[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 115 (Thursday, June 16, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-14588]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: June 16, 1994]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
7 CFR Parts 915 and 944
[Docket Nos. FV93-915-2FR and FV91-288-FR]
Avocados Grown in South Florida and Imported Avocados; Changes to
Maturity and Reporting Requirements
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This final rule revises minimum maturity requirements and
suspends certain reporting requirements for avocados grown in South
Florida. This rule is designed to ensure that only mature fruit is
shipped to the fresh market, thereby improving grower and importer
returns and promoting orderly marketing conditions. For avocados
imported into the United States, this final rule reinstates maturity
requirements with certain revisions; adds an exemption for certain
avocado varieties; removes the exemption for avocados grown in the
southern hemisphere; and adds exemptions from maturity requirements for
avocados imported for certain uses. This rule is needed so that
imported avocados meet the same minimum size and color maturity
requirements as those established for avocados under the Federal
marketing order covering Florida avocados, consistent with section 8e
of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937.
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 20, 1994.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caroline C. Thorpe, Marketing
Specialist, Marketing Order Administration Branch, Fruit and Vegetable
Division, AMS, USDA, P.O. Box 96456, room 2523-S, Washington, DC 20090-
6456; telephone: 202-720-5127; or Aleck J. Jonas, Southeast Marketing
Field Office, USDA/AMS, P.O. Box 2276, Winter Haven, Florida 33883;
telephone: 813-299-4770.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This rule is issued under Marketing
Agreement No. 148 and Order No. 915 (7 CFR part 915), as amended,
regulating the handling of avocados grown in South Florida, hereinafter
referred to as the order. The order is effective under the Agricultural
Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as amended (7 U.S.C. 601-674),
hereinafter referred to as the Act.
This rule is also issued under section 8e of the Act, which
requires the Secretary of Agriculture to issue grade, size, quality, or
maturity requirements for certain listed commodities, including
avocados, imported into the United States that are the same as, or
comparable to, those imposed upon the domestic commodities, under
Federal marketing orders. The Secretary has determined that the
maturity requirements for imported avocados should be the same as those
established for avocados grown in South Florida under the order.
The Department is issuing this rule in conformance with Executive
Order 12866.
This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12778,
Civil Justice Reform. This action is not intended to have retroactive
effect. This final rule will not preempt any state or local laws,
regulations, or policies, unless they present an irreconcilable
conflict with this rule.
The Act provides that administrative proceedings must be exhausted
before parties may file suit in court. Under section 8c(15)(A) of the
Act, any handler subject to an order may file with the Secretary a
petition stating that the order, any provision of the order, or any
obligation imposed in connection with the order is not in accordance
with law and requesting a modification of the order or to be exempted
therefrom. A handler is afforded the opportunity for a hearing on the
petition. After the hearing, the Secretary would rule on the petition.
The Act provides that the district court of the United States in any
district in which the handler is an inhabitant, or has his or her
principal place of business, has jurisdiction in equity to review the
Secretary's ruling on the petition, provided a bill in equity is filed
not later than 20 days after the date of the entry of the ruling. There
are no administrative procedures which must be exhausted prior to any
judicial challenge to the provisions of the import rule.
Pursuant to requirements set forth in the Regulatory Flexibility
Act (RFA), the Administrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service
(AMS) has considered the economic impact of this action on small
entities.
The purpose of the RFA is to fit regulatory actions to the scale of
business subject to such actions in order that small businesses will
not be unduly or disproportionately burdened. Marketing orders issued
pursuant to the Act, and rules issued thereunder, are unique in that
they are brought about through group action of essentially small
entities acting on their own behalf. Thus, both statutes have small
entity orientation and compatibility. Import regulations issued under
the Act are based on those established under Federal marketing orders.
There are about 65 avocado handlers subject to regulation under the
marketing order covering avocados grown in Florida and about 95
avocados producers in South Florida. There are about 20 avocado
importers who will be subject to the avocado import maturity
requirements. Small agricultural producers have been defined by the
Small Business Administration (13 CFR 121.601) as those whose annual
receipts are less than $500,000, and small agricultural service firms,
which include avocado handlers and importers, have been defined by the
Small Business Administration as those having annual receipts of less
than $5,000,000. The majority of the Florida avocado handlers and
producers, and avocado importers may be classified as small entities.
