United States Standards for Split Peas, 60955-60956 [2020-21434]
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60955
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 85, No. 189
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
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.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc No. AMS–FGIS–20–0067]
United States Standards for Split Peas
AGENCY:
Agricultural Marketing Service,
USDA
Notice and request for
comments
ACTION:
The United States Department
of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural
Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing a
revision to the method of interpretation
for determining ‘‘whole peas,’’ in the
Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook, as
it pertains to the class ‘‘Split Peas,’’ in
the U.S. Standards for Split Peas under
the United States Agricultural
Marketing Act (AMA). Stakeholders in
the pea processing/handling industry
requested AMS to amend the
interpretation of whole peas in the Split
Pea inspection instructions by
increasing the percent requirement for
the factor whole peas. To ensure that the
Split Pea class standard remains
relevant, AMS invites interested parties
to comment on whether revising the
inspection instruction facilitates the
marketing of Split Peas. This action
does not revise or amend the Grade and
Grade Requirements for the class Split
Peas in the U.S. Standard for Split Peas.
DATES: We will consider comments we
receive by October 29, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments or notice
of intent to submit comments by any of
the following methods:
To submit Comments: Go to
Regulations.gov (https://
www.regulations.gov). Instructions for
submitting and reading comments are
detailed on the site. Interested persons
are invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. All comments
must be submitted through the Federal
e-rulemaking portal at https://
www.regulations.gov and should
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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18:14 Sep 28, 2020
Jkt 250001
reference the document number and the
date and page number of this issue of
the Federal Register. All comments
submitted in response to this notice will
be included in the record and will be
made available to the public. Please be
advised that the identity of the
individuals or entities submitting
comments will be made public on the
internet at the address provided above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Loren Almond, USDA AMS; Telephone:
(816) 891–0422; Email:
Loren.L.Almond@ams.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
authority of the AMA (7 U.S.C. 1621–
1627), as amended, AMS establishes
and maintains a variety of quality and
grade standards for agricultural
commodities that serve as a
fundamental starting point to define
commodity quality in the domestic and
global marketplace. Standards
developed under the AMA include
those for rice, whole dry peas, split
peas, feed peas, lentils, and beans. The
U.S. standards for whole dry peas, split
peas, feed peas, lentils and beans no
longer appear in the Code of Federal
Regulations but are now maintained by
USDA-AMS-Federal Grain Inspection
Service. The U.S. standards for split
peas are voluntary and widely used in
private contracts, government
procurement, marketing
communication, and for some
commodities, consumer information.
The split pea standards facilitate pea
marketing and define U.S. pea quality in
the domestic and global marketplace.
The standards define commonly used
industry terms; contain basic principles
governing the application of standards
such as the type of sample used for a
particular quality analysis; the basis of
determination; and specify grades and
grade requirements. Official procedures
for determining grading factors are
provided in the Pea and Lentil
Inspection Handbook. Together, the
grading standards and testing
procedures allow buyers and sellers to
communicate quality requirements,
compare pea quality using equivalent
forms of measurement, and assist in
price discovery.
AMS engages in outreach with
stakeholders to ensure commodity
standards maintain relevance to the
modern market. Stakeholders, including
the U.S. Dry Pea and Lentil Council
(USDPLC), requested AMS to revise the
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
split pea criteria for whole peas in the
class Split Peas. Whole Peas are dry
peas which are not split. The current
definition of a ‘‘whole pea’’ is any pea
which is 55 percent or more of a whole
pea. The current tolerances for whole
peas in split peas are determined on
approximately 250 grams. AMS–FGIS
proposes to revise the split pea
inspection criteria in the Pea and Lentil
Inspection Handbook by amending the
definition for whole peas in the Split
Pea class from 55 percent or more, to 60
percent or more.
Split Pea Tolerances for Whole Peas
Representatives of pea industry
stakeholders contacted AMS–FGIS to
discuss ongoing issues with Split Peas,
which grow predominately in Montana
and North Dakota. Stakeholders told
AMS that customers are looking for
improved grading tools to measure the
quality of products. Further, pea
stakeholders told AMS that in 2019
shipments of split peas grading Number
1 at the processor subsequently graded
less than Number 1, after packaging for
Section 32/Food Distribution Programs.
