Avocados Grown in South Florida and Imported Avocados; Revision of the Maturity Requirements, 26941-26945 [E8-10462]

Agencies

• Agricultural Marketing Service
• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 92 (Monday, May 12, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 26941-26945]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-10462]



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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 92 / Monday, May 12, 2008 / Rules and 
Regulations

[[Page 26941]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 915 and 944

[Docket No. AMS-FV-07-0054; FV07-915-2 FR]


Avocados Grown in South Florida and Imported Avocados; Revision 
of the Maturity Requirements

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This rule revises the maturity requirements currently 
prescribed for avocados grown in South Florida and for avocados 
imported into the United States that are shipped to the fresh market. 
The Avocado Administrative Committee (Committee) which locally 
administers the marketing order for avocados grown in South Florida 
recommended the change for Florida avocados. A corresponding change in 
the import regulation is also required under section 8e of the 
Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937. This rule requires that 
avocados which fail the maturity requirements and are reworked and 
presented for reinspection must meet the maturity requirements which 
correspond to the date of the original inspection. This rule will help 
ensure only mature avocados are shipped to the fresh market.

DATES: Effective Date: May 13, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William G. Pimental, Marketing 
Specialist, or Christian D. Nissen, Regional Manager, Southeast 
Marketing Field Office, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit 
and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA; Telephone: (863) 324-3375, Fax: 
(863) 325-8793, or E-mail: William.Pimental@usda.gov or 
Christian.Nissen@usda.gov.
    Small businesses may request information on complying with this 
regulation by contacting Jay Guerber, Marketing Order Administration 
Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., STOP 0237, Washington, DC 20250-0237; Telephone: (202) 
720-2491, Fax: (202) 720-8938, or E-mail: Jay.Guerber@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule is issued under Marketing 
Order No. 915, as amended (7 CFR part 915), regulating the handling of 
avocados grown in South Florida, hereinafter referred to as the 
``order.'' The order is effective under the Agricultural Marketing 
Agreement Act of 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674), hereinafter 
referred to as the ``Act.''
    This rule is also issued under section 8e of the Act, which 
provides that whenever certain specified commodities, including 
avocados, are regulated under a Federal marketing order, imports of 
these commodities into the United States are prohibited unless they 
meet the same or comparable grade, size, quality, or maturity 
requirements as those in effect for the domestically produced 
commodities.
    The Department of Agriculture (USDA) is issuing this rule in 
conformance with Executive Order 12866.
    This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, 
Civil Justice Reform. This rule is not intended to have retroactive 
effect. This rule will not preempt any State or local laws, 
regulations, or policies, unless they present an irreconcilable 
conflict with this rule.
    The Act provides that administrative proceedings must be exhausted 
before parties may file suit in court. Under section 608c(15)(A) of the 
Act, any handler subject to an order may file with USDA a petition 
stating that the order, any provision of the order, or any obligation 
imposed in connection with the order is not in accordance with law and 
request a modification of the order or to be exempted therefrom. A 
handler is afforded the opportunity for a hearing on the petition. 
After the hearing, USDA would rule on the petition. The Act provides 
that the district court of the United States in any district in which 
the handler is an inhabitant, or has his or her principal place of 
business, has jurisdiction to review USDA's ruling on the petition, 
provided an action is filed not later than 20 days after the date of 
the entry of the ruling.
    There are no administrative procedures which must be exhausted 
prior to any judicial challenge to the provisions of import regulations 
issued under section 8e of the Act.
    This final rule revises the maturity requirements currently 
prescribed under the order for avocados grown in South Florida. This 
rule requires that avocados which fail the maturity requirements and 
are reworked and presented for reinspection must meet the maturity 
requirements which correspond to the date of the original inspection. 
This action, unanimously recommended by the Committee, will help ensure 
that only mature avocados are shipped to the fresh market.
    Section 915.51 of the order provides the authority to issue 
regulations establishing specific maturity requirements for avocados 
grown in South Florida. Section 915.332 of the order's rules and 
regulations establishes the requisite maturity requirements for 
avocados. The maturity requirements specify minimum weights, diameters, 
and shipping dates for approximately 60 different varieties of 
avocados. These dates and requirements are reflected in the avocado 
maturity schedule as it appears in Table I of Sec.  915.332(a)(2).
    Under the terms of the marketing order, fresh market shipments of 
Florida avocados are required to be inspected and are subject to grade, 
pack, container, and maturity requirements. The maturity requirements 
are intended to prevent the shipment of immature avocados to the fresh 
market. This helps to improve buyer confidence in the marketplace, and 
fosters increased consumption.
    This rule changes the way the maturity requirements are applied. 
Specifically, this rule requires avocados which fail maturity 
requirements and are reworked and presented for reinspection to meet 
the maturity requirements which correspond to the date of the original 
inspection.
    The maturity requirements for avocados are expressed in terms of 
minimum weights and diameters in conjunction with specific dates during 
the shipping season. Each regulated variety has its own set of dates 
and requirements on the maturity schedule.

