Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2000/03/15/00-6318/tobacco-inspection
Timestamp: 2018-03-18 14:49:28
Document Index: 301441169

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 29', 'art 29', '§\u200929', '§\u200929', 'art 29', '§\u200929', '§\u200929', '§\u200929', '§\u200929', '§\u200929', 'art 29', '§\u200929']

Federal Register :: Tobacco Inspection
A Proposed Rule by the Agricultural Marketing Service on 03/15/2000
Comments are due on or before May 15, 2000.
65 FR 13915
13915-13917 (3 pages)
Docket No. TB-99-02
00-6318
List of Subjects 7 CFR Part 29
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/00-6318 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/00-6318
The Department is proposing to revise the regulations for flue-cured tobacco to more accurately describe tobacco as it presently appears at the marketplace. The revision would add a new provision to the official grade standards for flue-cured tobacco to denote that any lot of baled tobacco that has not been opened for inspection would be graded by the exterior only. Additional bale dimensions and space requirements would be established for uniform marketing display in the warehouses. To take into account the marketing of bales, a revision would also be necessary in the poundage adjustment for a warehouse selling in excess of the sales schedule and for undesignated producer tobacco.
Send comments to John P. Duncan III, Deputy Administrator, Tobacco Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Room 502 Annex Building, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456. Comments will be made available for public inspection at this location during regular business hours.
John P. Duncan III, Deputy Administrator, Tobacco Programs, AMS, USDA, Room 502 Annex Building, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456; Telephone (202) 205-0567; Fax (202) 205-0235.
Notice is hereby given that the Department proposes to amend regulations under Subpart B, Regulations; Subpart C, Standards, and Subpart G, Policy Statement and Regulations Governing Availability of Tobacco Inspection and Price Support Services to Flue-Cured Tobacco on Designated Markets, pursuant to the authority contained in the Tobacco Inspection Act of 1935, as amended (49 Stat. 731; 7 U.S.C. 511 et seq.).
This proposal was based on a research project conducted by AMS and recommendations made by the industry to revise the regulations to better adapt flue-cured bale inspection into the current marketing system. On January 20, 2000, the Flue-Cured Tobacco Advisory Committee (FCTAC) met and reviewed recommendations from the tobacco industry on the flue-cured bale as an alternative packaging method. The recommendations made by the FCTAC have been included in this proposal for regulatory action. The proposed revision would add a new provision to the official standards for flue-cured tobacco to denote that any lot of baled tobacco that has not been opened for inspection would be graded by the exterior only, establish dimension and spacing requirements for marketing display of bales, and revise the poundage adjustment for a warehouse selling in excess of the sales schedule. An earlier proposed rule concerning bale inspection was issued on May 12, 1999 (64 FR 25462) and was withdrawn on July 22, 1999 (64 FR 39432). The notice of the withdrawal stated that we intended to publish an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to solicit additional input. However, the FCTAC advised that the proposal be published promptly, and we agree that the issues have already been considered within the industry. Therefore, an advance notice of proposed rulemaking would no longer be necessary.
Flue-cured tobacco has been traditionally marketed in a sheet with a maximum weight of 275 pounds. The dimensions of the sheet is 8 feet x 8 feet and is composed of burlap or other synthetic materials. The tobacco is arranged in a circular pattern on the sheet and the corners are tied diagonally for handling purposes. The lot of sheeted tobacco is approximately 4 feet in diameter.
The tobacco industry has experimented with the bale as an alternative packaging method for marketing flue-cured tobacco during the past 4 years. This alternative package is a 42-inch wide x 42-inch high x 40-inch long bale weighing approximately 750 pounds. The bale is compressed together and bound by metal wires. The FCTAC recommended bale dimensions of 42 inches x 42 inches x 40 inches. Because uniformity in the size of bales is an important aspect of the acceptability of baled tobacco, bales which are not approximately these dimensions would be designated “No-G.”
The current regulations under the Tobacco Inspection Act do not specifically restrict baling as a packaging method for flue-cured tobacco. However, the current regulations do require that an official grade determination be based on a thorough examination of a lot of tobacco. A minimum of three locations within a lot is required to be sampled to show the range of the entire lot. However, the buying segment of the tobacco industry has opposed opening bales citing integrity issues.
During the 1998 flue-cured marketing season, Tobacco Programs conducted a research project on marketing flue-cured tobacco in bales. The research focused on the grade and condition of flue-cured baled tobacco from the beginning to the end of the marketing process. Research data was collected at the farm level as the tobacco was compressed into a bale, at the auction warehouse before and during the day of sale, and at the processing facility as the bale was disassembled.
The purpose of the research project was to determine if significant variations existed between the exterior and interior of the flue-cured bale that would impact the official grade standards. The findings indicated there was no significant variation in grade and condition observed.
Accordingly, this proposal would revise the current tobacco regulations to allow the inspection of bales of flue-cured tobacco without the bale being opened for inspection. All lots of tobacco that are subject to mandatory inspection on a designated market should be made accessible to perform grading activities. The recommendation was made that each lot of baled flue-cured tobacco displayed for sale on auction warehouse floors be placed in rows end to end so the open side of the Start Printed Page 13916bales are facing the aisles. Also, a minimum space of 30 inches between the rows with the distance between lots of tobacco within the row shall be no less than 18 inches between immediately adjacent lots was recommended. These two spacing proposals would promote the orderly marketing of baled tobacco by providing a uniform marketing display in the warehouse. This would also provide accessibility for inspection of the bales.
