Release No.: 007-16
WASHINGTON, Jan. 20, 2016 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) issued a proposed rule to revise the Minimum Quality and Handling Standards for Domestic and Imported Peanuts Marketed in the United States. AMS invites interested parties to comment on the proposal.
The proposed changes would eliminate the maximum amount of foreign material incoming peanuts may contain; relax the amount of damage allowed under outgoing quality requirements; modify positive lot identification requirements, record-keeping procedures, and reporting requirements; and update language throughout the standards to reflect current industry practices. The Peanut Standards Board, which is comprised of producers and industry representatives who advise USDA on possible changes to the quality and handling requirements, unanimously recommended the changes in order to increase supply, create efficiencies, and reduce industry costs.
AMS is responsible for ensuring mandatory inspection of all peanuts marketed in the United States, as well as implementing peanut quality and handling requirements.
The proposed rule published in the Jan. 19, 2016, Federal Register. Comments may be submitted to www.regulations.gov by March 21, 2016. AMS will consider all comments prior to issuance of a final rule.
For more information, contact Steven W. Kauffman, Marketing Specialist, or Christian D. Nissen, Regional Director, Southeast Marketing Field Office, Marketing Order and Agreement Division, Specialty Crops Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA; Telephone: (863) 324-3375, Fax: (863) 291-8614, or e-mail: Steven.Kauffman@ams.usda.gov or Christian.Nissen@ams.usda.gov.
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