[[Page 26942]]

The maturity requirements for the various varieties are different 
because each variety has its own growing season and stages when the 
fruit is mature and ready to be harvested.
    With avocados, the level of maturity is determined by when the 
avocado is harvested. Because the maturity process ceases once the 
fruit is severed from the tree, an avocado needs to remain on the tree 
until it is mature. According to Paul Harding, a plant physiologist for 
the Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, the stage of maturity of the 
fruit when harvested is directly related to its palatability and is the 
most important factor that influences eating quality.\1\ Avocados which 
are not mature at the time of harvest will not ripen properly. Avocados 
that do not ripen properly can have an unpleasant taste and consistency 
which negatively affects customer satisfaction. Consequently, the dates 
on the maturity schedule have been carefully established based on years 
of testing to ensure avocados shipped using the schedule are mature 
enough to complete the ripening process.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Harding, Paul L. ``The Relation of Maturity to Quality in 
Florida Avocados.'' Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural 
Society 67 (1954):276-280.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The maturity schedule is divided into A, B, C, and D dates which 
reflect the different stages of maturity associated with an individual 
variety. Larger sized fruit within a variety matures earlier, while 
smaller fruit needs to remain on the tree longer to reach maturity. 
Consequently, A dates are associated with larger sizes and are 
established early in the variety's shipping season. For a majority of 
varieties, the schedule also includes B and C dates that fall somewhere 
in between the A and D dates for the particular variety. These dates 
proceed in stages as the season advances, allowing for the shipment of 
progressively smaller sizes and weights as a variety matures. The D 
date marks the end of a variety's marketing season and releases all 
remaining sizes for shipment to the fresh market. This gradual shift in 
the maturity standards from the beginning of the season to its end 
helps ensure that all sizes remain on the tree long enough to reach 
maturity.
    As an example, consider the Simmons variety. The A date for the 
Simmons is the Monday nearest June 20, and requires a minimum weight of 
16 ounces or a minimum diameter of 3\9/16\ inches for fruit shipped to 
the fresh market. The corresponding B date is the Monday nearest July 
4, and reduces the minimum weight to 14 ounces or a minimum diameter of 
3\7/16\ inches. The C date is the Monday nearest to July 18, and 
further reduces the minimum weight and size requirements to 12 ounces 
or 3\1/16\ inches, and the requirements end with a scheduled D date of 
the Monday nearest to August 1 when all remaining fruit of this variety 
can be shipped.
    Over the years, the maturity schedule has been determined to be the 
best indicator of maturity for the different varieties of avocados 
grown in Florida, and growers and handlers rely on the schedule in 
making harvesting, packing, and shipping decisions. The maturity 
schedule facilitates the shipment of the different varieties of 
avocados as they mature, and helps ensure that only mature fruit is 
shipped to the fresh market. This in turn helps promote consumer 
satisfaction which is essential for the successful marketing of the 
crop.
    Florida avocados are inspected for compliance with the rules and 
regulations established under the order, including the maturity 
requirements, by the Federal or Federal State Inspection Service. When 
a lot of avocados fails inspection, the handler has the opportunity to 
rework the lot to remove the fruit that caused the lot to fail. This 