This rule finalizes two proposed rules: the first proposed
revisions in the maturity and reporting requirements for avocados grown
in Florida; the second proposed reinstatement and revision of maturity
requirements for imported avocados. Both proposed rules were published
in the April 4, 1994, Federal Register [59 FR 15658 and 15661] and
provided 30 days to interested persons to file comments. No comments
were received. However, several typographical and printing errors were
identified in both proposed rules as published. This final rule
corrects the errors in Table I of both rules: (1) For the Booth 8
variety after October 10, the minimum diameter is changed from 3\3/16\
to 3\1/16\ inches; (2) for the Chica variety after October 3, the
minimum diameter is changed from 3\1/16\ to 3\4/16\ inches.
The Avocado Administrative Committee (committee) works with the
Department in administering the order, and it meets prior to and during
each season to consider recommendations for modification, suspension,
or termination of the regulatory requirements for Florida avocados.
The committee met December 8, 1993, and unanimously recommended
that the shipping schedules for avocados be revised and that certain
reporting requirements be temporarily suspended. Committee meetings are
open to the public and interested persons may express their views at
these meetings. The Department reviews committee recommendations,
information submitted by the committee and other information, and
determines whether modification, suspension, or termination of the
regulatory requirements would tend to effectuate the declared policy of
the Act.
Maturity requirements for avocados grown in Florida, based on
minimum weights, diameters, and skin color, are specified in
Sec. 915.322 [7 CFR 915.322], and are in effect on a continuous basis.
These maturity requirements specify minimum weights and diameters for
specific shipping periods for some 60 varieties of avocados, and color
specifications for those varieties which turn red or purple when
mature. The maturity requirements for the various varieties of avocados
are different, because each variety has different characteristics. The
maturity requirements for each avocado variety are based on maturity
test results.
These maturity requirements are designed to prevent shipments of
immature avocados to the fresh market, especially during the early part
of the harvest season for each variety. Providing fresh markets with
mature fruit is an important aspect of creating consumer satisfaction
and is in the interest of both producers and consumers. Fresh shipments
of Florida avocados usually begin with light shipments of early
varieties in May, and they continue until the following March or April,
with heaviest shipments occurring from July through December.
This final rule revises the shipping schedules for the avocado
varieties specified in Table I of paragraph (a)(2) of Sec. 915.322 (7
CFR part 915.322) to synchronize those schedules with any calendar
year. The previous schedules needed to be adjusted to each new year to
ensure that dates and weekdays conformed to each new year. The
schedules in Table I are similar to previous calendars, except that the
maturity schedules have fixed dates, which become effective on the
Monday nearest the date specified in Table I. The new schedules are
expected to conform more closely to the needs of the industry. This
final rule also exempts from maturity requirements the Hass, Fuerte,
Zutano, and Edranol varieties of avocados, since these varieties of
avocados are not commercially grown in the production area in Florida.
A minimum grade requirement of U.S. No. 2 currently in effect on a
continuous basis for avocados grown in Florida under Sec. 915.306 (7
CFR part 915.306), and for avocados imported into the United States
under Sec. 944.28 (7 CFR part 944.28) remains in effect unchanged by
this action.
Florida avocado handlers may ship, exempt from the minimum grade,
size, and maturity requirements effective under the order, up to 55
pounds of avocados during any one day under a minimum quantity
provision, and up to 20 pounds of avocados as gift packs in
individually addressed containers. Also, avocados grown in Florida
utilized for commercial processing are not subject to the grade, size,
and maturity requirements under the order.
Paragraph (d) of Sec. 915.150 (7 CFR part 915.150), currently
requires that each handler, at the end of the day's operation, report
to the committee the number of containers (\1/4\ Bushel, \1/2\ Bushel,
and \4/5\ Bushel) of avocados sold and delivered within the State of
Florida. This final action suspends paragraph (d) of Sec. 915.150 for
the next two seasons, through March 31, 1996. This temporarily suspends
the requirement that handlers file the ``Avocado Handler Daily Size
Report Form'' which takes about 0.083 hours to complete for each
report. The committee has determined that information needed for
operations, marketing policies, and compliance, could sufficiently be
obtained from inspection certificates collected on a daily basis by
program staff, and that information collected on the ``Avocado Handler
Daily Size Report Form'' will not be needed for the next two seasons.
Further, Hurricane Andrew reduced avocado production by almost half,
and this has reduced assessment collections, resulting in a need to
reduce staff and administration costs.
This rule is also issued under section 8e of the Act, which
requires the Secretary of Agriculture to issue grade, size, quality, or
maturity requirements for certain listed commodities imported into the
United States, including avocados, that are the same as, or comparable
to, those imposed upon the domestic commodities under Federal marketing
orders.
