This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER

contains notices to the public of the proposed

issuance of rules and regulations. The

purpose of these notices is to give interested

persons an opportunity to participate in the

rule making prior to the adoption of the final

rules.

Proposed Rules Federal Register

14709 

Vol. 72, No. 60 

Thursday, March 29, 2007 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

7 CFR Part 51 

[Docket # AMS–FV–2007–0008; FV–06–310] 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Florida Avocados 

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, 

USDA. 

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed 

rulemaking. 

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 of the United States Standards 

for Grades of Florida Avocados. At a 

meeting with the Fruit and Vegetable 

Industry Advisory Committee, AMS was 

asked to review the Fresh Fruit and 

Vegetable grade standards for usefulness 

in serving the industry. As a result AMS 

is considering revisions to the Florida 

Avocado standard to include all 

avocados. 

DATES: Comments must be received by 

May 29, 2007. 

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments on 

the internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov or 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. 

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: 

Vincent J. Fusaro, Standardization 

Section, Fresh Products Branch, (202) 

720–2185. The United States Standards 

for Grades of Florida Avocados are 

available either through the address 

cited above or by accessing the Fresh 

Products Branch Web site at: http:// 

www.ams.usda.gov/standards/stanfrfv.

htm. 

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. 

AMS makes copies of official standards 

available upon request. 

AMS is considering revisions to the 

United States Standards for Grades of 

Florida Avocados. These standards were 

published on September 3, 1957. 

Background 

At a meeting with the Fruit and 

Vegetable Industry Advisory Committee, 

AMS was asked to review the Fresh 

Fruit and Vegetable grade standards for 

usefulness in serving the industry. AMS 

has identified the United States 

Standards for Grades of Florida 

Avocados (7 CFR 51.3050–3069) for 

possible revision. The current standard 

only applies to avocados grown in 

Florida. AMS is considering revisions to 

the standards so it may be applied to all 

avocados. The title of the standard 

would be modified by deleting 

‘‘Florida,’’ to make the standards generic 

to cover all avocados. As a result this 

allows for avocados from different 

growing regions to be marketed and 

certified to a grade using the standard. 

AMS will also eliminate § 51.3054 

entitled ‘‘Unclassified.’’ This section is 

not a grade and only serves to show 

than no grade has been applied to the 

lot. This section will be removed from 

all fresh fruit and vegetable standards. It 

is no longer considered necessary. 

However, prior to undertaking detailed 

work to develop the proposed revision 

to the standards, AMS is soliciting 

comments on these changes as well as 

any other revisions to the United States 

Standards for Grades of Florida 

Avocados to better serve the industry. 

Users of these standards include: 

voluntary, destination and shipping 

point users, in addition to required 

users. 

AMS is seeking comments regarding 

how, if at all, marketing would be 

improved by removing the word 

‘‘Florida’’ so the standard could be 

applied to all avocados, including 

avocados grown outside the state of 

Florida. Further, comments outlining 

any additional costs or benefits would 

be helpful in determining a final 

decision after the comments are 

received and reviewed. AMS will also 

review any other suggested revisions 

and would be interested in how they 

would improve the marketing of 

avocados and any associated costs and/ 

or benefits to the industry. 

There is a mandatory marketing 

program which regulates the handling of 

Florida avocados under (7 CFR part 

915). Avocados under the marketing 

order have to meet certain requirements 

set forth in the grade standards. In 

addition, avocados are subject to section 

8e import requirements (7 CFR part 944) 

under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 

1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601–674) 

which requires imported avocados to 

meet grade, size, quality under the 

applicable marketing order. 

Executive Order 12866 

The Office of Management and Budget 

has waived the review process required 

by Executive Order 12866 for this 

action. 

This notice provides for a 60-day 

comment period for interested parties to 

comment on whether any changes are 

necessary to the standards. Should AMS 

conclude that there is a need for any 

revisions of the standards, the proposed 

revisions will be published in the 

Federal Register with a request for 

comments. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627. 

Dated: March 23, 2007. 

Lloyd C. Day, 

Administrator, Agricultural Marketing 

Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–5788 Filed 3–28–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 


pwalker on PROD1PC71 with PROPOSALS