usually entails removing any damaged or undersized fruit from the lot. 
Once the lot has been reworked, the lot is presented for reinspection.
    However, the Committee has discovered that in some cases where lots 
fail for maturity, handlers are only holding the avocados until the 
next date under the maturity schedule and then presenting them for 
reinspection to benefit from the reduced size and weight requirements 
rather than reworking the lots to remove undersized fruit. The 
Committee agreed this practice undermines the purpose of the maturity 
requirements and results in immature fruit being shipped to the fresh 
market.
    Committee members stated the maturity requirements were established 
to ensure that only mature avocados reach the fresh market. By allowing 
a handler to just hold the fruit until the next date on the maturity 
schedule, the overall maturity of the lot is not improved. Because the 
maturity process ends once the fruit is picked, fruit that fails to 
meet the maturity standards at the time of inspection will not develop 
in maturity while being held in the box. The only way to increase the 
overall maturity of the lot is to remove the fruit which caused the lot 
to fail at the time of inspection.
    The Committee believes allowing fruit that failed maturity 
requirements to be held until the next date on the maturity schedule 
without being reworked to remove undersized fruit permits immature 
fruit to be shipped to the fresh market. A lot that fails inspection 
for maturity can contain a significant amount of avocados which are 
undersized or underweight. Based on the schedule, this fruit was picked 
too soon, and most likely did not spend enough time on the tree to 
reach the proper level of maturity. Because this fruit is immature, it 
will frequently not ripen properly, and it would have a negative impact 
on the market and will likely result in the loss of future avocado 
sales.
    The requirements associated with the initial inspection correlate 
more closely with the time of picking and as such remain the best 
measure of the maturity of the lot. Consequently, the Committee agreed 
the maturity requirements specified on the schedule at the time of the 
original inspection should be the requirements applied when the 
avocados are presented for reinspection.
    With this change, when avocados fail inspection for maturity, the 
handler will continue to be allowed to immediately rework the lot to 
remove undersized and/or underweight fruit and present the lot for 
reinspection or hold the lot to rework it later. However, the 
reinspection will be conducted using the maturity requirements for the 
date the lot was originally presented for inspection regardless of when 
it is presented for reinspection. Even if a lot is held until the next 
date on the schedule, the requirements specified for the original 
inspection will still apply, and the avocados that caused the lot to 
fail will have to be removed before the lot will pass under a 
reinspection. This change makes sure undersized and underweight fruit 
have to be removed before a lot can meet the necessary requirements 
which in turn should help further ensure that only mature fruit is 
being shipped to the fresh market.
    This change also makes the reinspection procedures for maturity 
requirements more consistent with those applied for grade requirements. 
The current grade requirement for avocados is a U.S. No. 2 and is 
constant throughout the year. The only way for a lot that fails for 
grade to meet the grade requirement is to have the fruit which caused 
the lot to fail removed. The Committee believes the process for 
handling avocados which fail the maturity requirements should be the 
same. Because the maturity level does not improve by just holding the 
avocados, the maturity requirements applied to that lot should remain 
constant as it does with grade. This change ensures that undersized and

