[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 60 (Monday, March 30, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15174-15175]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-8176]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 60 / Monday, March 30, 1998 /
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[PY-97-007]
United States Grade Standards for Poultry and Rabbits
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is changing the
United States Grade Standards for Poultry. Specifically, the changes
will revise the existing grade standards for boneless parts, skinless
carcasses and parts, and boneless, skinless parts. New grade standards
will be added for ready-to-cook (raw), boneless, skinless drumsticks
and legs; and raw size-reduced boneless, skinless products. Existing
standards for defeathering will be clarified by detailing specific
feather tolerances for Grades A-, B-, and C-quality carcasses and
parts. Additionally, the authority to grade-identify boneless, skinless
products under three tentative standards that were used to develop the
new grade standards will be terminated. The standards are being updated
to reflect changes in poultry processing technology and marketing.
EFFECTIVE DATE: April 29, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Rex A. Barnes at (202) 720-
3271.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Poultry grading is a voluntary program
provided under the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended, 7
U.S.C. 1621 et seq., and is offered on a fee-for-service basis.
On December 4, 1995, the Voluntary United States Grade Standards
for Poultry and Rabbits were removed from the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) as part of the National Performance Review program to
eliminate unnecessary regulations and to improve those that remain in
force. AMS continues to administer the official standards and makes
copies available on the Internet or upon request. The United States
Grade Standards for Poultry are now referred to as AMS 70.200 et seq.
and the United States Grade Standards for Rabbits are now referred to
as AMS 70.300 et seq.
Background and Comments
A notice of proposed changes to the United States Grade Standards
for Poultry and Rabbits was published in the Federal Register (62 FR
51079) on September 30, 1997. Comments on the proposal were solicited
from interested parties until December 1, 1997.
During the 90-day comment period, the Agency received two comments,
both from State Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Services. One
comment was in agreement with the proposed changes.
The other comment did not oppose the proposed changes, but
questioned the Agency's position regarding skin as a defect on skinless
carcasses and parts, and boneless, skinless products. As a result of
this comment, the Agency is conducting a review of its policy and
practices regarding skin on skinless products. If changes or
clarifications to the standards appear warranted as a result of this
review, a separate notice will be published in the Federal Register to
advise the industry and public.
The Agency expects the proposed changes to extend the value of the
U.S. Grade Standards for Poultry, and will therefore revise the subject
standards as proposed. Copies of the revised standards are available
from the Standardization Branch, Poultry Programs, AMS, USDA, Room
3944-South Bldg., STOP 0259, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington,
DC 20250-0259, (202) 720-3506; or on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/
poultry/standards/. The changes are summarized as follows:
Boneless Parts
The standards for boneless parts will be revised to include
drumsticks and legs; address boneless, skin-on parts only; and exclude
tenderloins. Tenderloins and other boneless, skinless parts and their
respective requirements will be covered under a new section. This
change will organize requirements for each product type by section and
make the standards clearer and more ``user friendly.''
Boneless, Skinless Parts
A new section for Grade A-quality tenderloins and other whole
muscle boneless, skinless parts will be added and the criteria updated
by: (1) Including all parts (previously boneless, skinless drumsticks
and legs could not be grade identified); (2) allowing only slight
discolorations on the flesh; and (3) requiring parts to be free of
cartilage, blood clots, bruises, cuts, tears, and holes.
For trimming of boneless, skinless poultry drumsticks and legs, the
standard will require at least one-half of the drumstick and leg remain
intact, and the part need no longer retain the meat yield of the
original part. This change from the tentative standard is based on the
Agency's long-standing policy that parts must be in recognizable
portions for identification purposes and that the ``one-half''
requirement provides a minimum relationship to the meat yield.
Size-Reduced Poultry Products
Standards for size-reduced poultry products will be established by
the following:
(1) Requirements for Grade A-quality raw size-reduced boneless,
skinless products in the form of sliced, diced, and other similarly cut
poultry products will be added to the standards.
(2) The section title under the tentative standard will be revised
from ``Ready-to-Cook, Boneless-Skinless Poultry Products, Without Added
Ingredients'' to ``Size-Reduced Poultry Products.'' This change
clarifies that this section covers size-reduced poultry products
exclusively.
(3) The requirements for the ``size-reduced'' section will be
revised from the tentative standard to require uniformity in product
size and shape to be dictated by the size-reduction process. This
change is necessary because it is improbable that all products of this
nature would be uniform, especially since new technology, including
slicing and dicing procedures, will constantly be improved, modified,
and refined.
(4) Requirements for products labeled ``sliced (part)'' will be
added to the standards. The product, such as breast, thigh, etc.,
shall: (a) Originate from the slicing of the boneless, skinless part;
and (b) collectively approximate the
[[Page 15175]]
shape of the original part prior to slicing. Further, the slices need
not come from the same part. These requirements are consistent with
current guidelines for poultry labeled ``whole chicken, cut-up,'' where
all parts need not come from the same chicken.
Feather Criteria
The feather criteria in Grade A-, B-, and C-quality poultry
carcasses and parts and Grade A-quality poultry roasts will be updated.
Existing standards require that poultry either be ``free of feathers''
or possess only a few feathers when examined at normal grading speeds.
The standards will be revised to specify the number and length of
protruding feathers allowed on poultry for each grade, and limit the
length of hair and/or down permitted on ducks and geese. These
additions reflect the Agency's actual grading interpretation and
practices, and do not require a change in existing procedures.
Tentative Grade Standards
The authority for the use of the three tentative grade standards
will be terminated for: (1) Ready-to-cook boneless, skinless legs and
drumsticks; (2) ready-to-cook boneless, skinless products without added
ingredients; and (3) cooked boneless, skinless products, without added
ingredients published in the Federal Register on March 30, 1995 (60 FR
16428), June 12, 1995 (60 FR 3083), and February 15, 1996 (61 FR 5975),
respectively.
Miscellaneous Changes
Additionally AMS will:
(1) Add poultry tenderloins and wing portions to the standards to
make each eligible for grade identification. Tenderloins may be
identified as Grade A-quality; and wing portions may be identified as
Grade A-, B-, or C-quality parts.
(2) Allow the use of clear to semi-clear marinades and sauces for
grade-identified products, provided the ingredients do not alter the
applicable grade factors or detract from the appearance of the product;
(3) Revise standards for skinless carcasses and parts to include
specific labeling options; and
(4) Make additional miscellaneous changes to remove obsolete
material and otherwise clarify, update, simplify, and technically
correct the standards. These changes are editorial or housekeeping in
nature and impose no new requirements.
Dated: March 24, 1998.
Enrique E. Figueroa,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 98-8176 Filed 3-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