Minimum size (weight and diameter) and skin color maturity
requirements for imported avocados in Sec. 944.31 (7 CFR 944.31) were
continuously in effect for several years prior to their suspension by a
final rule issued May 15, 1991 (56 FR 23009, May 20, 1991). The avocado
import maturity requirements were temporarily suspended to provide the
United States Trade Representative (USTR) adequate time to review
contemplated changes in those requirements, as required by section 8e
of the Act. Suspension of the avocado import maturity requirements
became necessary when the Florida avocado maturity requirements in
Sec. 915.332 (7 CFR 915.332), upon which the avocado import maturity
requirements were based, were revised on May 15, 1991 (56 FR 23005, May
20, 1991). This revision was finalized on September 4, 1991 (56 FR
46224, September 11, 1991). Section 915.332 was most recently amended
to make calendar date adjustments in the shipping schedule for several
varieties of Florida avocados on June 29, 1993 (58 FR 34684, June 29,
1993), and that rule was finalized on October 4, 1993 (58 FR 46759,
September 3, 1993).
Prior to suspension, the avocado import maturity requirements were
based on minimum weights and diameters applied to avocados grown in all
foreign countries, except for those grown in southern hemisphere
countries. Such requirements were applied to each variety for a
specific time period during the first part of the shipping period. The
minimum weights or diameters were not applied to avocados grown in
southern hemisphere countries, such as Chile, where practically all
imported southern hemisphere avocados have originated in recent years,
because the southern hemisphere's avocado growing season and various
shipping periods differ from those in Florida. The import maturity
requirements based on minimum weights or diameters were applied to
avocados grown in northern hemisphere countries, such as those in the
Bahamas and the Dominican Republic, where practically all northern
hemisphere imported avocados have originated in recent years, because
their growing season and various shipping periods are similar to those
in Florida.
The avocado import maturity requirements based on skin color for
certain varieties of avocados which turn red, purple or black when
mature were applied to avocados imported from all foreign countries in
both the southern and northern hemispheres. Such requirements applied
to all avocados grown in both hemispheres, because all such avocados
turn color when mature regardless of where they are grown.
This final rule also reinstates the minimum size (weight and
diameter) requirements for avocados and the skin color maturity
requirements for avocados imported from all foreign countries by
lifting the suspended provisions of Sec. 944.31. However, this final
rule exempts the Hass, Fuerte, Zutano, and Edranol varieties of
avocados from such import maturity requirements, because such varieties
are not grown in commercial quantities in Florida and regulated under
the Florida avocado maturity requirements in Sec. 915.332.
This final rule obviates the need for exempting avocados imported
from the southern hemisphere, since the major varieties imported from
the southern hemisphere are the Hass, Fuerte, Zutano, and Edranol
varieties.
This final rule also adds language to Sec. 944.31 to cite the
minimum size (weight and diameter) and skin color maturity
requirements, and define the term ``diameter''.
This final rule also exempts imported avocados under Sec. 944.31
from minimum weight, diameter, and color maturity requirements if they
are to be used in certain specified outlets. Similar exemptions from
grade requirements established for imported avocados under Sec. 944.28
were implemented by an interim final rule published in the Federal
Register [58 FR 69182, December 30, 1993], with an effective date of
January 1, 1994.
The avocado import maturity regulation [7 CFR 944.31] is based on
the maturity requirements in effect for avocados grown in Florida under
the order throughout the year. Under the order, any person may handle
avocados without regard to established grade, size, quality, or
maturity requirements provided that such avocados are handled for (1)
consumption by charitable institutions; (2) distribution by relief
agencies; (3) commercial processing into products; (4) seed; or (5)
individual shipments of up to 55 pounds. Prior to issuance of this
rule, the only exemption allowed under the avocado import regulation
was that for individual shipments of up to 55 pounds. Thus, this final
rule adds consumption by charitable institutions, distribution by
relief agencies, seed, and commercial processing into products to the
list of exemptions allowed under the avocado import regulation.
To ensure that imported avocados exempt from the maturity
requirements are utilized in exempt outlets, this rule states that such
avocados be subject to the safeguard procedures for imported fruit
established in Sec. 944.350 [58 FR 69182, December 30, 1993].
Under these procedures, an importer wishing to import avocados
covered herein for uses in other than regulated commercial channels,
must complete in triplicate, prior to importation, an ``Importer's
Exempt Commodity Form.'' One copy will notify the Marketing Order
Administration Branch (MOAB) of the Fruit and Vegetable Division, AMS,
and the second copy will notify the U.S. Customs Service of the
importer's intent to import a commodity under an exemption. The third
copy will accompany the exempt lot to the receiver.
The form may be obtained from either the inspection or customs
offices serving the port of entry. The form may also be obtained from
the MOAB in Washington, DC or from its Marketing Field Offices in
Fresno, California; Portland, Oregon; McAllen, Texas; or Winter Haven,
Florida.