Stakeholders stated the current whole
pea factor tolerance makes meeting
contract specifications difficult due to
the interpretation of a whole pea.
During meetings and discussions, pea
stakeholders communicated the need to
revise the Pea and Lentil Inspection
Handbook by revising the whole pea
definition.
The current tolerances for whole peas
in split peas are determined on a
percent basis of 55 percent or more of
a whole pea in 250 grams. Pea industry
stakeholders recommended the
tolerance be increased to 60 percent or
more of a whole pea. This would assist
in moving the U.S. Split Pea market
towards fewer quality complaints and
serve to ensure consistent grading
results across the nation. AMS views
this action as noncontroversial and
anticipates no adverse public comment.
AMS grading and inspection services,
provided through a network of federal,
state, and private laboratories, conduct
tests to determine the quality and
condition of Split Peas. These tests are
conducted in accordance with
applicable standards using approved
methodologies and can be applied at
any point in the marketing chain.
Furthermore, the tests yield rapid,
reliable, and consistent results. The U.S.
E:\FR\FM\29SEN1.SGM
29SEN1
60956
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 189 / Tuesday, September 29, 2020 / Notices
Standards for Split Peas and the
affiliated grading and testing services
offered by AMS verify that a seller’s
Split Peas meet specified requirements
and ensure that customers receive the
quality purchased.
In order for U.S. standards and
grading procedures for split peas to
remain relevant, AMS is issuing this
request for information to invite
interested parties to submit comments
on the proposal to amend the whole pea
interpretation for the class Split Peas.
These changes do not revise or amend
the Grade and Grade Requirements for
the class Split Peas in the U.S. Standard
for Split Peas.
Proposed AMS Action
Based on input from stakeholder
organizations in the pea industry, AMS
proposes to amend the Pea and Lentil
Inspection Handbook to revise the
definition of whole peas, by increasing
the percent needed to consider a split
pea to be a whole pea from 55 percent
or more to 60 percent or more.
AMS will solicit comments for 30
days. All comments received within the
comment period will be made part of
the public record maintained by AMS,
will be available to the public for
review, and will be considered by AMS
before a final action is taken on this
proposal.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621–1627.
Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–21434 Filed 9–28–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc No. AMS–FGIS–20–0066]
United States Standards for Lentils
Agricultural Marketing Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice and request for
comments.
AGENCY:
The United States Department
of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural
Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing a
revision to the method of interpretation
for the determining the special grade
‘‘Green,’’ in the Pea and Lentil
Inspection Handbook, as it pertains to
the class ‘‘Lentils,’’ in the U.S.
Standards for Lentils under the United
States Agricultural Marketing Act
(AMA). Stakeholders in the lentil
processing/handling industry requested
AMS to amend the definition of the
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:14 Sep 28, 2020
Jkt 250001
special grade ‘‘Green’’ to allow for the
inclusion of mottled lentils. To ensure
that the Lentil standards remain
relevant, AMS invites interested parties
to comment on whether revising the
inspection instructions facilitate the
marketing of Lentils. This action will
revise or amend the Grade and Grade
Requirements for Lentils in the U.S.
Standard for Lentils.
DATES: We will consider comments we
receive by October 29, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments or notice
of intent to submit comments by any of
the following methods:
To submit Comments: Go to
Regulations.gov (https://
www.regulations.gov). Instructions for
submitting and reading comments are
detailed on the site. Interested persons
are invited to submit written comments
concerning this notice. All comments
must be submitted through the Federal
e-rulemaking portal at https://
www.regulations.gov and should
reference the document number and the
date and page number of this issue of
the Federal Register. All comments
submitted in response to this notice will
be included in the record and will be
made available to the public. Please be
advised that the identity of the
individuals or entities submitting
comments will be made public on the
internet at the address provided above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Loren Almond, USDA AMS; Telephone:
(816) 891–0422; Email:
Loren.L.Almond@ams.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
authority of the AMA (7 U.S.C. 1621–
1627), as amended, AMS establishes
and maintains a variety of quality and
grade standards for agricultural
commodities that serve as a
fundamental starting point to define
commodity quality in the domestic and
global marketplace. Standards
developed under the AMA include
those for rice, whole dry peas, split
peas, feed peas, lentils, and beans. The
U.S. standards for whole dry peas, split
peas, feed peas, lentils and beans no
longer appear in the Code of Federal
Regulations, but are now maintained by
USDA–AMS–Federal Grain Inspection
Service. The U.S. standards for lentils
are voluntary and widely used in
private contracts, government
procurement, marketing
communication, and for some
commodities, consumer information.
