AMS No. 176-11

Gwen Sparks, (202) 260-8210

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2011 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising standards and creating new grades for cultivated ginseng.

Changes to the standards include adding tolerance levels, reclassifying sizes, removing table values and amending definitions. The revisions will make the marketing of U.S. ginseng easier in a changing and competitive world market. The new standards will be based on quality and percentage of defects.

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 is published in today’s Federal Register. Written comments must be received by Sept. 29, 2011. Comments may be sent to Dr. Carl Newell, AMS Fruit & Vegetable Programs, USDA, National Training and Development Center, Riverside Business Park, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Va. 22406. Comments can also be submitted online at www.regulations.gov.

Visit www.ams.usda.gov/freshinspection for a copy of the current standards.

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