The form must be completed at the time the commodity enters the
United States. Copies are to be returned to the U.S. Customs Service at
the time the commodity is offered for importation and to MOAB within 15
days after completion of the form. Information called for on the
``Importer's Exempt Commodity Form'' includes:
(1) The commodity and the variety (if known) being imported,
(2) The date and place of inspection, if applicable,
(3) Identifying marks or numbers on the containers,
(4) Identifying numbers on the railroad car, truck or other
transportation vehicle transporting product to the receiver,
(5) The name and address of the importer,
(6) The place and date of entry,
(7) The quantity imported,
(8) the name and address of the intended receiver (eg. processor,
feeder, charity, or other exempt receiver),
(9) Intended use of the exempt commodity,
(10) The U.S. Customs Service entry number and harmonized tariff code
number, and
(11) Such other information as may be necessary to ensure compliance
with this regulation.
For purposes of this regulation, a lot is considered to be imported
when it is released by the Customs Service for entry into commercial
markets or other channels. Lots that are exempt from maturity
requirements of the import regulations are not subject to the
inspection and certification requirements in such regulations. An
imported lot intended for normal commercial channels, or any portion of
such a lot, that fails established maturity requirements, could be
disposed of in exempt outlets, as specified in the pertinent avocado
import requirements.
The third copy of the form will accompany the exempt lot to its
intended destination. The receiver will then certify that the lot has
been received and it will be utilized in an exempt outlet. After the
certification is signed by the receiver, the form is to be returned to
MOAB by the receiver, within 15 days of receipt of the lot.
The information collection requirements contained in this final
rule have been previously approved by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 [44
U.S.C. Chapter 35], and have been assigned OMB numbers 0581-0078 for
avocados grown in South Florida and 0581-0167 for imported avocados.
In accordance with section 8e of the Act, the USTR has concurred
with the issuance of this final rule.
This final rule reflects the committee's and the Department's
appraisal of the need to make the specified changes. The Department's
view is that this action will have a beneficial impact on producers and
handlers since it will help ensure that only mature avocados are
shipped to fresh markets. The committee considers that maturity
requirements for Florida grown avocados are necessary to improve grower
returns and promote orderly marketing conditions. Although compliance
with these maturity requirements will affect costs to handlers, these
costs will be offset by the benefits of providing the industry and
consumers with mature avocados.
This final rule also reflects the Department's appraisal of the
need to reinstate the suspended avocado import maturity requirements,
with the specified revisions, as hereinafter set forth, in accordance
with section 8e of the Act.
Based on the above, the Administrator of the AMS has determined
that this final rule will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities.
After consideration of all relevant matter presented, the
information and recommendations submitted by the committee, and other
information, it is found that this final rule as hereinafter set forth,
will tend to effectuate the declared policy of the Act.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553, it is also found and determined that good
cause exists for not postponing the effective date of this action until
30 days after publication in the Federal Register because: (1) The
shipping season for South Florida avocados is expected to begin in late
May; (2) avocado handlers are aware of this action which was
unanimously recommended by the committee; (3) notice of the proposed
rules were published in the Federal Register, and no comments were
received during the 30-day comment period.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 915
Avocados, Marketing agreements, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 944
Avocados, Food grades and standards, Grapefruit, Grapes, Imports,
Kiwifruit, Limes, Olives, Oranges.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 7 CFR parts 915 and 944
are amended as follows:
1. The authority citation for 7 CFR parts 915 and 944 continues to
read as follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 601-674.
PART 915--AVOCADOS GROWN IN SOUTH FLORIDA
2. Section 915.332 is revised to read as follows:
Sec. 915.332 Florida avocado maturity regulation.
(a) No handler shall handle any variety of avocados, except Hass,
Fuerte, Zutano, and Edranol, grown in the production area unless:
(1) Any portion of the skin of the individual avocados has changed
to the color normal for that fruit when mature for those varieties
which normally change color to any shade of red or purple when mature,
except for the Linda variety; or
(2) Such avocados meet the minimum weight or diameter requirements
for the Monday nearest each date specified, through the Sunday
immediately prior to the nearest Monday of the specified date in the
next column, for each variety listed in the following TABLE I:
Provided, that avocados may not be handled prior to the earliest date
specified in column A of such table for the respective variety;
Provided further, There are no restrictions on size or weight on or
after the date specified in column D; Provided further, That up to a
total of 10 percent, by count to the individual fruit in each lot may
weigh less than the minimum specified or be less than the specified
diameter, except that no such avocados shall be over 2 ounces lighter
than the minimum weight specified for the variety: Provided further,
That up to double such tolerance shall be permitted for fruit in an
individual container in a lot.
