United States Standards for Beans-Chickpeas

Docket Number: AMS-FGIS-21-0009
Comment Due: June 21, 2021

Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is proposing to add a new criterion—Cotyledon Damage—to the chickpea/garbanzo bean damage factors in the Bean Inspection Handbook. The damage factors pertain to the class Chickpea/Garbanzo Beans in the U.S. Standards for Beans under the United States Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA). Stakeholders in the bean processing/handling industry suggested adding a criterion related to white chalky or wafer-like spots in the cotyledon, which can affect chickpea/garbanzo bean flavor. This proposal is intended to update inspection procedures to ensure that the bean standards remain relevant to the market. AMS invites interested parties to comment on whether revising the inspection instructions to include the additional damage factor would facilitate the marketing of chickpea/garbanzo beans. This action would not revise or amend the Grade and Grade Requirements for Chickpea/Garbanzo Beans in the U.S. Standards for Beans.

Submit Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit written comments concerning this notice. All comments must be submitted through the Federal e-rulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov and should reference the document number and the date and page number of this issue of the Federal Register. Instructions for submitting and reading comments are detailed on the site. All comments submitted in response to this notice will be included in the record and will be made available to the public. Please be advised that the identity of the individuals or entities submitting comments will be made public on the internet at the address provided above.

Contact

Loren Almond, USDA AMS; Telephone: (816) 702-3925; or email: Loren.L.Almond@usda.gov.

Supporting Documents