§ 906.340 - Container, pack, and container marking regulations.  


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  • § 906.340 Container, pack, and container marking regulations.

    (a) No handler shall handle any variety of oranges or grapefruit grown in the production area unless such fruit is in one of the following containers, and the fruit is packed and the containers are marked as specified in this section:

    (1) Containers.

    (i) Closed fiberboard carton with approximate inside dimensions of 1314 × x 1012 × x 714 inches: Provided, That the container has a Mullen or Cady test of at least 200 pounds;

    (ii) Closed fully telescopic fiberboard carton with approximate inside dimensions of 1612 × x 1034 × x 912 inches : (

    iii) Closed fiberboard carton with approximate inside dimensions of 20 × 1314 inches and a depth from 934 to 13 inches: Provided, That the container has a Mullen or Cady test of at least 250 pounds: And Provided further, That the container may be used to pack any poly or mesh bags authorized in this section; (iv

    Standard carton);

    (iii) Poly or mesh bags having a capacity of

    four

    4,

    five

    5,

    eight

    8,

    ten

    10, or 18 pounds of fruit

    : Provided, That only oranges are to be packed in the four-pound bag. (v

    ;

    (iv) Rectangular or octagonal bulk fiberboard crib with approximate dimensions of 46 to 4712 inches in length, 37 to 38 inches in width, and 36 inches in height: Provided, That

    this

    the container has a Mullen or Cady test of at least 1,300 pounds, and that it is used only once for the shipment of citrus fruit: And Provided further, That the container may be used to pack any poly or mesh bags authorized in this section, or bulk fruit

    .

    ;

    (

    vi

    v) Rectangular or octagonal 23 fiberboard crib with approximate dimensions of 46 to 4712 inches in length, 37 to 38 inches in width, and 24 inches in height: Provided, That the crib has a Mullen or Cady test of at least 1,300 pounds, and that it is used only once for the shipment of citrus fruit: And Provided further, That the container may be used to pack any poly or mesh bags authorized in this section, or bulk fruit

    .

    ;

    (

    vii

    vi) Octagonal fiberboard crib with approximate dimensions of 46 to 4712 inches in width, 37 to 38 inches in depth, and 26 to 2612 inches in height: Provided, That the crib has a Mullen or Cady test of at least 1,300 pounds, and that it is used only once for the shipment of citrus fruit: And Provided further, That the crib may be used to pack any poly or mesh bags authorized in this section, or bulk fruit

    .

    ;

    (

    viii

    vii) Fiberboard box holding two layers of fruit, with approximate dimensions of 23 inches in length, 1512 inches in width, and 7 inches in depth;

    (

    ix) Fiberboard box with approximate dimensions of 15 inches in length, 11 inches in width, and 712 inches in depth;

    (x) Fiberboard box with approximate dimensions of 2534 inches in length, 15 inches in width, and 838 to 1012 inches in depth;

    (xi)

    viii) Reusable collapsible plastic container with approximate dimensions of 23 inches in length, 15 inches in width, and 7 to 11 inches in depth;

    (

    xii

    ix) Reusable collapsible plastic

    container with approximate dimensions of 1414 × 1034 × 634 inches; (xiii) Reusable collapsible plastic

    bin with approximate dimensions of 3634

    ×

    x 4434

    ×

    x 27 inches;

    (

    xiv

    x) Octagonal bulk triple wall fiberboard crib with approximate dimensions of 3734 inches in length, 25 inches in width, and 25 inches in height: Provided, That the container has a Mullen or Cady test of at least 1,100 pounds: And Provided further, That the container may be used to pack any poly or mesh bags authorized in this section, or bulk fruit;

    (

    xv) Closed fiberboard carton

    xi) Bag having the capacity of 15 pounds of fruit, either in a combination 12 poly and 12 mesh bag or mesh bag;

    (xii) Reusable collapsible plastic mini bin with approximate dimensions of

    16

    3912 inches in length,

    1034

    24 inches in width, and

    615

    301

    16

    2 inches in height: Provided, That the container

    has a Mullen or Cady test of at least 200 pounds; (xvi)

    may be used to pack any poly or mesh bags authorized in this section, or bulk fruit;

    (xiii) Bag having the capacity of three pounds of fruit;

    (xiv) Standard carton with approximate inside dimensions of 16.375 x 10.6875 x 10.25 inches;

    (xv) 85 Body master carton with approximate inside dimensions of 19.5385 x 13.125 x 11.625 inches, one piece;

    (xvi) Euro 85 (5 Down) with approximate inside dimensions of 22.813 x 14.688 x 7.0 up to 7.936 inches;

    (xvii) Fiberboard one piece display container with approximate inside dimensions of 23 inches x 15 inches x 912 up to 1012 inches in depth;

    (xviii) Such types and sizes of containers as may be approved by the committee for testing in connection with a research project conducted by or in cooperation with the committee: Provided, That the handling of each lot of fruit in such test containers shall be subject to prior approval and under the supervision of the committee.