Table I
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Min.
Variety A date wt. diam. Bdate wt. diam. C date wt. diam. D date
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Dupuis #2................................... 5-30 16 3\7/16\ 6-13 14 3\5/16\ 7-04 12 3\2/16\ 7-18
Simmons......................................... 6-20 16 3\9/16\ 7-04 14 3\7/16\ 7-18 12 3\1/16\ 8-01
Pollock......................................... 6-20 18 3\11/16\ 7-04 16 3\7/16\ 7-18 14 3\4/16\ 8-01
Hardee.......................................... 6-27 16 3\2/16\ 7-04 14 2\14/16\ 7-11 12 ......... 7-25
Nadir........................................... 6-27 14 3\3/16\ 7-04 12 3\1/16\ 7-11 10 2\14/16\ 7-18
Ruehle.......................................... 7-04 18 3\11/16\ 7-11
7-18 16
14 3\9/16\
3\7/16\ 8-01
8-08 12
10 3\5/16\
3\3/16\ 8-15
.........
Bernecker....................................... 7-18 18 3\6/16\ 8-01 16 3\5/16\ 8-15 14 3\4/16\ 8-29
Miguel (P)...................................... 7-18 22 3\13/16\ 8-01 20 3\12/16\ 8-15 18 3\10/16\ 8-29
Nesbitt......................................... 7-18 22 3\12/16\ 8-01 16 3\5/16\ 8-08 14 3\3/16\ 8-22
Tonnage......................................... 8-01 16 3\6/16\ 8-15 14 3\4/16\ 8-22 12 3\0/16\ 8-29
Waldin.......................................... 8-01 16 3\9/16\ 8-15 14 3\7/16\ 8-29 12 3\4/16\ 9-12
Tower........................................... 8-01 14 3\6/16\ 8-15 12 3\4/16\ ......... ....... ......... 9-05
Beta............................................ 8-08 18 3\8/16\ 8-15 16 3\5/16\ ......... ....... ......... 9-05
Lisa (P)........................................ 8-08 12 3\2/16\ 8-15 11 3 ......... ....... ......... 8-22
Black Prince.................................... 8-15 28 4\1/16\ 8-29 23 3\14/16\ 9-12 16 3\9/16\ 10-03
Loretta......................................... 8-22 30 4\3/16\ 9-05 26 3\15/16\ ......... ....... ......... 9-26
Booth 8......................................... 8-29 16 3\9/16\ 9-12 14 3\6/16\ 9-26
10-10 12
10 3\3/16\
3\1/16\ 10-24
Booth 7......................................... 8-29 18 3\13/16\ 9-12 16 3\10/16\ 9-26 14 3\8/16\ 10-10
Booth 5......................................... 9-05 14 3\9/16\ 9-19 12 3\6/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-03
Choquette....................................... 9-26 28 4\4/16\ 10-17 24 4\1/16\ 10-31 20 3\14/16\ 11-14
Hall............................................ 9-26 26 3\14/16\ 10-10 20 3\9/16\ 10-24 18 3\8/16\ 11-07
Lula............................................ 10-03 18 3\11/16\ 10-10 14 3\6/16\ 10-31 12 3\3/16\ 11-14
Monroe.......................................... 11-07 26 4\3/16\ 11-21 24 4\1/16\ 12-05
12-19 20
16 3\14/16\
3\9/16\ 1-02
.........
