The U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Processed Raisins. The proposal would modify two references to the allowances for capstems to modernize the standards to reflect current industry practices.
The proposed changes would reduce the number of allowable capstems for all varietals, except Zante Currants, in all three Grades (A, B, and C) as follows:
- For Type I, Seedless Raisins, and Type II, Golden Seedless Raisins, the allowances for capstems change in Grade A from 15 to 10, in Grade B from 25 to 15, and in Grade C from 35 to 20.
- For Sultana Raisins the allowances for capstems change in Grade A from 25 to 10, in Grade B from 45 to 15, and in Grade C from 65 to 20.
The proposal also includes minor editorial changes to align with formatting required by the Code of Federal Regulations.
The notice of the proposed revisions was published in the Federal Register on March 8, 2023. Written comments must be received by May 8, 2023. Comments should be submitted online at regulations.gov, faxed to (540) 361-1199, or mailed to the USDA, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, VA 22406
Copies of the proposed U.S Standards for Grades of Processed Raisins are available at http://www.regulations.gov. Current standards can be viewed on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) Fruit Grades and Standards webpage. For additional information, contact Brian E. Griffin at (202) 748-2155 or by email at Brian.Griffin@usda.gov.
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