The lentil standards were last revised in
2017 (82 FR 31550).
The lentil standards facilitate lentil
marketing and define U.S. lentil quality
in the domestic and global marketplace.
The standards define commonly used
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
industry terms; contain basic principles
governing the application of standards
such as the type of sample used for a
particular quality analysis; the basis of
determination; and specify grades and
grade requirements. Official procedures
for determining grading factors are
provided in the Pea and Lentil
Inspection Handbook. Together, the
grading standards and testing
procedures allow buyers and sellers to
communicate quality requirements,
compare lentil quality using equivalent
forms of measurement, and assist in
price discovery.
AMS engages in outreach with
stakeholders to ensure commodity
standards maintain relevance to the
modern market. Stakeholders, including
the U.S. Dry Pea and Lentil Council
(USDPLC), requested AMS to revise the
lentil criteria for the special grade
‘‘Green’’ in the class Lentils. Currently,
Green Lentils are clear seeded (NonMottled) lentils possessing a natural,
uniformly green color. This criteria for
‘‘Green’’ Lentils is determined on the
sample as a whole, after the removal of
dockage, but before the removal of
defects and must be equal to or better
than the depiction on the Interpretive
Line Print (ILP) to quality for the special
grade ‘‘Green Lentils’’. AMS–FGIS
proposes to revise the lentil inspection
criteria in the U.S. Standards for Lentils
and the Pea and Lentil Inspection
Handbook by amending the definition
and criteria requirements for ‘‘Green’’ in
lentils.
Special Grade ‘‘Green’’ Criteria in
Lentils
When special grade ‘‘Green’’ was
added to the lentil standard in 2017,
stakeholders did not intend the
interpretation of the definition to
exclude all mottled lentils.
Representatives of lentil industry
stakeholders contacted AMS–FGIS to
discuss ongoing issues with Lentils,
which are predominately grown in
Montana and North Dakota.
Stakeholders stated in 2019 that most
shipments of lentils did not achieve the
special grade ‘‘Green’’ as the current
definition and interpretation make it
difficult to meet the special grade
criteria. During meetings and
discussions, lentil stakeholders
communicated the need to revise the
standard by changing definition of
special grade ‘‘Green’’ and changing the
inspection criteria in the Pea and Lentil
Inspection Handbook to include a
percentage of allowable mottled lentils.
Stakeholders recommended the
definition of ‘‘Green’’ be revised in the
lentil standard to read ‘‘Clear seeded
(green) lentils possessing a natural,
E:\FR\FM\29SEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 189 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60955-60956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-21434]
========================================================================
Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
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.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 189 / Tuesday, September 29, 2020 /
Notices
[[Page 60955]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc No. AMS-FGIS-20-0067]
United States Standards for Split Peas
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA
ACTION: Notice and request for comments
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing a revision to the
method of interpretation for determining ``whole peas,'' in the Pea and
Lentil Inspection Handbook, as it pertains to the class ``Split Peas,''
in the U.S. Standards for Split Peas under the United States
Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA). Stakeholders in the pea processing/
handling industry requested AMS to amend the interpretation of whole
peas in the Split Pea inspection instructions by increasing the percent
requirement for the factor whole peas. To ensure that the Split Pea
class standard remains relevant, AMS invites interested parties to
comment on whether revising the inspection instruction facilitates the
marketing of Split Peas. This action does not revise or amend the Grade
and Grade Requirements for the class Split Peas in the U.S. Standard
for Split Peas.
DATES: We will consider comments we receive by October 29, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments or notice of intent to submit comments by
any of the following methods:
To submit Comments: Go to Regulations.gov (https://www.regulations.gov). Instructions for submitting and reading comments
are detailed on the site. Interested persons are invited to submit
written comments concerning this notice. All comments must be submitted
through the Federal e-rulemaking portal at https://www.regulations.gov
and should reference the document number and the date and page number
of this issue of the Federal Register. All comments submitted in
response to this notice will be included in the record and will be made
available to the public. Please be advised that the identity of the
individuals or entities submitting comments will be made public on the
internet at the address provided above.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Loren Almond, USDA AMS; Telephone:
(816) 891-0422; Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the AMA (7 U.S.C.