Arue............................................ 5-16 ....... 16 5-30 14 3\3/16\ ......... ....... ......... 7-04
Donnie.......................................... 5-23 16 3\5/16\ 6-06 14 3\4/16\ ......... ....... ......... 7-04
Fuchs........................................... 6-06 14 3\3/16\ 6-20 12 3\0/16\ ......... ....... ......... 7-04
K-5............................................. 6-13 18 3\5/16\ 6-27 14 3\3/16\ ......... ....... ......... 7-11
West Indian Seedling\1\......................... 6-20 18 ......... 7-18 16 ......... 8-22 14 ......... 9-19
Gorham.......................................... 7-04 29 4\5/16\ 7-18 27 4\3/16\ ......... ....... ......... 8-15
Biondo.......................................... 7-11 13 ......... ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 8-15
Petersen........................................ 7-11 14 3\8/16\ 7-18 12 3\5/16\ 7-25 10 3\2/16\ 8-08
232............................................. 7-18 14 ......... 8-01 12 ......... ......... ....... ......... 8-15
Pinelli......................................... 7-18 18 3\12/16\ 8-01 16 3\10/16\ ......... ....... ......... 8-15
Trapp........................................... 7-18 14 3\10/16\ 8-01 12 3\7/16\ ......... ....... ......... 8-15
K-9............................................. 8-01 16 ......... ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 8-22
Christina....................................... 8-01 11 2\14/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 8-22
Catalina........................................ 8-15 24 ......... 8-29 22 ......... ......... ....... ......... 9-19
Blair........................................... 8-29 16 3\8/16\ 9-12 14 3\5/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-03
Guatemalan Seedling\2\.......................... 9-05 15 ......... 10-03 13 ......... ......... ....... ......... 12-05
Marcus.......................................... 9-05 32 4\12/16\ 9/19 24 4\5/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-31
Brooks 1978..................................... 9-05 12 3\4/16\ 9-12 10 3\1/16\ 9-19 8 2\14/16\ 10-10
Rue............................................. 9-12 30 4\3/16\ 9-19 24 3\15/16\ 10-03 18 3\9/16\ 10-17
Collinson....................................... 9-12 16 3\10/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 10-10
Hickson......................................... 9-12 12 3\1/16\ 9-26 10 3\0/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-10
Simpson......................................... 9-19 16 3\9/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 10-10
Chica........................................... 9-19 12 3\7/16\ 10-03 10 3\4/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-17
Leona........................................... 9-26 18 3\10/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 10-10
Herman.......................................... 10-03 16 3\9/16\ 10-17 14 3\6/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-31
Pinkerton (CP).................................. 10-03 13 3\3/16\ 10-17 11 3\0/16\ 10-31 9 ......... 11-14
Taylor.......................................... 10-10 14 3\5/16\ 10-24 12 3\2/16\ ......... ....... ......... 11-07
Ajax (B-7)...................................... 10-10 18 3\14/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 10-31
Booth 3......................................... 10-10 16 3\8/16\ 10-17 14 3\6/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-31
Booth 1......................................... 11-14 16 3\12/16\ 11-28 12 3\6/16\ ......... ....... ......... 12-12
Zio (P)......................................... 11-14 12 3\1/16\ 11-28 10 2\14/16\ ......... ....... ......... 12-12
Gossman......................................... 11-28 11 3\1/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 12-26
Brookslate...................................... 12-05 18 3\13/16\ 12-12 16 3\10/16\ 1-02 12 3\5/16\ 1-30
12-19 14 3\8/16\ 1-16 10
Meya (P)........................................ 12-12 13 3\2/16\ 12-26 11 3\0/16\ ......... ....... ......... 1-89
Reed (CP)....................................... 12-12 12 3\4/16\ 12-26 10 3\3/16\ 1-09 9 3\0/16\ 1-23
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Avocados of the West Indian type varieties and seedlings not listed elsewhere in Table I.
\2\Avocados of the Guatemalan type varieties and seedlings, hybrid varieties and seedlings, and unidentified seedlings not listed elsewhere in Table I.
(b) The term diameter means the greatest dimension measured at a
right angle to a straight line from the stem to the blossom end of the
fruit.
PART 944--FRUITS; IMPORT REGULATIONS
3. The suspension of Sec. 944.31 is removed and the section is
revised to read as follows:
Sec. 944.31 Avocado import maturity regulation.
(a) Pursuant to section 8e [7 U.S.C. 608e-1] of the Agricultural
Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, as amended [7 U.S.C 601-674], and Part
944--Fruits; Import Regulations, the importation into the United States
of any avocados, except the Hass, Fuerte, Zutano, and Edranol
varieties, is prohibited unless:
(1) any portion of the skin of the individual avocados has changed
to the color normal for that fruit when mature for those varieties
which normally change color to any shade of red or purple when mature,
except for the Linda variety; or
(2) Such avocados meet the minimum weight or diameter requirements
for the Monday nearest each date specified, through the Sunday
immediately prior to the nearest Monday of the specified date in the
next column, for each variety listed in the following Table I:
Provided, that avocados may not be handled prior to the earliest date
specified in column A of such table for the respective variety;
Provided further, There are no restrictions on size or weight on or
after the date specified in column D; Provided further, That up to a
total of 10 percent, by count to the individual fruit in each lot may
weigh less than the minimum specified or be less than the specified
diameter, except that no such avocados shall be over 2 ounces lighter
than the minimum weight specified for the variety: Provided further,
That up to double such tolerance shall be permitted for fruit in an
individual container in a lot.
Table 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Min. Min. Min. Min. Min. Min.