    (2) Pack regulation -

    (i) Oranges.

    (A) Oranges, when packed in any carton, bag, or other container, shall be sized in accordance with the sizes in the following Table I, and meet the requirements of standard pack; and, when in containers not packed according to a definite pattern, shall be sized in accordance with the sizes in Table I and otherwise meet the requirements of standard sizing: Provided, That the packing tolerances in the U.S. Standards for Grades of Oranges (Texas and States other than Florida, California, and Arizona), shall apply to fruit so packed. All fruit packed to size 163 in the following Table I shall be sized in accordance with the sizes in Table I but need not otherwise meet the requirements of standard sizing or standard pack: Provided, That they meet the same tolerances for off-size and pack as defined in the U.S. Standards for Grades of Oranges (Texas and States other than Florida, California, and Arizona):

    Table I - Oranges

    [ 710 bushel carton]

    Rack size/
    number of
    oranges
    Diameter in inches
    Minimum Maximum
    2431216 5116
    323616 4916
    363416 4616
    403216 4416
    4821516 4
    5621316 31316
    6421116 31016
    722916 3816
    882816 3416
    1132716 3
    1382616 21216
    1632316 2816

    (B) If 710 bushel containers of oranges are marked, the count of fruit in each container shall not be less than the count marked on the container, but may exceed the count marked on the container by not more than 8 percent. When packed in marked containers other than 710 bushel, the pack sizes applicable to 710 bushel containers shall also apply to such containers.

    (ii) Grapefruit.

    (A) Grapefruit, when packed in any carton, bag, or other container, shall be sized in accordance with the sizes in the following Table II, except as otherwise provided in the regulations issued pursuant to this part, and meet the requirements of standard pack; and, when in containers not packed according to a definite pattern, shall be sized in accordance with the sizes in Table II: Provided, That the packing tolerances in the U.S. Standards for Grades of Grapefruit (Texas and States other than Florida, California, and Arizona), shall apply to fruit so packed. All fruit packed to size 64 in the following Table II shall be sized in accordance with the sizes in Table II but need not otherwise meet the requirements of standard pack: Provided, That they meet the same tolerances for off-size and pack as defined in the U.S. Standards for Grades of Grapefruit (Texas and States other than Florida, California, and Arizona).

    Table II - Grapefruit

    [ 710 Bushel carton]

    Pack size/
    number of
    grapefruit
    Diameter in inches
    Minimum Maximum
    1841516 5916
    234516 5
    274216 41216
    3231516 4816
    3631316 4516
    4031016 4216
    483916 31416
    563516 31016
    6433816

    (B) If 710 bushel containers of grapefruit are marked, the count of fruit in the container shall not be less than the count marked on the container, but may exceed the count marked on the container by not more than 8 percent. When packed in marked containers other than 710 bushel, the pack sizes applicable to 710 bushel containers shall also apply to such containers.

    (3) Container grade markings. Except when the identifying marks “Texas Choice” or “Texas Fancy” are used by handlers pursuant to § 906.137, any container of U.S. No. 2 grade fruit shall be marked to indicate the grade of the fruit in letters and numbers at least three-fourths inch in height: Provided, That bags containing five or eight pounds of fruit shall be so marked with letters and numbers at least one-fourth inch in height prominently displayed on the front panel of the bag. The requirements of this paragraph (a)(3) will not be effective until February 16, 1992.

    (b) Nonapplicability. The provisions of this section shall not apply to gift packages of fruit.

    (c) As used herein, terms relating to grade, pack, standard pack, and diameter mean the same as defined in the United States Standards for Grades of Oranges (Texas and States other than Florida, California, and Arizona), (7 CFR 51.680 through 51.714), or in the United States Standards for Grades of Grapefruit (Texas and States other than Florida, California, and Arizona), (7 CFR 51.620 through 51.653); and closed means closed in accordance with good commercial practices.

    [33 FR 11542, Aug. 14, 1968]