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.

Notices Federal Register

6772 

Vol. 77, No. 27 

Thursday, February 9, 2012 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Doc. # AMS–FV–10–0047] 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Cauliflower 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS), of the Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), is soliciting 

comments on the proposed revision to 

the United States Standards for Grades 

of Cauliflower. AMS is reviewing all 

fresh fruit and vegetable grade standards 

for usefulness in serving the industry. 

As a result, AMS has noted the current 

U.S. grade standards do not have 

provisions for grading purple, orange or 

green cauliflower. The proposed 

revision will amend the color 

requirement for curds to allow all colors 

of cauliflower to be certified to a U.S. 

grade. In addition, AMS proposes to 

permit mixed color packs, heads less 

than 4 inches in diameter, and to 

remove the unclassified section. 

DATES: Comments must be received by 

April 9, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments to 

the Standardization and Training 

Branch, Fresh Products Division, Fruit 

and Vegetable Programs, Agricultural 

Marketing Service, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, National Training and 

Development Center, Riverside Business 

Park, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, 

Fredericksburg, VA 22406: Fax (540) 

361–1199, or on the Web at: 

www.regulation.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. 

Comments can also be viewed on the 

www.regulations.gov Web site. The 

current United States Standards for 

Grades of Cauliflower will be available 

either through the address cited above 

or by accessing the AMS, Fresh 

Products Division Web site at 

www.ams.usda.gov/freshinspection. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Carl Newell, at the above address or call 

(540) 361–1120. 

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 Cauliflower using procedures 

that appear in Part 36, Title 7 of the 

Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 

36). 

Background and Proposed Notice 

AMS is reviewing all fresh fruit and 

vegetable grade standards for usefulness 

in serving the industry. As a result, 

AMS has identified the U.S. Standards 

for Grades of Cauliflower color 

requirement for possible updating. 

Different colors of cauliflower, such 

as purple, green, and orange, are 

currently being packed, including 

specialty packs consisting of mixed 

colors. The U.S. grade standards 

presently require curds to be white, 

creamy white, or cream color; they do 

not have provisions for grading other 

colors of cauliflower. AMS proposes to 

amend U.S. No. 1 color provisions by 

adding ‘‘unless otherwise specified;’’ to 

the basic requirement for color. This 

revision will also affect the U.S. 

Commercial grade. AMS believes that 

permitting other colors and mixed color 

packs will facilitate the marketing of 

cauliflower by providing the industry 

with more flexibility that reflects 

current marketing practices and 

consumer demand. 

In addition, California produce 

growers, packers, and shippers 

requested that the USDA provide more 

flexibility regarding the minimum size. 

Currently, curds are required to be not 

less than 4 inches in diameter. In order 

to allow for smaller sized heads of 

cauliflower, AMS proposes to amend 

provisions concerning U.S. No. 1 size by 

adding ‘‘unless otherwise specified’’ to 

the basic requirement for size. This 

revision will also affect the U.S. 

Commercial grade. 

AMS also proposes to eliminate the 

‘‘Unclassified’’ category from the 

standards. The unclassified section is 

being removed from all standards when 

they are revised. This category is not a 

grade and only serves to show that no 

grade has been applied to the lot. It is 

no longer considered necessary. 

This notice provides for a 60 day 

comment period for interested parties to 

comment on the proposed revisions in 

the standards. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627. 

Dated: February 3, 2012. 

Robert C. Keeney, 

Acting Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–3027 Filed 2–8–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

[Document No. AMS–FV–11–0054] 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Okra 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS), prior to undertaking 

research and other work associated with 

revising official grade standards, is 

soliciting comments on the possible 

revisions to the United States Standards 

for Grades of Okra. AMS has been 

reviewing the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable 

grade standards for usefulness in 

serving the industry. As a result, AMS 

has identified the United States 

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