Variety Adate wt. diam. Bdate wt. diam. Cdate wt. diam. Ddate
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Dupuis #2................................... 5-30 16 3 \7/16\ 6-13 14 3 \5/16\ 7-04 12 3 \2/16\ 7-18
Simmons......................................... 6-20 16 3 \9/16\ 7-04 14 3 \7/16\ 7-18 12 3 \1/16\ 8-01
Pollock......................................... 6-20 18 3 \11/16\ 7-04 16 3 \7/16\ 7-18 14 3 \4/16\ 8-01
Hardee.......................................... 6-27 16 3 \2/16\ 7-04 14 2 \14/16\ 7-11 12 ......... 7-25
Nadir........................................... 6-27 14 3 \3/16\ 7-04 12 3 \1/16\ 7-11 10 2 \14/16\ 7-18
Ruehle.......................................... 7-04 18 3 \11/16\ 7-11
7-18 16
14 3 \9/16\
3 \7/16\ 8-01
8-08 12
10 3 \5/16\
3 \3/16\ 8-15
Bernecker....................................... 7-18 18 3 \6/16\ 8-01 16 3 \5/16\ 8-15 14 3 \4/16\ 8-29
Miguel (P)...................................... 7-18 22 3 \13/16\ 8-01 20 3 \12/16\ 8-15 18 3 \10/16\ 8-29
Nesbitt......................................... 7-18 22 3 \12/16\ 8-01 16 3 \5/16\ 8-08 14 3 \3/16\ 8-22
Tonnage......................................... 8-01 16 3 \6/16\ 8-15 14 3 \4/16\ 8-22 12 3 \0/16\ 8-29
Waldin.......................................... 8-01 16 3 \9/16\ 8-15 14 3 \7/16\ 8-29 12 3 \4/16\ 9-12
Tower........................................... 8-01 14 3 \6/16\ 8-15 12 3 \4/16\ ......... ....... ......... 9-05
Beta............................................ 8-08 18 3 \8/16\ 8-15 16 3 \5/16\ ......... ....... ......... 9-05
Lisa (P)........................................ 8-08 12 3 \2/16\ 8-15 11 3 \0/16\ ......... ....... ......... 8-22
Black Prince.................................... 8-15 28 4 \1/16\ 8-29 23 3 \14/16\ 9-12 16 3 \9/16\ 10-03
Loretta......................................... 8-22 30 4 \3/16\ 9-05 26 3 \15/16\ ......... ....... ......... 9-26
Booth 8......................................... 8-29 16 3 \9/16\ 9-12 14 3 \6/16\ 9-26
10-10 12
10 3 \3/16\
3 \1/16\ 10-24
Booth 7......................................... 8-29 18 3 \13/16\ 9-12 16 3 \10/16\ 9-26 14 3 \8/16\ 10-10
Booth 5......................................... 9-05 14 3 \9/16\ 9-19 12 3 \6/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-03
Choquette....................................... 9-26 28 4 \4/16\ 10-17 24 4 \1/16\ 10-31 20 3 \14/16\ 11-14
Hall............................................ 9-26 26 3 \14/16\ 10-10 20 3 \9/16\ 10-24 18 3 \8/16\ 11-07
Lula............................................ 10-03 18 3 \11/16\ 10-10 14 3 \6/16\ 10-31 12 3 \3/16\ 11-14
Monroe.......................................... 11-07 26 4 \3/16\ 11-21 24 4 \1/16\ 12-05
12-19 20
16 3 \14/16\
3 \9/16\ 1-02
Arue............................................ 5-16 16 ......... 5-30 14 3 \3/16\ ......... ....... ......... 7-04
Donnie.......................................... 5-23 16 3 \5/16\ 6-06 14 3 \4/16\ ......... ....... ......... 7-04
Fuchs........................................... 6-06 14 3 \3/16\ 6-20 12 3 \0/16\ ......... ....... ......... 7-04
K-5............................................. 6-13 18 3 \5/16\ 6-27 14 3 \3/16\ ......... ....... ......... 7-11
West Indian Seedling\1\......................... 6-20 18 ......... 7-18 16 ......... 8-22 14 ......... 9-19
Gorham.......................................... 7-04 29 4 \5/16\ 7-18 27 4 \3/16\ ......... ....... ......... 8-15
Biondo.......................................... 7-11 13 ......... ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 8-15
Petersen........................................ 7-11 14 3 \8/16\ 7-18 12 3 \5/16\ 7-25 10 3 \2/16\ 8-08
232............................................. 7-18 14 ......... 8-01 12 ......... ......... ....... ......... 8-15
Pinelli......................................... 7-18 18 3 \12/16\ 8-01 16 3 \10/16\ ......... ....... ......... 8-15
Trapp........................................... 7-18 14 3 \10/16\ 8-01 12 3 \7/16\ ......... ....... ......... 8-15
K-9............................................. 8-01 16 ......... ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 8-22
Christina....................................... 8-01 11 2 \14/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 8-22
Catalina........................................ 8-15 24 ......... 8-29 22 ......... ......... ....... ......... 9-19
Blair........................................... 8-29 16 3 \8/16\ 9-12 14 3 \5/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-03
Guatemalan Seedling\2\.......................... 9-05 15 ......... 10-03 13 ......... ......... ....... ......... 12-05
Marcus.......................................... 9-05 32 4 \12/16\ 9-19 24 4 \5/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-31
Brooks 1978..................................... 9-05 12 3 \4/16\ 9-12 10 3 \1/16\ 9-19 8 2 \14/16\ 10-10
