The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising the U.S. Standards for Grades of Grapefruit (Texas and States other than Florida, California and Arizona) and U.S. Standards for Grades of Oranges (Texas and States other than Florida, California and Arizona) to remove the Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) tables.
AMS is converting the AQL tables to show the percentage of defects permitted in each grade instead of the acceptable number of allowable defective fruit in each grade; revising the minimum sample size to 25 fruit; updating size classifications; removing references to Temple oranges from the orange standards; and more closely aligning terminology in both grade standards with current Florida and California citrus standards.
The changes modernize the standards and provide the industry greater marketing flexibility to meet growing consumer demand.
The final rule was published in the Federal Register on Oct. 29, 2020, and becomes effective on Nov. 30, 2020. The proposed rule was published March 10, 2020. Requests for copies of the final rule can be sent to Specialty Crops Inspection Division, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22406; or via fax to (540) 361-1199.
For more information, contact Olivia Banks at (540) 361-2473; fax (540) 361-1199; or, email olivia.banks@ams.usda.gov.