[[Page 26943]]

underweight fruit are removed prior to reinspection, maintaining the 
benefits of the maturity schedule.
    Prior to this final rule, when a lot of avocados failed inspection, 
the handler had the option to rework the lot, hold the fruit to be 
reworked at a later date, dump or destroy the fruit, send the fruit for 
processing, or donate it to charity. With this change, the handler has 
the same options. However, fruit to be reworked for maturity will be 
segregated and placed under the supervision of the Federal or Federal-
State Inspection Service using their Positive Lot Identification (PLI) 
program to ensure the lot is reworked to meet the minimum maturity 
requirements specified at the time of the initial inspection. Once the 
lot, or any portion thereof, is reworked, the Federal or Federal-State 
Inspection Service will reinspect the avocados applying the maturity 
requirements for the date of the original inspection. Also, all fruit 
in the lot will need to be accounted for under this process. Therefore, 
only fruit meeting the initial maturity requirements will be allowed to 
be shipped to the fresh market.
    Section 8e of the Act provides that when certain domestically 
produced commodities, including avocados, are regulated under a Federal 
marketing order, imports of that commodity must meet the same or 
comparable grade, size, quality, and maturity requirements. Since this 
rule modifies maturity requirements under the domestic handling 
regulations, a corresponding change to the avocado import maturity 
regulations must also be established.
    Minimum grade, quality, and maturity requirements for avocados 
imported into the United States are currently in effect under Sec.  
944.31 (7 CFR 944.31). The maturity requirements are specified in Sec.  
944.31(a)(2). The Hass, Fuerte, Zutano, and Edranol varieties of 
avocados are exempt from the maturity schedule, and continue to be 
exempt under this rule. However, these varieties must meet the minimum 
grade requirement of a U.S. No. 2 for imported avocados, which is not 
be changed by this action.
    This rule requires that imported avocados which fail the maturity 
requirements and are reworked and presented for reinspection must meet 
the maturity requirements which correspond to the date of the original 
inspection. With this change, fruit to be reworked for maturity will be 
segregated and placed under the supervision of the Federal or Federal-
State Inspection Service using their PLI program to ensure the lot is 
reworked to meet the minimum maturity requirements specified at the 
time of the initial inspection.
    Once the lot of avocados, or any portion thereof, is reworked, the 
Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service will reinspect the lot 
applying the maturity requirements for the date of the original 
inspection. In addition, all fruit in the lot will need to be accounted 
for under this process. This will help ensure only mature fruit that 
will ripen properly is shipped to the fresh market. Consumers prefer 
fruit that ripens properly. Thus, importers will also benefit from this 
change in maturity requirements.
    Import data for calendar years 2002 through 2006 reveals the major 
exporters of green-skin avocados to the United States are Mexico, 
Chile, and the Dominican Republic. Imports of green-skin avocados 
totaled approximately 10,163 metric tons in 2002, 13,770 metric tons in 
2003, 8,729 metric tons in 2004, 12,411 metric tons in 2005, and 10,389 
metric tons in 2006. The Dominican Republic is the largest supplier of 
green-skin avocados, accounting for approximately 98 percent of 
imports.

Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    Pursuant to requirements set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act (RFA), the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has considered the 
economic impact of this action on small entities. Accordingly, AMS has 
prepared this final regulatory flexibility analysis.
    The purpose of the RFA is to fit regulatory actions to the scale of 
business subject to such actions in order that small businesses will 
not be unduly or disproportionately burdened. Marketing orders issued 
pursuant to the Act, and rules issued thereunder, are unique in that 
they are brought about through group action of essentially small 
entities acting on their own behalf. Import regulations issued under 
the Act are based on those established under Federal marketing orders.
    There are approximately 300 producers of avocados in the production 
area and approximately 35 handlers subject to regulation under the 
order. There are approximately 65 importers of the type of avocados 
that are regulated under the order. Small agricultural producers are 
defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) as those having 
annual receipts of less than $750,000, and small agricultural service 
firms, which include avocado handlers and importers, are defined as 
those whose annual receipts are less than $6,500,000 (13 CFR 121.201).
    According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service and 
Committee data, the average price for Florida avocados during the 2005-
06 season was around $46.75 per 55-pound bushel container, and total 
shipments were near 470,000 55-pound bushel equivalents. Using the 
average price and shipment information provided by the Committee, the 
majority of avocado handlers have annual receipts of less than 
$6,500,000. In addition, based on avocado production, grower prices, 
and the total number of Florida avocado growers, the average annual 
grower revenue is less than $750,000. Based on information from the 
Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA, the dollar value of imported 
avocados ranged from around $156.7 million in 2003 to $337.5 million in 
2005. Using these numbers, the majority of avocado importers have 
annual receipts of less than $6,500,000. Consequently, the majority of 
avocado producers, handlers, and importers may be classified as small 
entities.
    This rule, recommended by the Committee, revises the maturity 
requirements currently prescribed for avocados grown in South Florida 
and for avocados imported into the United States that are shipped to 
the fresh market. This rule requires that avocados which fail the 
maturity requirements and are reworked and presented for reinspection 
must meet the maturity requirements which correspond to the date of the 
original inspection. This rule will help ensure that only mature 
avocados are shipped to the fresh market. This rule revises Sec.  
915.332, which specifies the requisite maturity requirements. Authority 
for this action is provided in Sec.  915.51 of the order. This rule 
also revises Sec.  944.31, which specifies the maturity requirements 
for imported avocados. The change in the import regulation is required 
under section 8e of the Act.
    This rule could result in some additional costs for handlers and 
importers. These costs would be associated primarily with the cost to 
rework the lot and the added inspection costs associated with having 
Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service supervision of lots that 
fail for maturity. However, these costs are expected to be minimal and 
should apply to no more than a few shipments each year as only a very 
small percentage of lots fail for maturity.
    The vast majority of handlers and importers are already reworking 
lots that fail for maturity to remove the undersized and underweight 
avocados that caused the lot to fail. Consequently, reworking lots 
which fail for maturity is already a standard practice for most of the 
industry, and as such does not represent an additional cost for most 
handlers and importers.