Rue............................................. 9-12 30 4 \3/16\ 9-19 24 3 \15/16\ 10-03 18 3 \9/16\ 10-17
Collinson....................................... 9-12 16 3 \10/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 10-10
Hickson......................................... 9-12 12 3 \1/16\ 9-26 10 3 \0/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-10
Simpson......................................... 9-19 16 3 \9/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 10-10
Chica........................................... 9-19 12 3 \7/16\ 10-03 10 3 \4/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-17
Leona........................................... 9-26 18 3 \10/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 10-10
Herman.......................................... 10-03 16 3 \9/16\ 10-17 14 3 \6/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-31
Pinkerton (CP).................................. 10-03 13 3 \3/16\ 10-17 11 3 \0/16\ 10-31 9 ......... 11-14
Taylor.......................................... 10-10 14 3 \5/16\ 10-24 12 3 \2/16\ ......... ....... ......... 11-07
Ajax (B-7)...................................... 10-10 18 3 \14/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 10-31
Booth 3......................................... 10-10 16 3 \8/16\ 10-17 14 3 \6/16\ ......... ....... ......... 10-31
Booth 1......................................... 11-14 16 3 \12/16\ 11-28 12 3 \6/16\ ......... ....... ......... 12-12
Zio (P)......................................... 11-14 12 3 \1/16\ 11-28 10 2 \14/16\ ......... ....... ......... 12-12
Gossman......................................... 11-28 11 3 \1/16\ ......... ....... ......... ......... ....... ......... 12-26
Brookslate...................................... 12-05 18 3 \13/16\ 12-12
12-19 16
14 3 \10/16\
3 \8/16\ 1-02
1-16 12
10 3 \5/16\ 1-30
Meya (P)........................................ 12-12 13 3 \2/16\ 12-26 11 3 \0/16\ 1-09
Reed (CP)....................................... 12-12 12 3 \4/16\ 12-26 10 3 \3/16\ 1-09 9 3 \0/16\ 1-23
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Avocados of the West Indian type varieties and seedlings not listed elsewhere in Table 1.
\2\Avocados of the Guatemalan type varieties and seedlings, hybrid varieties and seedlings, and unidentified seedlings not listed elsewhere in Table I.
(b) The term diameter means the greatest dimension measured at a
right angle to a straight line from the stem to the blossom end of the
fruit.
(c) The term importation means release from custody of the United
States Customs Service. The term commercial processing into products
means the manufacture of avocado product which is preserved by any
recognized commercial process, including canning, freezing,
dehydrating, drying, the addition of chemical substances, or by
fermentation.
(d) Any person may import up to 55 pounds of avocados exempt from
the requirements specified in this section.
(e) The Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service, Fruit and
Vegetable Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, United States
Department of Agriculture, is designated as the governmental inspection
service for certifying the grade, size, quality, and maturity of
avocados imported into the United States. Inspection by the Federal or
Federal-State Inspection Service with evidence thereof in the form of
an official inspection certificate, issued by the respective service,
applicable to the particular shipment of avocados, is required on all
such imports. The inspection and certification services will be
available upon application in accordance with the Regulations Governing
Inspection, Certification and Standards of Fresh Fruits, Vegetables,
and Other Products (7 CFR part 51), and in accordance with the
regulation designating inspection services and procedure for obtaining
inspection and certification (7 CFR 944.400).
(f) Any avocados which fail to meet the import requirements prior
to or after reconditioning and which are not being imported for
purposes of consumption by charitable institutions, distribution by
relief agencies, seed, or commercial processing into products may be
reconditioned or exported, or disposed of under the supervision of the
Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service with the costs of
certifying the disposal of such avocados borne by the importer.
(g) The size, weight, diameter, and color maturity requirements of
this section shall not be applicable to avocados imported for
consumption by charitable institutions, distribution by relief
agencies, seed, or commercial processing into products, but shall be
subject to the safeguard provisions contained in Sec. 944.350.
Dated: June 9, 1994.
Eric M. Forman,
Deputy Director, Fruit and Vegetable Division.
[FR Doc. 94-14588 Filed 6-15-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
