Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2000/03/01/00-5034/revision-of-cotton-classification-procedures-for-determining-upland-cotton-color-grade
Timestamp: 2017-09-25 15:49:03
Document Index: 200330357

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 28', 'art 27', 'art 27', '§\u200927', 'art 28', 'art 27', '§\u200927', 'art 28', '§\u200928', 'art 28']

CN-00-001
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/00-5034 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/00-5034
Start Preamble Start Printed Page 10979
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to revise the procedure for determining the official color grade for Upland cotton. The color grade for Upland cotton is a part of the official classification which denotes cotton fiber quality used in the marketing and manufacturing of cotton. Previously, the color grade was determined by visual examination and comparison to the Official Cotton Standards by qualified cotton classers. The proposed revision will replace the classer's color determination with the instrument color measurement made by the High Volume Instrument (HVI) system used for official cotton classification for Upland Cotton since 1991.
Comments and inquiries should be addressed to, Cotton Programs, AMS, USDA, Room 2641-S, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 20090-6456. Comments will be available for public inspection during regular business hours at the above office in Rm. 2641-South Building, 14th & Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC.
The purpose of the RFA is to fit regulatory actions to the scale of businesses subject to such actions in order that small businesses will not be disproportionately burdened. There are an estimated 35,150 cotton growers, merchants, and textile manufacturers in the U.S. who voluntarily use the AMS cotton classing services annually under the United States Cotton Standards Act, the Cotton Statistics and Estimates Act, and the Cotton Futures Act. The majority of these entities are small businesses under the criteria established by the Small Business Administration (13 CFR 121.601). The change in procedure will not significantly affect small businesses as defined in the RFA because:
AMS conducted a pilot project during the 1998 and 1999 cotton classing seasons to implement an adjustment to the existing High Volume Instrument Start Printed Page 10980color measurement so that it would more closely match the Official Cotton Standards used by classers for official color grade determination. Data from the project, which the AMS Cotton Program conducted in cooperation with the National Cotton Council's Quality Task Force, showed that the HVI color measurement closely matched the Official Cotton Grade Standards for color. Results from the 1998 and 1999 crops showed that the HVI colormeter determines Official color grades as accurately as cotton classers. In December of 1999, the National Cotton Council Quality Task Force recommended that AMS replace the cotton classer determination with the HVI colormeter determination for color grade. AMS proposes to use the HVI colormeter determination as the official component of classification of American Upland cotton for color grade.
For the reasons set forth above, this proposal would amend the sections in Parts 28—COTTON CLASSING, TESTING, AND STANDARDS, Subpart A—Regulations Under the United States Cotton Standards Act, which establish the procedures for determining official cotton classification based on the Official Cotton Grade Standards. Since cotton classification services under the United States Cotton Futures Act must conform to the requirements of the Cotton Standards Act, this proposal would also amend the sections in Part 27—COTTON CLASSIFICATION UNDER COTTON FUTURES LEGISLATION which establish the procedures for determining cotton classification for cotton submitted for futures certification.
Accordingly, under Part 27, in § 27.2 (n), the definition of the term classification would be changed to reflect the changes in procedures made under Part 28.
Also under Part 27, § 27.31 would be revised to reflect the deletion of the requirement for cotton classers to determine color grade. The revised heading and section would reflect the changes made in procedures for determination of cotton quality in accordance with the official standards.
In Part 28, § 28.8 would be revised to reflect the proposed change in cotton classification procedures to replace classer visual examinations to fix color with instrument color measurement by High Volume Instruments. Miscellaneous other changes are made to the sections to better reflect current procedures in view of color determination change. For example, those determinations made by cotton classers or by authorized Cotton Program employees would be specified.
AMS anticipates that the change in procedures for official cotton classification, if adopted, would become effective on July 1, 2000, when classification of newly harvested 2000 crop cotton will begin. Further, a 30 day comment period is provided and deemed appropriate in order to allow adequate time to complete this rulemaking for the 2000 cotton crop.
1. The authority citation for 7 CFR part 28, subpart A, is revised to read as follows:
[FR Doc. 00-5034 Filed 2-29-00; 8:45 am]