[[Page 26944]]

    In addition, this rule could encourage more careful spot picking to 
ensure that the avocados are of the proper size or weight to meet the 
requirements of the maturity schedule. However, spot picking is a 
standard industry practice, so this should not result in any additional 
cost.
    Therefore, in most cases, any additional costs resulting from this 
change would be from the added inspection costs associated with the 
Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service supervision of failing 
lots. Based on information provided by the Federal or Federal-State 
Inspection Service, the added cost will be based on the time it takes 
to apply the PLI program. For most handlers and importers, this should 
be accomplished in an hour or less. Consequently, the added cost will 
be based on the standard hourly rate charged by the Federal or Federal-
State Inspection Service. These costs could range from as low as $22.00 
per hour to $64.00 per hour for a lot of avocados. In situations where 
a lot is reworked immediately, the handler or importer may not even 
accrue any additional charges.
    With average lot sizes ranging from approximately 100 55-pound 
cartons of avocados for a small lot to large lots containing 
approximately 800 55-pound cartons, and with avocados selling for a 
season average of around $46.75 per 55-pound container, the cost of 
inspection is a small percentage of the total value of the lot. 
Consequently, considering the possible added costs associated with this 
change, and the small number of lots affected, the overall costs 
associated with this rule are expected to be minimal.
    Florida avocado producers and handlers have found that the maturity 
requirements have been beneficial in the successful marketing of their 
avocado crop. Experience has shown when immature avocados are found in 
market channels, they tend to have a price depressing effect on the 
market and negatively affect repeat purchases. Preventing the shipment 
of immature avocados improves buyer confidence in the marketplace, and 
fosters increased consumption. This change is expected to provide added 
assurance that the avocados marketed are of satisfactory maturity and 
will ripen properly which is expected to further promote customer 
satisfaction.
    This rule is expected to similarly impact importers of avocados. 
Non-exempt varieties of imported avocados have met the minimum weight 
or diameter maturity requirements in past seasons, and this is expected 
to continue. Thus, USDA believes this change will not limit the 
quantity of imported avocados or place an undue burden on exporters, or 
importers of avocados. The marketplace price and quality benefits 
expected for Florida growers and handlers as a result of this rule will 
also benefit exporters and importers of avocados.
    As most handlers and importers are already reworking lots which 
fail for maturity to remove undersized and underweight fruit, this 
change is not expected to impact the total number of avocado shipments. 
It is, however, expected to have a positive effect in the marketplace 
by helping to ensure only mature avocados are reaching the market which 
in turn should provide a strong price base for the industry.
    This rule may impose some additional costs on producers, handlers, 
and importers. However, the costs are expected to be minimal, and will 
be offset by the benefits of this rule. This action benefits consumers, 
producers, handlers, and importers by providing consumers with a 
better, more mature piece of fruit. The costs and benefits of this rule 
are not expected to be disproportionately greater or less significant 
for small entities than for large entities.
    One alternative to this action considered was to make no change. 
However, the Committee believes this was not an acceptable alternative 
as it could result in immature avocados reaching the fresh market. The 
Committee agreed that allowing immature avocados to reach the fresh 
market would be detrimental to the industry as a whole. Therefore, this 
alternative was rejected.
    This final rule revises the maturity requirements under the Florida 
avocado marketing order. Accordingly, this action will not impose any 
additional reporting or recordkeeping requirements on either small or 
large date handlers. As with all Federal marketing order programs, 
reports and forms are periodically reviewed to reduce information 
requirements and duplication by industry and public sector agencies.
    AMS is committed to complying with the E-Government Act, to promote 
the use of the Internet and other information technologies to provide 
increased opportunities for citizen access to Government information 
and services, and for other purposes.
    As noted in the initial regulatory flexibility analysis, USDA has 
not identified any relevant Federal rules that duplicate, overlap or 
conflict with this final rule. Further, the public comment received 
concerning the proposal did not address the initial regulatory 
flexibility analysis.
    In addition, the Committee's meeting was widely publicized 
throughout the avocado industry and all interested persons were invited 
to attend the meeting and participate in Committee deliberations. Like 
all Committee meetings, the meeting where this action was recommended 
was a public meeting and all entities, both large and small, were able 
to express views on this issue.
    A proposed rule concerning this action was published in the Federal 
Register on December 10, 2007 (72 FR 69624). Copies of the rule were 
mailed or sent via facsimile to all Committee members and avocado 
handlers. Finally, the rule was made available through the Internet by 
USDA and the Office of the Federal Register. A 60-day comment period 
ending February 8, 2008, was provided to allow interested persons to 
respond to the proposal.
    One comment was received during the comment period in response to 
the proposal. The commenter was in favor of the proposal. The commenter 
stated that they handle both imported and domestically grown avocados. 
The commenter stated that if fruit is picked in an immature state prior 
to the date stated on the maturity schedule, the fruit will never 
ripen. The commenter stated support for the proposed rule because this 
rule closes a loophole in the system that could allow immature avocados 
to enter the market.
    A small business guide on complying with fruit, vegetable, and 
specialty crop marketing agreements and orders may be viewed at: http:/
/www.ams.usda.gov/fv/moab.html. Any questions about the compliance 
guide should be sent to Jay Guerber at the previously mentioned address 
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    In accordance with section 8e of the Act, the United States Trade 
Representative has concurred with the issuance of this rule.
    After consideration of all relevant matter presented, including the 
information and recommendation submitted by the Committee and other 
available information, it is hereby found that this rule, as 
hereinafter set forth, will tend to effectuate the declared policy of 
the Act.
    It is further found that good cause exists for not postponing the 
effective date of this rule until 30 days after publication in the 
Federal Register (5 U.S.C. 553) because this rule needs to be in place 
prior to the start of the 2008-09 season. Further, handlers are aware 
of this rule, which was recommended at a public meeting. Also, a 60-day

