Washington, DC, USA
June 16, 2016
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is inviting public comment on a proposal to revise 18 U.S. grade standards for canned vegetables.
The proposal addresses the following canned vegetable grade standards: Asparagus, Beets, Carrots, Chili Sauce, Cream Style Corn, Hominy, Leafy Greens, Okra, Okra and Tomatoes or Tomatoes and Okra, Onions, Peas and Carrots, Field Peas and Black-eye Peas, Pimientos, Pumpkin and Squash, Sauerkraut, Spinach, Squash (Summer Type), and Succotash.
AMS is proposing to replace the two-term grading system (dual nomenclature) with a single term to describe each quality level for these standards. Terms using the letter grade would be retained and the descriptive term would be eliminated. For example, grade standards that include the term “U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy” would be revised to use the term “U.S. Grade A.” Likewise, grade standards using the term “U.S. Grade B or U.S. Extra Standard” would be revised to use the single term “U.S. Grade B.” These changes would bring the grade standards in line with quality levels being marketed today.
AMS works with industry representatives and others to establish or revise U.S. standards for nearly 240 agricultural products. Industry uses the standards in the marketplace to specify the quality of commodities. Standards facilitate commerce by providing a common language for trade and a means of measuring value in the marketing of agricultural products.
The notice will be published in the June 17, 2016, Federal Register. Comments are due by Aug. 16, 2016. To view this publication, visit www.regulations.gov. You can access the current standards at www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards.
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