1621-1627), as amended, AMS establishes and maintains a variety of
quality and grade standards for agricultural commodities that serve as
a fundamental starting point to define commodity quality in the
domestic and global marketplace. Standards developed under the AMA
include those for rice, whole dry peas, split peas, feed peas, lentils,
and beans. The U.S. standards for whole dry peas, split peas, feed
peas, lentils and beans no longer appear in the Code of Federal
Regulations but are now maintained by USDA-AMS-Federal Grain Inspection
Service. The U.S. standards for split peas are voluntary and widely
used in private contracts, government procurement, marketing
communication, and for some commodities, consumer information.
The split pea standards facilitate pea marketing and define U.S.
pea quality in the domestic and global marketplace. The standards
define commonly used industry terms; contain basic principles governing
the application of standards such as the type of sample used for a
particular quality analysis; the basis of determination; and specify
grades and grade requirements. Official procedures for determining
grading factors are provided in the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook.
Together, the grading standards and testing procedures allow buyers and
sellers to communicate quality requirements, compare pea quality using
equivalent forms of measurement, and assist in price discovery.
AMS engages in outreach with stakeholders to ensure commodity
standards maintain relevance to the modern market. Stakeholders,
including the U.S. Dry Pea and Lentil Council (USDPLC), requested AMS
to revise the split pea criteria for whole peas in the class Split
Peas. Whole Peas are dry peas which are not split. The current
definition of a ``whole pea'' is any pea which is 55 percent or more of
a whole pea. The current tolerances for whole peas in split peas are
determined on approximately 250 grams. AMS-FGIS proposes to revise the
split pea inspection criteria in the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook
by amending the definition for whole peas in the Split Pea class from
55 percent or more, to 60 percent or more.
Split Pea Tolerances for Whole Peas
Representatives of pea industry stakeholders contacted AMS-FGIS to
discuss ongoing issues with Split Peas, which grow predominately in
Montana and North Dakota. Stakeholders told AMS that customers are
looking for improved grading tools to measure the quality of products.
Further, pea stakeholders told AMS that in 2019 shipments of split peas
grading Number 1 at the processor subsequently graded less than Number
1, after packaging for Section 32/Food Distribution Programs.
Stakeholders stated the current whole pea factor tolerance makes
meeting contract specifications difficult due to the interpretation of
a whole pea. During meetings and discussions, pea stakeholders
communicated the need to revise the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook
by revising the whole pea definition.
The current tolerances for whole peas in split peas are determined
on a percent basis of 55 percent or more of a whole pea in 250 grams.
Pea industry stakeholders recommended the tolerance be increased to 60
percent or more of a whole pea. This would assist in moving the U.S.
Split Pea market towards fewer quality complaints and serve to ensure
consistent grading results across the nation. AMS views this action as
noncontroversial and anticipates no adverse public comment.
AMS grading and inspection services, provided through a network of
federal, state, and private laboratories, conduct tests to determine
the quality and condition of Split Peas. These tests are conducted in
accordance with applicable standards using approved methodologies and
can be applied at any point in the marketing chain. Furthermore, the
tests yield rapid, reliable, and consistent results. The U.S.
[[Page 60956]]
Standards for Split Peas and the affiliated grading and testing
services offered by AMS verify that a seller's Split Peas meet
specified requirements and ensure that customers receive the quality
purchased.
In order for U.S. standards and grading procedures for split peas
to remain relevant, AMS is issuing this request for information to
invite interested parties to submit comments on the proposal to amend
the whole pea interpretation for the class Split Peas. These changes do
not revise or amend the Grade and Grade Requirements for the class
Split Peas in the U.S. Standard for Split Peas.
Proposed AMS Action
Based on input from stakeholder organizations in the pea industry,
AMS proposes to amend the Pea and Lentil Inspection Handbook to revise
the definition of whole peas, by increasing the percent needed to
consider a split pea to be a whole pea from 55 percent or more to 60
percent or more.
AMS will solicit comments for 30 days. All comments received within
the comment period will be made part of the public record maintained by
AMS, will be available to the public for review, and will be considered
by AMS before a final action is taken on this proposal.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-21434 Filed 9-28-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
