Agricultural Marketing Service June 21, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule would change the peanut quality and handling standards (Standards) to require that domestic and imported peanuts be dried to 18 percent moisture or less prior to inspection and to 10.49 percent or less prior to storing or milling. Virginia-type peanuts used for seed must be dried to 18 percent or less prior to inspection and to 11.49 percent or less prior to storing or milling. The Standards and the Peanut Standards Board (Board) were established by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), pursuant to section 1308 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002. The Board suggested changing the peanut quality and handling standards to allow handlers and importers to receive or acquire high moisture peanuts to promote the development of new drying technologies, increase efficiencies and reduce costs to the industry.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is revising the United States Standards for Grades of Kale. Specifically, AMS is revising the standards to allow percentages to be determined by count rather than weight and the application of tolerances for packages which contain less than 15 specimens. Additionally, AMS is revising the standards to allow the standards to be used for kale leaves and bunches of leaves in addition to kale plants. The revisions will bring the standards for kale in-line with current marketing practices, thereby improving their usefulness in serving the industry.