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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 63158]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-24818]

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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.

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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 205 / Wednesday, October 23, 2013 / 
Notices

[[Page 63158]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. Number AMS-FV-11-0054; FV-13-331]

United States Standards for Grades of Okra

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is revising the voluntary United States Standards 
for Grades of Okra by removing the ``Unclassified'' category from the 
standards.

DATES: Effective: November 22, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Horner, Standardization Branch, 
Specialty Crops Inspection Division, telephone: (540) 361-1128 or 1150. 
The revised United States Standards for Grades of Okra are available on 
the Specialty Crops Inspection Division Web site at www.ams.usda.gov/scihome.

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. Because the United States Standards for Grades 
of Fruits and Vegetables are not connected with Federal marketing 
orders or U.S. import requirements, they no longer appear in the Code 
of Federal Regulations. They are, however, maintained by the AMS Fruit 
and Vegetable Program and are available on the Internet at 
www.ams.usda.gov/scihome.
    AMS is revising the voluntary United States Standards for Grades of 
Okra using the procedures in Part 36, Title 7 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (7 CFR Part 36). These standards were last revised December 
18, 1928.

Background and Response to Comments

    On February 9, 2012, AMS published a notice in the Federal Register 
(77 FR 6772) soliciting comments about removing the ``unclassified'' 
section and any other possible revision to the United States Standards 
for Grades of Okra. The public comment period closed on April 9, 2012, 
with no responses.
    On May 1, 2013, AMS published a second notice in the Federal 
Register (78 FR 25416) soliciting comments about removing the 
``unclassified'' section from the United States Standards for Grades of 
Okra. The public comment period closed on May 31, 2013, with no 
responses.
    Based on the information gathered, AMS will remove and reserve 
``Section 51.3946 Unclassified.'' The revision will bring the okra 
standards in line with current marketing practices and other commodity 
standards. This section is being removed in standards for all 
commodities as they are revised. It is no longer considered necessary 
since it is not a grade and only serves to show that no grade has been 
applied to the lot.
    The official grade of a lot of okra 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 (Sec. 51.1 to 51.61).
    The revisions to the United States Standards for Grades of Okra 
will be effective 30 days after publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

    Dated: October 17, 2013.
Rex A. Barnes,
Associate Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-24818 Filed 10-22-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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