Agricultural Marketing Service October 3, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This rule relaxes the container marking requirements for kiwifruit covered under the California kiwifruit marketing order (order). The order regulates the handling of kiwifruit grown in California and is administered locally by the Kiwifruit Administrative Committee (Committee). Currently, kiwifruit that has been inspected, meets applicable grade and size requirements, and is subsequently placed into new containers must, be positive lot identified, which requires reinspection. This rule establishes procedures for handlers to ship such kiwifruit without positive lot identification (PLI), and announces the Agricultural Marketing Service's intention to request emergency approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of a new information collection. This rule is intended to reduce handler inspection costs and facilitate the marketing of kiwifruit.

The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising the voluntary United States Standards for Grades of Bunched Italian Sprouting Broccoli. AMS is revising the standards to include provisions for certifying and grading broccoli crowns and florets. Specific size requirements for broccoli crowns and florets are being established. Additionally, the size requirements for the U.S. Fancy grade are being revised to provide minimum and maximum lengths for broccoli bunches ``unless otherwise specified.'' AMS is also revising the size specification section to allow percentages to be determined ``by weight,'' as well as ``by count,'' when fairly uniform in size. AMS is adding a definition for fairly uniform and definitions for the terms florets and crowns and revising the definition for diameter. AMS is defining and adding ``same type'' to the requirements for each of the grades. AMS is eliminating the unclassified category. Additionally, AMS is revising the title of the standards to United States Standards for Grades of Italian Sprouting Broccoli as the standards will now apply to multiple forms of broccoli. These changes are made to update the broccoli grade standards and better reflect current marketing practices.