[[Page 26945]]

comment period was provided for in the proposed rule.

List of Subjects

7 CFR Part 915

    Avocados, Marketing agreements, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

7 CFR Part 944

    Avocados, Food grades and standards, Grapefruit, Grapes, Imports, 
Kiwifruit, Limes, Olives, Oranges.

0
For the reasons set forth above, 7 CFR parts 915 and 944 are amended as 
follows:
0
1. The authority citation for 7 CFR parts 915 and 944 continues to read 
as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 601-674.

PART 915--AVOCADOS GROWN IN SOUTH FLORIDA

0
2. A new paragraph (a)(3) is added to Sec.  915.332 to read as follows:


Sec.  915.332  Florida avocado maturity regulation.

    (a) * * *
    (3) Avocados which fail to meet the maturity requirements specified 
in this section must be maintained under the supervision of the Federal 
or Federal-State Inspection Service using the Positive Lot 
Identification program, and when presented for reinspection, must meet 
the maturity requirements which correspond to the date of the original 
inspection.
* * * * *

PART 944--FRUITS; IMPORT REGULATIONS

0
3. A new paragraph (a)(3) is added to Sec.  944.31 to read as follows:


Sec.  944.31  Avocado import maturity regulation.

    (a) * * *
    (3) Avocados which fail to meet the maturity requirements specified 
in this section must be maintained under the supervision of the Federal 
or Federal-State Inspection Service using the Positive Lot 
Identification program, and when presented for reinspection, must meet 
the maturity requirements which correspond to the date of the original 
inspection.
* * * * *

    Dated: May 6, 2008.
Lloyd C. Day,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. E8-10462 Filed 5-9-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P