also proposing to change 

the size requirements by adding an 

allowance for watermelons to vary 3 

pounds above or below the stated 

average weight. 

This proposal will bring the standards 

for watermelons in line with current 

marketing practices, thereby, improving 

the usefulness of the standards in 

serving the industry. The official grade 

of a lot of watermelons covered by these 

standards will be determined by the 

procedures set forth in the Regulations 

Governing Inspection, Certification, and 

Standards of Fresh Fruits, Vegetables 

and Other Products (§§ 51.1 to 51.61). 

This notice provides for a 60-day 

comment period for interested parties to 

comment on changes to the standards.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627.

Dated: October 25, 2004. 

A.J. Yates, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service.

[FR Doc. 04–24162 Filed 10–28–04; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency 

Florida Citrus, Fruit, Vegetable, and 

Nursery Crop Disaster Programs

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of program 

implementation. 

SUMMARY: This notice announces the 

availability of disaster relief for 

producers of citrus, selected tropical 

fruits, vegetables, fruits and nursery 

crops located in Florida counties that 

have received a Presidential disaster 

declaration for Hurricanes Charley, 

Frances, or Jeanne in order to 

reestablish producers’ purchasing power 

in the following Presidentially-declared 

disaster counties, and any other such 

counties subsequently declared by the 

President: Alachua, Baker, Bay, 

Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, 

Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, 

Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, 

Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, 

Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf, Hamilton, 

Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, 

Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, 

Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, 

Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, 

Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, 

Nassau, Okaloosa, Okeechobee, Orange, 

Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, 

Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, 

Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, 

Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, 

Wakulla, Walton, and Washington.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 28, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Eloise Taylor, Branch Chief, Compliance 

Branch, Production, Emergencies, and 

Compliance Division, Farm Service 

Agency (FSA), USDA, STOP 0517, 1400 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–0517; phone: 

(202) 720–9882; fax: (202) 720–4941; email: Eloise.Taylor@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Section 32 of the Agricultural Act of 

August 24, 1935, allows the Secretary of 

Agriculture to make payments to restore 

producers’ purchasing power. This 

authority has been used in the past to 

provide assistance to producers in 

response to unusual market conditions 

that adversely affected producers. 

Similarly, the widespread and 

significant destruction that resulted in 

Florida from Hurricanes Charley, 

Frances, and Jeanne has adversely 

affected the purchasing power of certain 

producers of agricultural commodities 

in those counties listed in the summary 

paragraph of this notice. Accordingly, 

the Secretary of Agriculture has 

determined that assistance is 

appropriate under this authority, in 

these counties, for producers of crops of 

citrus, nursery, vegetables, fruits and 

selected tropical fruits. Payment rates 

under each program will be as 

announced by FSA. 

Notice and Comment 

Because of the need to provide timely 

assistance to disaster affected producers, 

this program is effective immediately 

without regard to the provisions of 5 

U.S.C. 553 and the Statement of Policy 

of the Secretary of Agriculture dated 

July 24, 1971 (36 FR 13804). 

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 

Fairness Act 

In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 808, 

because the payments provided under 

this notice need to be made to affected 

producers as timely as possible, it was 

determined that a delay for 

consultation, review, and comment on 

this notice would be impracticable and 

contrary to the public interest. Thus, 

this notice is effective immediately. 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

A request for emergency clearance of 

the information collections associated 

with this notice was submitted to the 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) under 5 CFR 1320.13 (a)(2)(iii), 

and has been approved by OMB and 

assigned OMB control number 0560–

0247. 

Environmental Review 

Due to the weather-related disasters 

requiring the Agency to provide 

immediate relief, sufficient time was not 

available to complete an environmental 

review prior to implementing this 

program. Therefore, an environmental 

assessment is being completed to 

consider the potential impacts of this 

proposed action on the human 

environment in accordance with the 

provisions of the National