An additional proposed revision would increase the poundage adjustment of 2,500 pounds by doubling the poundage amount for a warehouse selling in excess of the daily sales schedule. For example, 2,500 pounds would become 5,000 pounds and 5,000 pounds would become 10,000 pounds. The same would be applicable to undesignated producer tobacco, with 500 pounds becoming 1,000 pounds and 1,000 pounds becoming 2,000 pounds. This action is being proposed because the bale weight is approximately three times as much as tobacco marketed in sheets. This would give the farmers a chance to complete selling their lots of tobacco when the daily sales schedule has been depleted. This proposal should meet industry needs for marketing tobacco in bales.
This rule has been determined to be “non significant” for purposes of Executive Order 12866, and therefore, has not been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.
This proposed rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform. This action is not intended to have retroactive effect. This proposed rule will not preempt any State or local laws, regulations, or policies, unless they present an irreconcilable conflict with this rule. There are no administrative procedures which must be exhausted prior to any judicial challenge to the provisions of this rule.
Additionally, in conformance with the provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), full consideration has been given to the potential economic impact upon small business. All tobacco warehouses and producers fall within the confines of “small business” which are defined by the Small Business Administration (13 CFR 121.201) as those having annual receipts of less than $500,000, and small agricultural service firms are defined as those whose annual receipts are less than $3,500,000. There are approximately 190 tobacco warehouses and approximately 30,000 producers. The Agricultural Marketing Service has determined that this action would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. This proposal would add a new rule to the official standards for flue-cured tobacco to denote that any lot of baled tobacco that has not been opened for inspection would be graded by the exterior only. Accordingly, this change would allow grading of a closed package from the exterior only, and would assist in maintaining program integrity. Additional bale dimensions and space requirements would be established for uniform marketing display in the warehouses and would provide accessibility for inspection of the bales. A revision would also be made to the poundage adjustment for a warehouse selling in excess of the sales schedule and for undesignated producer tobacco in order to take into account the marketing of bales. These changes would apply equally to both small and large entities and they would take into account the marketing of flue-cured tobacco as it presently appears in the marketplace.
All persons who desire to submit written data, views, or arguments for consideration in connection with this proposal may file them with the Deputy Administrator, Tobacco Programs, AMS, USDA, Room 502 Annex Building, P. O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456. A 60 day comment period is provided for comments.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, it is proposed that the regulations at 7 CFR Part 29 be amended as follows:
2. A new § 29.75b is added to read as follows:
§ 29.75b
Display of baled flue-cured tobacco on auction warehouse floors in designated markets.
Each lot of baled flue-cured tobacco displayed for sale on auction warehouse floors shall have a minimum of 30 inches from side to side between the rows with open side of the bale facing the aisles. Distance between lots of baled tobacco within the row shall be no less than 18 inches between immediately adjacent lots.
3. The authority citation for Part 29, Subpart C continues to read as follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 511b, 511m, and 511r.
§ 29.1059
4. Section 29.1059 is amended by removing the words “and 29.)” and add in the place thereof the words “29, and 30.)”
5. Section 29.1109 is revised to read as follows:
§ 29.1109
6. Section 29.1129 is revised to read as follows:
§ 29.1129
Tobacco shall be designated by the grademark “No-G,” when it is offtype, semicured, fire-killed, smoked, oxidized over 10 percent, has an odor foreign to the type, or is packed in bales which are not approximately 42 inches wide x 42 inches high x 40 inches long .
7. A new § 29.1136 is added to read as follows:
§ 29.1136
8. The authority citation for part 29, subpart G continues to read as follows:
End Authority Start Printed Page 13917
9. Section 29.9406 is amended by revising paragraphs (c)(1), (c)(2), (c)(3) and (d) to read as follows:
§ 29.9406
Failure of warehouse to comply with opening and selling schedule.
(1) If the excess is 5,000 pounds or less of designated producer tobacco, the adjustment in producer sales opportunity shall be one pound for each pound of excess; sales in excess of 5,000 pounds shall be a violation of the sales schedule and the adjustment for the first violation shall be 5,000 pounds plus the larger of 3 pounds for each pound in excess of 5,000 pounds or 5,000 pounds; for the second violation, the adjustment shall be 5,000 pounds plus the larger of 5 pounds for each pound in excess of 5,000 or 15,000 pounds; and for the third and subsequent violations, the adjustment shall be 5,000 pounds plus the larger of 5 pounds for each pound in excess of 5,000 pounds or 50 percent of a schedule day's sales opportunity.
(3) If the excess is designated producer tobacco that is not eligible for sales at the warehouse on the day of the sale, the adjustment in producers sales opportunity for the first violation is the larger of 3 pounds for each pound in excess or 5,000 pounds, and for the second and succeeding violations, the larger of 5 pounds for each pound in excess or 10,000 pounds.
[FR Doc. 00-6318 Filed 3-14-00; 8:45 am]