Revision of United States Standards for Grades of Watermelons
Docket Number: AMS-SC-20-0096
Comments Due: May 10, 2021
Summary
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of Watermelons. The proposed changes would provide a common language for trade of watermelons.
Submit Comments
Webinars on Organic Certification in India
The National Organic Program’s (NOP) mission is to protect organic integrity in the United States and around the world. To support this mission, in January 2021, NOP announced it is ending the U.S.-India organic recognition agreement. That announcement started a transition period which allows organic operations certified by APEDA-accredited certifiers under the recognition agreement to apply to a USDA-accredited certifier for USDA organic certification.
USDA Proposes Revising U.S. Standards for Watermelon
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to revise the U.S. Standards for Watermelon to provide a common language for trade.
In October 2019, the National Watermelon Association (NWA), a trade association representing growers, retailers, and shippers from 30 U.S. states, Canada, and Central America, petitioned the USDA to revise the watermelon standards and update the official USDA visual aids library. Revisions to their request were made in November 2020.
Producers of South Florida Avocado Vote to Continue the Federal Marketing Order
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that producers of south Florida avocados voted to continue their marketing order program.
USDA Seeks Nominees for the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is seeking nominees for one producer position and one expert in finance and management to serve three-year terms on the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors. Nominations are due May 9, 2021.
USDA selects appointees from candidates nominated by Certified Nominating Organizations (CNO). A CNO is any certified national organization with a principle interest in the production of sheep in the United States and whose membership consists primarily of active domestic sheep producers.