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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 1, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 25416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-10330]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[Doc. Number AMS-FV-11-0054]

United States Standards for Grades of Okra

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), of the United States 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), proposes to revise the voluntary 
United States Standards for Grades of Okra by removing the 
``Unclassified'' section from the standards.

DATES: Comments must be received by May 31, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
the Standardization Branch, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, Fruit 
and Vegetable Program, AMS, USDA, 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.regulations.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 as submitted, including any 
personal information you provide, on the www.regulations.gov Web site.

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

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 
Program, and are available on the internet at www.ams.usda.gov/freshinspection.
    AMS proposes to revise the voluntary United States Standards for 
Grades of Okra using the procedures that appear 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 regarding 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.
    Based on the information gathered, AMS proposes to remove and 
reserve Section ``51.3946 Unclassified.'' AMS believes 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.
    This notice provides for a 30 day comment period for interested 
parties to comment on the proposed revision in the standards. This 
period is deemed appropriate in order to implement this change, if it 
is adopted, as soon as possible to reflect current marketing practices.

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

    Dated: April 25, 2013.
David R. Shipman,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-10330 Filed 4-30-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
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