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

40695

Vol. 63, No. 146

Thursday, July 30, 1998

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

[FV–97–328N]

United States Standards for Grades of

Canned Sweetpotatoes

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing

Service (AMS) of the Department of

Agriculture (USDA)is revising the

United States Standards for Grades of

Canned Sweetpotatoes. Specifically,

AMS is lowering the recommended

minimum drained weight averages of

canned sweetpotatoes packed in retail

size cans by two percent.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 31, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Karen L. Kaufman, Processed Products

Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs,

Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, STOP 0247,

P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C.

20090–6456; telephone (202) 720–5021;

fax (202) 690–1087; or e-mail

KarenlLlKaufman@usda.gov.

The current United States Standards

for Grades of Canned Sweetpotatoes,

along with the changes, are available

through the above addresses or by

accessing the Internet at the following

site: www.ams.usda.gov/standards/

vegcan.htm.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act

of 1946, as amended, directs and

authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture

‘‘to develop and improve standards of

quality, condition, grade, and packaging

and recommend and demonstrate such

standards in order to encourage

uniformity and consistency in

commercial practices . . .’’ The

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is

committed to carrying out this authority

in a manner that facilitates the

marketing of agricultural commodities.

The United States Standards for Grades

of Canned Sweetpotatoes do not appear

in the Code of Federal Regulations but

are maintained by the U.S. Department

of Agriculture. Copies of official

standards are available upon request.

AMS proposed to change the United

States Standards for Grades of Canned

Sweetpotatoes using the procedures it

published in the August 13, 1997,

Federal Register and that appear in Part

36 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal

Regulations (7 CFR Part 36).

Specifically, AMS proposed to lower the

recommended drained weight for

sweetpotatoes packed in retail size cans,

including No. 10 size cans, by two

percent. The drained weight criteria for

the No. 300 can, a size pack which has

been increasingly utilized in the

industry, will also be added. These

changes would allow a more equitable

marketing environment for domestic

sweetpotato processors.

AMS received petitions from the

Sweet Potato Council of the United

States, and the North Carolina Sweet

Potato Commission and three processors

requesting the revision of the United

States Standards for Grades of Canned

Sweetpotatoes.

Changes in the varietal types of

sweetpotatoes and the growing

conditions in the growing regions have

changed significantly since the current

Recommended Minimum Drained

Weight Averages (RMDWA’s) were first

proposed 21 years ago. The petitioners

contended that a unilateral reduction in

drained weight requirements in the

grade standard was indicated due to the

varietal characteristics of sweetpotatoes

currently available for processing. Data

supporting their petition was reviewed

by AMS.

AMS published a Notice in the

January 15, 1998, Federal Register (63

FR 2357). AMS received nine

comments, all in favor of the proposed

changes to the standard. Three of these

comments requested additional changes

to be made to the standard that are

unrelated to the proposed change. These

will be addressed at a later date after

receiving more information from the

requestors.

Accordingly, based on all the

information we have reviewed, AMS is

lowering the recommended minimum

drained weight for sweetpotatoes

packed in retail size cans, including No.

10 size cans, by two percent, and has

added the recommended drained weight

criteria for the No. 300 can in the grade

standards. The No. 300 size can is being

added because of the increased usage of

this can size. As the canning industry

has been replacing production of the

No. 303 container size with the No. 300

can, it is appropriate to include the

RMDWA for No. 300 cans along with

the other drained weight changes in the

standard.

This change will become effective 30

days after date of publication of this

notice in the Federal Register.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627.

Dated: July 23, 1998.

Robert C. Keeney,

Deputy Administrator, Fruit and Vegetable

Programs.

[FR Doc. 98–20322 Filed 7–29–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service

Lolo National Forest Big Game Winter

Range Restoration Project

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare

environmental impact statement.

SUMMARY: The Forest Service has

identified 21 big game winter ranges on

the Lolo National Forest that are in a

downward trend due to the invasion of

noxious weeds and encroaching

conifers. The Forest Service will

evaluate these winter ranges and

analyze various management activities

to reduce the spread and density of

noxious weeds and allow native and

desirable vegetation to reestablish itself

and regain vigor. The purpose and need

for this project is for the Forest Service

to restore the condition of certain high

value winter ranges across the Lolo

National Forest over the next five to ten

years. The proposed actions being

considered to achieve the purpose and

need include a combination of: burning,

cutting small trees and leaving them on

site, biological week management, other

physical weed controls, and applying

herbicides by ground equipment and

helicopter. Due to the steep topography

on the majority of these sites, we are

considering the aerial application of

herbicides using a helicopter. The total